[Dave Mc]

Rodents chow down on Teslas, causing thousands in damage | Fox Business

My neighbor had her 2021 ICE Mazda in the shop to repair gnawed-on hoses. I hope ours are oil-based & not soy-based so the rodents stay away from my car!

 

[ChristophW]

Maybe someone needs to create a rodent zapper, like a large version of a mosquito zapper. We have plenty of power ...
But then, the IQ of rodents and car techs/enthusiasts overlap, so there'd be plenty of room for mishaps.

 

[Huey52]

When I used to park my Mazda outside in Winter, and heavy snow kept the area cats from their proper patrolling, an under-hood sonic deterrent worked well. Prior to that inclusion they chewed some firewall insulation for nesting and also a couple electrical cables to keep their teeth growth in check. I used a similar sonic in my shed and it worked well there too.

 

[Dave Mc]

Consumer Reports has some suggestions, based on various technical service bulletins from Ford, General Motors, Honda, Toyota, and Subaru. I think I'm most interested in the Honda capsaicin tape, but since I live in the southwest, it would probably attract the rodents here.
Protect Your Car From Rodents | Chewing Wires - Consumer Reports

 

[Fahrer]

The idea that rodents are attracted to soy based wire coatings is deceptive. There is no soy in the wire coating. There are chemical intermediates derived from the chemical conversion and reaction of plant matter (corn, castor beans, soy or other) but there is no soy in any of these plastics. These intermediates are reacted with other chemicals to produce polymers such as polyesters or polyurethanes. Rodents chew on many things because they must. Their front "teeth" are always growing. In the wire and cable industry, it has been observed over many decades that rats chew through many plastics including polyethylene ( nothing to do with soy) and, yes, steel tubing! Polylactic acid ( PLA) is often promoted as a bio based product that will eventually degrade. The claim that it is "made from corn" is also misleading. Yes, corn husks are chemically processed, converted and reacted to yield some useful chemicals. Some of those chemicals can be used to make PLA, which is a polyester type. But there is no corn in PLA.

Rodents will eat through polyethylene, all types of rubber, aluminum, steel, pvc, wood, etc. etc.

 

[ChristophW]

Thanks for putting the record straight on the chemistry issues!,I was getting close too, just hadn’t reached my pain threshold yet. Such much BS out there.

 

[ericy]

Back when my TDI was parked and waiting for buyback, I had squirrels living under the hood - I would find nut shells on the battery box. I placed some mothball kind of things under the hood, and that seemed to dissuade them.

 

[Dave Mc]

Good to know there's no nutritional value & maybe mothballs will help.

How long do the mothballs last? Do they "evaporate" (disappear) or just lose their scent (and effectiveness)? Helps to know when to replace them...

 

[ericy]

How long do the mothballs last? Do they "evaporate" (disappear) or just lose their scent (and effectiveness)? Helps to know when to replace them...

Yeah, they do gradually evaporate, so they need to be replaced from time to time. The amount of time they last depends on how big they are to begin with - a large block would last longer than smaller balls.

 

[Neil]

Yeah, they do gradually evaporate, so they need to be replaced from time to time. The amount of time they last depends on how big they are to begin with - a large block would last longer than smaller balls.

Moth balls that are available can be made from 2 very different compounds. Look for the paradichlorobenzene variety.

 

[Huey52]

Mothballs work (usually placed in a sock and then within the engine bay when not operational). They will breakdown/dissipate over time. The drawback of course is the rather pungent odor. That's why again in more recent history I've opted for a Sonic Deterrent, even if it meant running an exterior extension cord (which I've also used for an under-hood waterproof 12V Battery Tender Jr. in Winter). I use a similar plug-in sonic in my shed with success.
The sonic is of course well above human frequency acuity.
e.g. Amazon.com : Loraffe Under Hood Animal Repeller Rodent Repellent Ultrasonic Rat Deterrent LED Strobe Lights Keep Mice Away from Car Pest Control for 12V 24V Automobile Truck RV, Rodent Defense Vehicle Protection : Garden & Outdoor

 

[ericy]

Mothballs work (usually placed in a sock and then within the engine bay when not operational). They will breakdown/dissipate over time. The drawback of course is the rather pungent odor. That's why again in more recent history I've opted for a Sonic Deterrent, even if it meant running an exterior extension cord (which I've also used for an under-hood waterproof 12V Battery Tender Jr. in Winter). I use a similar plug-in sonic in my shed with success.
The sonic is of course well above human frequency acuity.
e.g. Amazon.com : Loraffe Under Hood Animal Repeller Rodent Repellent Ultrasonic Rat Deterrent LED Strobe Lights Keep Mice Away from Car Pest Control for 12V 24V Automobile Truck RV, Rodent Defense Vehicle Protection : Garden & Outdoor

Yeah, the mothballs worked for me only because the TDI was parked waiting for buyback, and I would only drive it once a week or two in order to keep it all in working order. For an active car, the sonic thing sounds way better - I wonder if it bothers pets however.

 

[Dave Mc]

Mothballs work (usually placed in a sock and then within the engine bay when not operational). They will breakdown/dissipate over time. The drawback of course is the rather pungent odor. That's why again in more recent history I've opted for a Sonic Deterrent, even if it meant running an exterior extension cord (which I've also used for an under-hood waterproof 12V Battery Tender Jr. in Winter). I use a similar plug-in sonic in my shed with success.
The sonic is of course well above human frequency acuity.
e.g. Amazon.com : Loraffe Under Hood Animal Repeller Rodent Repellent Ultrasonic Rat Deterrent LED Strobe Lights Keep Mice Away from Car Pest Control for 12V 24V Automobile Truck RV, Rodent Defense Vehicle Protection : Garden & Outdoor

I was ready to pull the trigger when I saw, at the very bottom of the Product Description, "No Suggested for Electric or Hybrid Electric Vehicles". Any other suggestions? Or know why they don't recommend using this is an EV?

 

[majorgearhead]

I was ready to pull the trigger when I saw, at the very bottom of the Product Description, "No Suggested for Electric or Hybrid Electric Vehicles". Any other suggestions? Or know why they don't recommend using this is an EV?

Find something called Fresh Cab. They are little pouches you place in the engine compartment. They smell much better than moth balls but to rodents they smell like death itself. Living in the country I had rodents try an live in my VW and using fresh cab they never came back ever. Found it at True Value or Ace in the US. Probably can mail order the stuff outside the US.

 

[Huey52]

Sorry, I didn't see that. It was just the first Amazon-preferred that I came across as an example.

I have no clue as to why it is not recommended for an EV. Perhaps that ultrasonic frequency range is also used for something in an EV? But then the USA FCC usually does a good job of isolating specific frequency ranges.

This is the one I have in my shed and also used in a prior ICE. It's no longer on Amazon USA (?) but still Amazon UK.

Triple Action Rodent Repellent ✮ GM-X Mouse Rat Repellent Ultrasonic - Patented Deep Repel Technology in Walls and Ceilings - Indoor, Garden, Back Yard Pest Control Mice : Amazon.co.uk: Garden & Outdoors

Great prices on your favourite Gardening brands, and free delivery on eligible orders.

www.amazon.co.uk

I was ready to pull the trigger when I saw, at the very bottom of the Product Description, "Not Suggested for Electric or Hybrid Electric Vehicles". Any other suggestions? Or know why they don't recommend using this is an EV?

 

[NeoFrank]

Sorry, I didn't see that. It was just the first Amazon-preferred that I came across as an example.

I have no clue as to why it is not recommended for an EV. Perhaps that ultrasonic frequency range is also used for something in an EV? But then the USA FCC usually does a good job of isolating specific frequency ranges.

This is the one I have in my shed and also used in a prior ICE. It's no longer on Amazon USA (?) but still Amazon UK.

Triple Action Rodent Repellent ✮ GM-X Mouse Rat Repellent Ultrasonic - Patented Deep Repel Technology in Walls and Ceilings - Indoor, Garden, Back Yard Pest Control Mice : Amazon.co.uk: Garden & Outdoors

Great prices on your favourite Gardening brands, and free delivery on eligible orders.

www.amazon.co.uk

If you scroll down in the Amazon advert, it appears that the reason for rejecting EVs could be the proximity to the 12V battery. They're looking to connect the device directly to the battery.

"Not suggested using in the Electric or Hybrid Electric Vehicles, or vehicles with battery pack located in the rear."​

 

[Froggy]

Go to the Shawn Woods channel on YouTube. He posts a review of mice and rat traps twice a week. Rats are way smarter than mice. One even got here two offspring out of a 🪤.

 

[Froggy]

Maybe someone needs to create a rodent zapper, like a large version of a mosquito zapper. We have plenty of power ...
But then, the IQ of rodents and car techs/enthusiasts overlap, so there'd be plenty of room for mishaps.

It’s been done search for Shawn Woods on YouTube then look through his channel listings. He tested them out, one works and one doesn’t.