Rodent/animal damage?

[hondaphile804]

I have been a bit apprehensive to take my CRZ to friends in rural/non-urban areas after talking with a friend who is a claims examiner for auto insurance. he told me about this prius owner who lived out in the country with a prius-and he was handling the second claim for this car for a $3000 electrical harness or something that some animal wanted to eat. both animals had to be removed after getting electrocuted, but i seem to recall him mentioning the wiring or whatnot was soy-based and that's what attracted the animals to the car-

has anybody heard anything along these lines?

[Colin]

I've definitely heard of rodents gnawing on rubber insulation, even saw some evidence of this on my aunt's old 91 Camry. Not sure if you could attribute it to the contents of the rubber though.

[Scotty001]

Up in the Pacific North West, a lot of trees/forest etc. Almost every housing area backs up into a green belt. A lot of critters and a lot of tree huggers (Prius and other Hybrid owners). Have really never heard of similar issues. Sounds like an isolated incident maybe unique to where they were living. Unless maybe the car was just sitting for a really long times without being used giving the critters ample time to set up house.

[CR-Z Canadian]

Had a mouse nest in the air filter of a 2004 Nissan Sentra (really kills the MPG, BTW), and former boss had mice take over a garaged Mercedes 300SL convertible (these were upper class rodents), so it might not be the composition of the wiring as much as the need for shelter and something to gnaw on. Obviously, your friend's client had mice with an eco conscience! :-)

[willmed]

I live in a very rural area. My wife has had two Prius' and now a Fusion hybrid and I've had the CRZ for three months. No rodents in the cars ever, but I do take precautions around the farm [bait stations].

[Jakecrxsi]

l keep D-Con for mice around both my S2000/CR-Z. l have not seen any yet but you never know.

[Triple-H]

Just drive the car and don't worry about it
If you are going to worry about driving in the country, worry about something more likely to happen than some rodent eating your wires, crashing into one of these...

[716atHeart]

^

[dfried]

Every spring I take out my air filter and shove the shop vac in to get rid of the acorns and stuff the mice have left over the winter. They never go past the filter so no damage. They've done this on my HCH and several Volvos before that.

One year I forgot and Honda found it when doing an oil change. They freaked but ended up shoving their shop vac in there and sent me on my way. They refised to let me leave with a mouse nest in the intake.