Rats in the harness

**Bigbjorn** · 30th October 2017, 02:46 PM

A friend was driving his near new Mazda 6 on the Bruce Highway near Nambour last week when it lost drive. Wouldn't select a gear. Racq towed it to the nearest dealership where they found much of the under car wiring harnesses had the insulation chewed off by animals probably rats. He lives on the Gold Coast and his back boundary is against a bushland reserve and there is a rat problem with the little demons living in the bush and foraging in suburbia. Dealership told him it could cost up to $4000 depending how much damage was done and how many of the wiring harnesses had to be replaced. Top of the line model with all the unnecessary but nice to have electronic selling tools. They come in sections, are expensive, and, of course, none in stock. The resident sparkie managed to cut and shut the damaged sections and it only cost $400. Lucky him. To replace some of these sections of wiring means dismantling half the car.

Aren't they wonderful, these all electronic singing and dancing cars.

**scarry** · 30th October 2017, 02:51 PM

Yes I know someone this happened to with a corolla,still under warranty.

Six weeks wait for parts,thousands to fix,and they thought it was a warranty issue

FWIW,Toyota have no road side assist on any of their vehicles.

**disco 300** · 30th October 2017, 03:02 PM

I have heard rats can't stand the smell of the lubricant "Inox". Spray it all over your wiring to deter them.

**trout1105** · 30th October 2017, 03:32 PM

Inox is lanolin and Rats Love to hang about shearing sheds

**PhilipA** · 30th October 2017, 03:33 PM

They love BMW wiring for some reason. They made a nest on the rocker cover of my M3 and ate some of the wiring.
They were ex rats when I placed some baits, but came home after hols to a terrible stink until finally found them dead in a box of spares.
In Europe they have a big problem with Pine Martins doing the same.
Once I got rid of the cat food and sealed all the entries to the garage there was no more problem.

Regards Philip A

**DoubleChevron** · 31st October 2017, 02:56 PM

They love all wiring .. upholstry ... anything .... I bait the hell out of the sheds here.... It doesn't matter if it's a 1953 french made wiring harness or 2016 model car.... they love getting in there and chomping on the wiring harnesses

Not to mention, the carpets, seats, insulation ..... etc...

seeya,
Shane L.

scanfor · 31st October 2017, 02:58 PM

Antechinus are little buggers too when it comes to machinery in sheds.

**cuppabillytea** · 31st October 2017, 03:19 PM

No rats around here. Lots of Cats though and Fruit Bats.

**disco 300** · 31st October 2017, 04:04 PM

The tip I was given about the Inox spray on the wiring came from two independent sources. One had trouble with rats chewing the wiring in the roof cavity of the ceiling of their house and the other was with rats chewing the wiring under the bonnet of their car.
Could be worth a shot.