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Rodent damage to wiring harness, TWICE!!

Discussion in 'General Tundra Discussion' started by blsbikes2, Jan 9, 2021.

  1. Jan 9, 2021 at 9:47 AM
    #1
    blsbikes2

    blsbikes2 [OP] New Member

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    Get in my 2014 Tundra LE one morning and my check engine light is on and traction control off message shows. Truck won't shift to high gear on the highway. Go to Toyota and they say< after 1 day in the shop, it was rodent damage to a wiring harness that is back ordered. A week and $558.00 later all fixed. Drive home happy. Next morning same exact issue. Back to Toyota and same damage! This time I say show me. Go back to the shop and the intake manifold is off and under it some leaves and another chewed up harness!!
    Talked to the mechanic and he said the harness covering is soy bean based not plastic "ya know, save the earth". He said rodents look for warmth and smell the soybean oder and think its lunch time. Will cost me another $558 but now really back ordered and he has FOUR other Tundras with the same problem!
    Traps, rat poison, mothballs? Different vehicle?
    The mechanic said Toyota has a problem. Yeah but I am laying out over 1 grand in a week.
    Any other options out there?
     
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  2. Jan 9, 2021 at 10:15 AM
    #2
    Roborob70

    Roborob70 New Member

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    Get yourself a bunch of hungry cats and put 1 in the truck and one in the engine bay and the rest around the house. I feel your pain had rodent damage myself...
     
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  3. Jan 9, 2021 at 10:19 AM
    #3
    PKFan

    PKFan my pronouns are (she/it) - c'mon, say it fast

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    I've recently had similar problems, although they were taking my firewall insulation (and not one week after I paid it off). I was using an essential oil spray nightly (peppermint, rosemary, and eucalyptus), but that didn't seem to deter them. I bought rat traps which I baited with peanut butter and put on top of my front tires. Nothing. I moved them to the ground and the next morning had a dead squirrel. Now that I know the culprit, I've ordered some bitter apple spray in case the deceased had relatives helping him (it's supposed to repel squirrels). I had also set poison bait traps along the wall next to my truck (parked in a carport) and I've killed at least one rat that way.
    I ordered some of Honda's supposed rat-repelling electrical tape ($45/roll!), but I actually haven't had any issues with them chewing wiring. Note that this tape doesn't stick very well in case you were going to try some. I also ordered some wire loom to put around some of the exposed wiring, more as a preventative measure.
     
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  4. Jan 9, 2021 at 10:41 AM
    #4
    Johnsonman

    Johnsonman New Member

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    Baits w/PB will attract/kill them, bastards!
     
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  5. Jan 9, 2021 at 11:42 AM
    #5
    timsp8

    timsp8 Former Tundra owner for 13 years

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    There have been threads where the rodent got in the cabin filter area. Check your truck including the cabin filter and see if the rodents are still there and rode with you to the Toyota dealer. Do you park inside or outside? Did you take a picture of the harness area? I’m just wondering where it’s located.
     
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  6. Jan 23, 2021 at 10:03 PM
    #6
    Hbjeff

    Hbjeff New Member

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    I just had a rat chew up my knock sensor wires last night! I park in front of my suburb house, never seen rats in the street that direction even (couple of outdoor cats patrol it). I just checked tonight and that little a-hole is still in there! I set a trap hopefully he is caught by morning. Uhg
     
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  7. Jan 23, 2021 at 10:06 PM
    #7
    rjsimz

    rjsimz New Member

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    This sounds like a nightmare! Hope everything gets taken care of!
     
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  8. Jan 23, 2021 at 10:06 PM
    #8
    Rica25

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    I spray mine with Engine Rodent repellent from Amazon about every 2 months
     
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  9. Jan 23, 2021 at 10:08 PM
    #9
    Rica25

    Rica25 Got Bam? IG ......@TNDRA08

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    I am a service advisor for 5yrs now for Honda. The same issue happens here. I always recommend the Engine rodent repellent spray.
     
  10. Jan 23, 2021 at 10:22 PM
    #10
    NWPirate

    NWPirate Tesla kool-aid connoisseur

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    That's disappointing, is damage being seen on all Honda models?
     
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  11. Jan 23, 2021 at 10:26 PM
    #11
    Rica25

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    Yeah pretty much.
     
  12. Jan 23, 2021 at 10:31 PM
    #12
    FundraTRD

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    Mint spray from Amazon every 3-5 days
     
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  13. Jan 23, 2021 at 10:39 PM
    #13
    NWPirate

    NWPirate Tesla kool-aid connoisseur

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    Not to thread jack OP but how's the reliability of the Pilot with the 3.5 and 9 speed trans? It's on the list for my wife's next suv.
     
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  14. Jan 23, 2021 at 10:41 PM
    #14
    Rica25

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    TRD sway bar...addictive audio sub woofer.....Volant intake.....Black Rhino Glamis wheels....Billstein adjustable shocks
    They have injector issues for 2016 thru about 2019. As well as hard shifts that Honda sais its normal due to the 9 speed manufacturers.
     
  15. Jan 23, 2021 at 10:44 PM
    #15
    NWPirate

    NWPirate Tesla kool-aid connoisseur

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    Interesting, appreciate the honest view. I'm more old school so I'd probably shoot for a 2020 6 speed, hopefully without stop/ start.
     
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  16. Jan 24, 2021 at 4:10 AM
    #16
    Black Wolf

    Black Wolf Bigfoot Hunter, Sasquatch too, but not Yeti

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    Sealuxe repellent discs sold on Amazon are good too. Using traps with bait is not a very good idea. You are defeating the purpose by ATTRACTING more critters to your truck. lol

    FYI>>> actually lifting your hood occasionally and taking a peek under the plastic intake plenum cover can't hurt. BTW>>There is a battery in there too, an oil level dip stick, window wash tank, power steering & brake reservoirs. Pretty sure the owners manual recommends taking a peek under the hood every now and then to check those fairly important things out and it only takes a couple minutes to inspect the cabin filter. 1st world issues.
     
    Last edited: Jan 24, 2021
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  17. Jan 24, 2021 at 6:39 AM
    #17
    Safar85

    Safar85 New Member

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    More than a few.....
    Pour some good ol natural peppermint oil into the bowels of your engine bay once in a while. They will run from your truck like it's a giant cat. Might even make your cab smell fresh through the vents. It will work.

    My moms CX5 doesnt move alot, one day she went to drive and engine was really rough. Lifted the hood and there was 2 spark plug harness wires eaten and shit everywhere from the insulation on the engine cover. I soldered wires and poured the peppermint oil around the sides of the engine bay and soaked a couple small rags with oil and stuffed em near the battery and washer fluid reservoir. Problem solved.
     
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  18. Jan 24, 2021 at 6:50 AM
    #18
    CaptainGrumpus

    CaptainGrumpus The Mailman

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    I found a tissue torn up in the backseat and there was a small trail under the passenger seat and up under the glove box. I took the in cabin air filter out and it was caked in nesting materials. When I was spraying my frame with fluid film, I found a huge nest in the frame.

    Peppermint spray, 7 mice traps set around the truck and a new cabin air filter has kept them at bay. I was having a hell of a time this past fall with them. I used the old school traps with peanut butter and glue traps with some sunflower seeds sprinkled in the middle.

    Some other things i did was wrap wires in electrical tape and keep my garage door closed at all times. I think leaving the garage door open alot, was just too inviting for those little shits. I also cleaned out the garage and cleaned all the studs and concrete with bleach. Mice will cause so many issues that you have to be vigilant. Right now they are all in their warm little homes but Im still checking the in cabin filter regularly and spraying peppermint spray. The truck smells like a damn candy cane but it keeps my sinuses clear and the kids dont seem to mind it.
     
  19. Jan 24, 2021 at 6:53 AM
    #19
    CaptainGrumpus

    CaptainGrumpus The Mailman

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    Soaking the rags is a great idea. Im gonna definitely do that.
     
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  20. Jan 24, 2021 at 7:00 AM
    #20
    JohnLakeman

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    Since I park inside a garage that I've worked to make mouse-proof (it only slows the flow to a trickle), persistent use of traps CAN eliminate a mouse problem. I have done it before, and I am presently embarked on another concentrated eradication plan; five mice and counting. The traps are empty most mornings now. Once the weather is warmer, the problem will fix itself because I am diligent about removing any food residue, food wrappers or drink bottles. Nothing for them to eat in my garage except spiders and scorpions, therefore not attractive to them.

    BUT, if you have to park outside, I have to agree that traps are a double-edged sword. The scent of the bait will just attract a massive tsunami of mice IMO. Inside the cabin, I would try it to eliminate an embedded pest. But, for the engine compartment, I think I would try the mint oil, special products, or enlist an army of cats and feed them sparingly.
     
  21. Jan 24, 2021 at 7:05 AM
    #21
    Black Wolf

    Black Wolf Bigfoot Hunter, Sasquatch too, but not Yeti

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    I think you should get scorpion traps actually.. ..ha
     
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  22. Jan 24, 2021 at 7:08 AM
    #22
    JohnLakeman

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    :rofl:Actually, the scorpions help out by decimating the spider population.:rofl:
     
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  23. Jan 24, 2021 at 7:10 AM
    #23
    Rica25

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    When I had my 2017 Toyota Avalon I had the same issue. I noticed foot prints on the engine bay so I took out the engine cover and noticed some dog food in there. So I noticed the dog food bag I had in the garage was being chewed and rats were taking that dog food to the car and leaving it there. So I never since have the dog food in a bag anymore now I keep it in a container with a lid. Never had that issue again.
     
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  24. Jan 24, 2021 at 7:12 AM
    #24
    JohnLakeman

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    Cockroaches have been observed here, but very rarely. It seems cockroaches are on the very bottom of the food chain out here; they're a delicacy for the native insects. :rofl:
     
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  25. Jan 24, 2021 at 7:15 AM
    #25
    300BLK

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    I had this issue and used dryer sheets in the fuse box and sprayed peppermint extract in the bay and wheelwells and have not had issues since. I reapply every few months.
     
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  26. Jan 24, 2021 at 7:38 AM
    #26
    jeremyd

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    Peanut butter is irresistible, I clamped down on two a day for approx. a month. Now, I haven't caught any in 4-5 months.. My Tundra is in the garage but these traps are under my RV. Good luck.
    IMG_4375 (1).jpg
     
  27. Jan 24, 2021 at 8:23 AM
    #27
    Failure2comply

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    Brilliant engineers that thought soy based wire harnesses was a good idea. Honda even makes a pepper based tape to apply to your harnesses. I have had rodents chew twice through the fuel lines of a 1996 Nissan King Cab XE. I wrapped the area with 1/4" hardware cloth and that stopped them. They chewed through a line on our avalon near the left rear tire. It got hardware cloth also.

    https://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Genuine-OEM-Honda-Rodent-tape-4019-2317/174469498873?epid=1342224943
     
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  28. Jan 24, 2021 at 8:36 AM
    #28
    Black Wolf

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    [​IMG]
     
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  29. Jan 24, 2021 at 9:55 AM
    #29
    sask3m

    sask3m New Member

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    Aluminum screen and hardware cloth is the best if possible. Regarding the OP I had a similar issue on my 06 and wedged aluminum screen and steel wool all around the intake, also had the mechanic wrap some around what he could when it was off. Never had another problem and the truck was kept outside.
     
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  30. Jan 24, 2021 at 10:27 AM
    #30
    WhiskeyVictor

    WhiskeyVictor New Member

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