Rodents are a menace in cars.
Automobile insurance may not cover the damage from an animal attack. Rodents damage to cars and car wiring is a huge problem globally. Increasingly, rats are eating expensive wires in your car.
Rodents are not bothered if it is new or old. Irrespective of the car model, new or old, branded or not, the rodents will enter your car!
The small gaps from air vents, cable holes, pedal shaft, and steering column are the favorite entry points for rodents.
Rodents, with their flexible bodies, can enter cars and destruct the interior of cars within no time. They are always in search of a safe place to nest. In this situation, if they come across a car, bingo!
They can easily gnaw on the car wiring and other components under the hood. Polymers and metals are like candy floss for rodents. Their sharp incisors easily chew through the hardest of engineering plastic like Nylon 12.
Car Manufacturers use a lot of bio-based materials.
Daimler:
To demonstrate its commitment to the development of biobased materials, the door cladding, seatback linings, and package shelves of the Mercedes Benz contain process flax, hemp, and sisal. Seat bottoms, back cushions, and head restraints contain coconut fiber and caoutchouc (a source of natural latex). Under-floor body panels are made using the abaca tree.
Ford:
Ford has also demonstrated a commitment to the biobased industry. The 2010 Ford Flex’s third-row interior storage bins contained a 20% wheat straw biofiller. Soy-based polyurethane foams have been placed in the seat cushions and seatbacks of the Ford Mustang. Part of the Ford Mustang GT RTD body is made of flax fiber-reinforced linseed-acrylate, which is a high-performance composite made of natural fibers embedded in a resin from the same plants.
Honda:
Honda has developed a plant-based fabric that is used for its vehicle interiors including seat covers, door coverings, headliners, floor mats, and other fabric-covered surfaces
Mazda:
In 2007, Mazda announced the development of a new fabric made entirely from plant fibers. It was to be used for seat covers and door trim in the Premacy Hydrogen RE Hybrid car. This car also includes a bioplastic for the instrument panel and other interior fittings.
Biobased materials are used in the manufacturing of automotive parts because they provide biodegradability due to the renewable nature of the source materials and they can be recycled. But as every coin has two sides this application also has drawbacks.
Plant-based wiring and furnishing in the car provide materials for rodents to build nests. Animals like rats, pine marten, etc. have a pair of incisors that grow throughout their life, and to keep them in check they chew on anything sharp and hard like our automotive wirings, floor carpet, door cladding, etc. Also, these animals are attracted to the cars for warmth and shelter. Food stored in the cars attracts more animals.
In the year 2016, according to a federal class-action lawsuit that demands Honda pick up the tab for the damage caused by gnawing mice, rabbits, and squirrels, an environmentally friendly car with a soy-based coating was too tempting for rodents to resist. In the lawsuit, lead plaintiff Daniel Dobbs of Wyoming alleged that he had to pay twice to have chewed-up wires in his 2012 Honda Accord replaced at a Honda dealership. Also in 2013, the Los Angeles Times reported that rabbits had munched their way through soy-based wiring in cars parked at Denver International Airport.
Another incident was reported on Feb 12, 2016, News on 6 in Oklahoma US, that Fellers Auto specialist owner, Tommy Fellers, said he’s recently repaired 13 rat-related problems. He said, “We’ve been seeing an enormous amount of damage to cars’ electrical systems and wiring and hoses from rats, mice, squirrels,”. He said rodent damage happens fast and is extensive. He has seen wires, sensors, and connectors chewed apart. He said the rodents can even travel through vents and into the dashboard. “The last case we had on a Ranger, the guy drove it every day and it took just one night for this to happen, and it was close to $2,500 worth of damage,” Fellers said.
Looking at the above-mentioned facts and figures, there is an immediate need for a solution. We at C Tech Corporation can provide a nontoxic, nonhazardous, effective, and efficient solution. Rodrepel™ is an anti rodent anti-animal polymer additive. It is specially designed for the polymeric application. The masterbatch can be incorporated in insulation, wires, door cladding, carpet, plastic accessories, seat cushions, car covers, etc. Rodrepel™ lacquer can be coated on already installed wires, ducts, door cladding, etc.
Rodrepel™ works on the mechanism of repellence. It does not kill target species but only repels them. It does not leach out of the product. It is stable under high polymer manufacturing temperatures.
Rodrepel™ will be the best solution to keep rodents away from our cars.
Do you know why they gnaw the components from the cars?
The rodents first in search of nesting enter the cars. Then they get attracted to the different polymers from the car hood. Since they need to keep a check on their incisors which are ever-growing and can even pierce through their skulls, they need to continuously gnaw on some or other thing. When in a car, they are left with no other option than the car wirings and other components to gnaw on.
The automotive wirings these days are made of food-grade plastic. These make the parts easier to recycle and meet sustainability targets set by the different government policies. Though ‘green’, these wirings give off a faint smell when warm, which attracts the rodents and they chew up cars. The soy-based content on wiring and fuel lines attracts the pests turning vehicles into a moveable feast for pests. as well as rice husks, wood, peanut oil, corn, and other sugars.
Was that your brake cable? All thanks to god that you did not drive it!
Again, with no knowledge of what they are biting on, the rodents can destroy the brake cables, power cables, signaling cables, fuel reservoirs, seats, etc. from the cars.
Damage to any of the vital car components can prove fatal!
Imagine one driving a car with the brake cables chewed by these pesky creatures?!
There have been several accidents and fire hazards due to the menace caused by these pests in cars. A few of the recent incidences are given below:
Car trouble? Blame the rats.
Provided by Dow Jones
Aug 16, 2022
By Sean Tucker
They’re not just sleeping under the hood–why they love eating your car’s wiring
Your car is full of wires. Tasty, tasty wires. More than ever, rats are making an expensive meal of them.
The New York Times reports, “Rats bedding down under car hoods is nothing new for New Yorkers, but over the last two years, many of the city’s auto body shops have seen the number of drivers coming in with rodent-related issues climb significantly.”
Rats are either getting more common or bolder.
It’s not just New York. The city came in third in Orkin’s most recent ranking of the 50 Rattiest Cities (yes, they rank that). It’s based on the number of extermination calls the pest control company gets asking them to deal with rodent problems. It lists Chicago and Los Angeles ahead of the Big Apple, but cities in 33 states and the District of Columbia made the list.
There are soybeans in your engine
Michael H. Parsons, a rat researcher from Fordham University, told the Times that soy-based insulation used in most car wiring is “basically catnip for rodents.”
“Until roughly a decade ago, most car companies used wiring insulation that was petroleum based,” Car and Driver explains. “The introduction of soy-based wire insulation was meant to have a twofold benefit: It was less expensive for automakers and, because it used soy instead of oil, it was better for the environment.”
However, it has unexpectedly left cars as tasty treats for rats and even squirrels. Comprehensive auto insurance may cover rodent damage. But if you’re carrying anything less than a comprehensive plan, you’re likely on your own with the bill.
Man says he’s out hundreds of dollars after rodents damage his car, and he’s not alone
Author: Paula Vasan
Published: 5:19 PM CDT July 14, 2022
ST. LOUIS — Pesky rodents are chewing through car wires. One driver reached out to the I-Team saying he’s out hundreds of dollars.
“We have a 2020 Honda Civic that is currently in the shop for the second time in four months for the same issue,” said Ian Mackey, a driver from St. Louis County who reached out to the I-Team. He’s also a Missouri State Representative for the 87th District.
“Rodents, have gotten into the car and chewed through the electrical wiring,” he said.
His car is getting repaired again for the second time in four months because it wouldn’t start. And now he’s out $800.
“We took it to the dealership and they take zero responsibility. They call it a coincidence and they want us to pay 100% out of pocket,” said Mackey.
“Do you think Honda is passing the buck?” asked the I-Team’s Paula Vasan.
“Yes, absolutely,” said Mackey. “What I’m doing is trying to get dealers everywhere or Honda, in general, to take some responsibility here, because I know this is clearly a widespread problem.”
Mackey believes rodents are targeting his Honda for its more eco-friendly and less expensive soy-based wiring, a move many car manufacturers have made in recent years. One solution: rodent repellent tape. Mackey said that didn’t work for him.
“And there’s no sign that it’s going to stop. It’s most likely going to happen again,” he said.
These articles have showcased how rats and other rodents mistake outer jackets of a lot of electrical wire for food. Once through the insulation, they sometimes just keep going, on the copper wire.
If you think they can’t bite through solid core copper wiring, so they might be able to do cosmetic damage, but they certainly can’t ‘ruin’ the wiring. Let me tell you, yes, they can damage the wiring. First of all, copper is a relatively soft metal, and it is actually possible for rats and mice to chew through it. Also, once the insulation is gone, a wire is no longer safe from short circuits. If a bare copper wire touches another bare copper wire, the best-case scenario is you pop a circuit breaker. Once the insulation has been compromised, the wiring is no longer usable, and no, it is not safe to simply wrap it up with some electrical tape.
Bedfordshire field fire was started by a squirrel chewing through power lines, says fire service
A fire that raged across a field was sparked by a squirrel chewing through high-voltage cables near a pylon, a fire service has revealed.
An area measuring 250m by 150m in a Bedfordshire village was left charred and blackened by the blaze, which broke out on Monday afternoon.
Crews from Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service were called to the fields at Toddington Road in Westoning near Luton just after 4 pm.
It took firefighters more than three hours to get the fire under control, and the fire service said it was brought under control by 7.24 pm.
Now talking about the cost of replacing the damaged part, there are certain factors to be considered, your geographical location, car model, the extent of damage done, cost of labour, cost of interior detailing required, etc.
The cost of a spare part to replace the damaged part can sometimes make up to 70% of your bill. If the cost to buy a spare part is on the high side, you can expect the cost of repairing rodent damage to your vehicle to also be on the high side. Replacement parts for a Benz will be more expensive than a Toyota or Volkswagen. In other words, fixing rodent damage to a Benz will most likely cost more than a Toyota.
If you think you can get rodent damage covered under your car insurance, we first recommend you check with your insurer to know your insurance package and capacity. With a good insurance package, you will only pay a deductible of about $500-$1000.
Given below is another article on how a couple has repeatedly paid thousands of dollars after animals have damaged their SUV.
Squirrels damage driver’s car for third time costing owner thousands in repairs
Pat Foran
Published Thursday, March 5, 2020
TORONTO — An Ontario senior says he has been dubbed “The Squirrel Man” by his dealership after the pesky animal damaged his SUV for the third time in just over a year causing thousands of dollars in repairs.
“The first time it happened they told me mice or squirrels have been at the wiring and chewed it all up and there is nothing we can do but replace the entire harness,” Newcastle man Malcolm
Reeve told CTV News Toronto.
Reeve and his wife, Beryl, bought a 2018 Ford Escape two years ago. The first time squirrels got under the hood and caused damage it cost $1,129 to repair. A year later it happened again and the repair cost was $1,074. Now, it’s happened again and the repair bill is expected to be $1,749.
“The car right now is being repaired at the dealership for the third time,” Malcom Reeves said.
There have been some issues with rodents chewing wires on other makes and models of vehicles as well. Class action lawsuits were filed against Toyota and Honda claiming vehicles were defective because soy-based materials that were being used were attractive to rodents. However, in 2018 both lawsuits were eventually dismissed.
Every car model can have rodent damage. If you don’t take the necessary precautions, even your luxury Mercedes Benz sedan will play host to rodents.
The solution available with C Tech Corporation to this nuisance is a one-time solution and the need of the hour for the automobile industry. Our products are a blend of green chemistry and smart technology.
Our product Rodrepel™ is an extremely low toxic, non-hazardous rodent aversive. This product acts through a series of a highly developed intricate mechanism ensuring that rodents are kept away from the target application. Our eco-friendly products do not kill the target species but only repel them. The product is compliant with RoHS, RoHS2, RoHS3, REACH, APVMA, NEA, EU BPR, and FIFRA exempted.
The product available in the form of solid masterbatch can be incorporated into polymeric applications like wires and cables, pipes, oil filters, polymeric switch panels, components of ignition boxes, fuel tanks, fuel hoses, foam seats, airbags, tires, and other polymeric components from cars while they are manufactured. Thus, making the end application rodent resistant.
The product available as liquid concentrate can be diluted in paints and can be applied to the interior and exterior of cars. It can be applied over the bonnet, bumper, doors, trunks, etc. The liquid concentrate is compatible with all kinds of paints and solvents.
The already installed cables, electric junction boxes, cable carriers, polymeric hoses, fuel tanks, battery boxes, ducts, etc. from the cars can be coated with our lacquer to protect them from the pests gnawing at these applications and thus preventing car accidents. The lacquer is a transparent product and it does not wear off easily.
The Rodrepel™ Rodent Repellent Spray is specially designed for cars. The product can be sprayed on the car components after clearing the dust and waste from the components. It can be sprayed on the car wirings, under the hood components of the car, battery box, fuel tanks, and polymeric hoses. The product when applied properly repels the rodents and protects the cars from rodent damage.
By incorporating our products, you can get an effective & efficient solution against damages by pests to vehicles. Thus, you can prevent the monetary loss and fire hazards caused by pests.
Contact us at technical.marketing@ctechcorporation.com if you’re facing problems with rodents and get the best remedies to combat this menace.
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