Of Mice and Lawyers – more wire chewing woes

Well, I have been trying to tell people about this problem for a while now. It seems that some consumers are fed up and have turned to the law to protest the use of tasty soy based wiring in their vehicles. . .

CALIFORNIA — Do you have warning lights and costly car repairs? Rodent damage could be the culprit behind your next break down. A class action lawsuit claims the type of plastic used in new cars could be attracting vermin that eat the wires.

“I never could figure out where the stuff came from until I saw the rat,” said Barbara Olm. On more than one occasion a tiny hitch hiker made a meal out of the wiring in Olm’s 2012 Lexus.

The 84-year-old poisoned one rat in her car, but not before the rodent cause more than $400 in damage. “The mechanic found a ground wire and coolant wire eaten by rats,” Olm said. . . . .

Chewed up insulation is a cheap fix but wiring damage can be costly. “I have seen a couple in the $2000 range,” Campanili said, and damage is not covered under warrantee. University Honda can’t explain what’s attracts rodents to vehicles, but attorney Brian Kabateck can. “The plastic coating around the wires is made of soy,” Kabateck said. “I am not a rat expert, but soy must be delicious to rats.”

“While we cannot comment on this litigation, we can say that rodent damage to vehicle wiring occurs across the industry, and the issue is not brand- or model-specific.” Victor Vanov Corporate Communications Toyota Motor North America

http://www.wcpo.com/money/consumer/dont-waste-your-money/lawsuit-claims-car-wiring-too-tasty-to-rodents

Car owners across the country are getting into their cars these days, turning the key and finding their engine won’t start. The reason may be hard to believe: an animal ate their car’s wiring.

Now, a class action lawsuit claims millions of Toyota cars, trucks and SUVs contain wiring that is attractive to animals like squirrels and mice. Honda settled a similar suit a few years ago.

Thousands of car owners in recent years have ended up like Woody and Mary Herald, who two years ago showed us how animals chewed through their car’s wiring. “On the ground we found this connector, with six inches of wire on either end of it, that the varmints had chewed into completely,” Woody Herald said.

This new suit claims Toyota uses soy-based wiring, which is environmentally friendly but tasty to animals. . . . . .

http://fox17online.com/2017/02/08/do-animals-think-your-car-wiring-is-tasty/

While taking on the auto giants may be an option, it is likely to take lots of time before something is resolved. In the mean time, what is to be done for the average person who is stuck with a rodent taking up residence in their engine and feasting on their car wires?

“If you see any evidence of rodents under the hood of your car, you should buy a repellent immediately, before they cause hundreds of dollars of damage. That way, you don’t waste your money.”

http://fox17online.com/2017/02/08/do-animals-think-your-car-wiring-is-tasty/

Well, I have never been one to bring up a problem without offering a solution. Our PeeShots are perfect for this application. They come in an 8 pack and are “Pee-Loaded” with PredatorPee. Remove the lids and place the PeeShots near each tire and in engine compartment or other target areas in the vehicle. Remove before driving. Choose BobcatPeeShots for mice, CoyotePeeShots for rats and ‘coons, FoxPeeShots for squirrels, and WolfPeeShots for domestic and feral cats.

PeeMan’s Projects: Camper #3

True, it is camper refurb no. 3, but who’s counting? Well, my wife probably. But, as she knows, I can’t sit still for long. The Airstream is great for parking in a scenic spot and staying a while but not ideal for hauling across country. So, I set out to find myself a rolling bedroom. img_1497-2 Just someplace the wife and I can rest our weary bones while we are enjoying our golden years scoping out the wonders of these United States of America. When i finally found this next project, I bought her without even looking inside. I was gonna gut her anyway, so I was only concerned with a solid frame and exterior. Well, when I got her home, I was surprised to find that aside from the purple walls, this metal gem contains original cabinetry and fixtures. I don’t think I can let that go, soooo it’s gonna be more than just a gutting job.
This should keep me busy during the winter months. Speaking of winter months, things are not really slowing down in the pee business, just shifting to the protection of vehicles, campers(like mine), and boats from damage that can be caused by rodents looking for a warm place to stay. So as a result, the peeshots are flying out the door as fast as we can manufacture them. BobcatPeeShots for mice, CoyotePeeShots for rats and ‘coons, FoxPeeShots for squirrels, and WolfPeeShots for domestic and feral cats. I will update you on my camper project progress in a few weeks. In the mean time, make sure you protect your rv, boat, antique vehicle etc. with 100% PredatorPee.

Until I find more words. . .The PeeMan

Tasty Wiring Biting Honda

Greetings from the North Woods,

Almost exactly a year ago I published “Green” Car Wiring Tickles Rodent Tastebuds on this very blog and what should I stumble across today but more news about exactly how tasty car makers have been making their wiring! So tasty that angry customers are actually starting to sue! The below article from nbcnews.com details a class-action lawsuit against carmaker Honda. It seems that in the company’s zeal to pursue eco-friendliness, they have made friends of mice and enemies of some of their customers. The damages caused by the rodents can add up to thousands of dollars very quickly. While Honda deals with angry customers, there is a solution for those of you stuck with yummy soy-based products in your vehicles – predator urine. I am not just saying that – Wiley Faris of Arapahoe Autotek is quoted in the article below – “Predator urine is a good deterrent,” Faris said. “That stuff can take care of the critter damage pretty quick.”

Where do you get predator urine? Predatorpee.com .com of course! Auto mechanics, car dealers, and pest control specialists just like Faris have begun telling their customers about our products, specifically our PredatorPee PeeShots for vehicles and other indoor applications. They are available with WolfPee, FoxPee, BobcatPee, and Mt. LionPee depending on the particular pest you are trying to deter. So, while you are waiting for your class-action money, protect your car from any further damage with predator urine. urine.

Honda’s Soy-Based Wiring Covers Irresistible to Rodents: Lawsuit

by Lucy Bayley

Environmentally friendly car wiring with a soy-based coating is too tempting for rodents to resist, according to a federal class-action lawsuit that demands Honda pick up the tab for the damage caused by gnawing mice, rabbits and squirrels.

The breach of warranty lawsuit, filed last week in Los Angeles and first reported by Courthouse News Service, results from the automaker’s quest to “go green” by using soy-based biodegradable wire coating. The coating costs less than plastic but does have a downside, according to lead plaintiff Daniel Dobbs of Wyoming.

In the lawsuit, Dobbs alleged that he had to pay twice to have chewed-up wires in his 2012 Honda Accord replaced at a Honda dealership. The second time, he said, mechanics wrapped the wires in special tape intended to deter rodents, demonstrating that Honda is aware of the issue.

That means car owners should not have to foot the bill for the repairs, argues Dobbs, who was joined by Honda owners in Arizona and Texas in suing Honda.

A deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus), seen in an undated photo provided by the National Park Service. d) John Good / National Park Service via AP

“(The automaker) has turned this defective soy-based insulated wiring into another source of income for Honda and its dealers by charging aggrieved vehicle owners for repairs or parts to deal with the adverse consequences …that Honda should have covered under warranty in the first place,” the lawsuit says.

Other car owners not involved in the lawsuit say they have had similar problems.

“I just picked up my 2013 Honda Accord from the dealer with almost $2,000 worth of work completed due to a wood rat eating a main harness,” one dissatisfied driver said on a forum discussing the issue. “Then I find (that) Honda makes a shrink wrap tape specifically for the problem. Are you kidding me!!! Fix it from the start instead of putting the burden on us consumers.”

This isn’t the first time that the use of soy in vehicles has caused problems. In the mid-1940s, in an attempt to spare metal for the war effort, license plates in some states were made from compressed soy beans and fiberboard. Goats and cows were attracted to the vehicles and regularly chewed off the plates completely.

The soy-based wire coating also has been known to be appetizing. In 2013, the Los Angeles Times reported that rabbits had munched their way through soy-based wiring in cars parked at Denver International Airport.

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“They come to the recently driven cars for warmth, and once they’re there, they find that many of the materials used for coating ignition cables are soy-based. And the rabbits find that quite tasty,” Wiley Faris of Arapahoe Autotek repair center told the newspaper.

Faris suggested a solution for anyone seeking to prevent their car from becoming a critter snack shack – coating the wires with fox or coyote urine.

“Predator urine is a good deterrent,” Faris said. “That stuff can take care of the critter damage pretty quick.”

Honda did not immediately respond to a request from NBC News seeking comment on the lawsuit.

How to Prevent Rodents from Chewing Car Wires

Well, the January thaw is in full swing around here with rain and snowmelt continuing. Next week it looks as if old man winter will mount a comeback, but for now I am enjoying not worrying about frozen pipes or ice dams. While it might not be below zero outside, it is still cold enough for rodents to want to come in from outside. An easy to access dry, warm place can be under the hood of your car. We hear from our customers about this problem all the time and we are trying to get the word out . . . 100% PredatorPee PeeShots are the convenient, effective answer to this annoying problem.

On of our customers emailed the following suggestion –

“Someone should tell the NPR ‘Car talk” guys about this, they are always getting calls about cars damaged from rodents, or rodents dying in cars……Christina”

Also, in case you doubt how much of a problem this can be, I found the article below on the website of Sweeney’s Garage –

Rodent Damage = Expensive Repair
Cold this winter? You’re not the only one!

You might be surprised to learn that during these winter months you may have some furry little visitors living under your hood. The warm dark recesses of your car’s engine compartment is an ideal nesting area for rodents. Mice can and will chew through the wiring under your hood leaving you with an expensive repair bill.

One customer complained of a check engine light and a rough running engine. Upon investigation we found a mouse had chewed through the wiring for his fuel injectors.

Another mouse got into a blower motor where he expired. Every time the heater fan was turned on, it made a loud vibration noise. Some signs you might want to look for under your hood include deposits of bird seed, nests made of string, twigs, insulation, fabric and what looks like dryer lint, or funny noises when you turn on your heater.

Our PeeShots are perfect for this application. They come in an 8 pack and are “Pee-Loaded” with 100% Original PredatorPee. Remove the lids and place the PeeShots near each tire and in engine compartment or other target areas in the vehicle. Remove before driving. Choose BobcatPeeShots for mice, CoyotePeeShots for rats and ‘coons, FoxPeeShots for squirrels, and WolfPeeShots for domestic and feral cats.

Help us get the word out – call Click and Clack – tell your friends, tell your neighbors – don’t let this happen to them or you.

That reminds me, I should go stick some in the Scout, the boat and the tractor since I startled a fieldmouse a couple of months ago who had made a home in my headlight!

Until I find more words . . . The PeeMan