Vacuum hose chewed

[Young-God]

My Solterra barely 3k miles flashed a "check engine" light and the cruise control stopped working. The mechanic found that a squirrel had chewed through a vacuum hose near the engine. They're ordering a new hose of course, it's on backorder, and the repair is going to be surprisingly expensive definitely an insurance claim. We park in the garage, but we live in a wooded area, so it's bound to happen again. Anyone have any advice on keeping these critters away from my truck? Any other preventative measures I should take? This is making me crazy! I love the truck, but this kind of thing is a real headache.

 

[Michiganboyz]

Did you or the dealer actually see the damage? Also, those plastic tubes you can wrap around wires might help keep the critters away, even though they're not totally rodent-proof. They might hide the wire smell and give them something else to chew on. I'm thinking about checking out the wiring under my car too.

 

[Capitalist]

You can try rodent deterrent tape, peppermint oil, or ultrasonic repellents under the hood. Parking with the hood up sometimes helps too. Maybe insurance will cover preventative treatments, who knows...

 

[BigFatBelly]

It sounds like a typical case of rodents chewing on your wiring. Try using rodent repellent sprays or pouches made for carswhich you can find at auto parts stores. You can also place mothballs or cotton balls soaked in peppermint oil around your garage and engine area being careful to avoid hot surfaces. Some people use ultrasonic rodent repellers but they might not be very effective. If you live in a wooded area you might need to take more serious measures like putting up a physical barrier around your parking spot or installing a motion-activated sprinkler.

 

[mysterio24]

I’d also say give your garage a once-over for any sneaky little entry points where those pesky critters could slip in. Make sure food sources (like bird seed or pet chow) are sealed up tight and stashed far from the garage.