This is a new one on me, I took my other Car in for warranty work, a new Air Compressor and Oil change ( '16 Range Rover Sport) and when I called on progress they told me a Rodent had been chewing on my wiring harness, it's not covered by warranty and cost me $660. They said if Roland Rat was REALLY hungry it could have cost " Thousands" to replace the whole harness, they were able to repair the chewed part.

Turns out the insulation is made from Soy Bean and effects a lot of other later model cars, including Jaguar. So I'm just curious if anyone here has had a Rodent problem on their F-Types?

 

No but this happened to my Ex-GFs Honda FIT

 

I feared the rodent (rat, mouse, etc) during storage of my car in my unheated detached garage. If you google this issue there at least 20 different suggestions from peppermint oil, mothballs, steel wool, poisen, to softener dryer sheets . Was your car in storage, if not where did this happen and during what period?

 

I live in the Country. My neighbor is 1/4 mile away and they are a saw mill.
I have animals all over and never had that problem in the 17 years living here.
Are you guys parking on top of a tunnel complex??

 

We've had at least one or two other reports of vermin attack on this forum. This damage is covered under your comprehensive insurance policy (minus deductible, of course).

 

The solution:

 

I'm no Carl Spackler, but ...

I have had under-the-hood rodentia problems starting 2-3 years ago. The problem is perhaps related to population fluctuation, because we do see a bit of an explosion after a drought abates.

For my Volvo I was putting a mouse trap under the hood on one of the plastic covers, and checking it every morning. I think I got about 10 over time. For the Jaguar I am using dryer sheets, changing them once a month. I roll them up lengthwise and tie them around something, one on each side of the engine bay.

 

Sorry to hear that happened!!!

This happened to my first F-TYPE. Had a CEL come on. Took it to Mission Viejo and it turns out that a rodent had nearly completely chewed through a wiring harness. Luckily it wasn't major and the wiring harness was easily accessible. $50 and 30 minutes later I was back on the road.

Honda has a "rodent tape" that is similar to black electrical tape but apparently very bad tasting to rodents. I've since wrapped any exposed wiring with it.

 

Thanks for all the replies Guys. I've never given this any thought up until yesterday, I did a quick Google last night and it's surprisingly common.

I don't have a clue when or where it could have happened, my Car was in service for something totally different, the Suspension. Apparently the wire in question had something to do with the Heater? Maybe the Tech noticed when he was doing the Oil change.
I will find out when I pick it up today or Monday.

 

Good question, no my Car wasn't in storage although I don't drive it much, it can sit 2 or 3 Days at a time, we also leave it overnight in Hotel Car Parks quite often, so who knows?

 

That's a rodent too! You need a feline (a live Jaguar?).

 

Seems odd especially since I see you are in Southern California. Here in Northeast mice look for warm indoor space when weather gets cold. You may want to set some mouse traps ( safe for kids and pets kind). Hotel car park could be an issue. Dumpsters may attract the critters if near the parking. There are a number of remedies, but 2-3 days isn't a long time. Peppermint oil on a cotton swab is what some locally here swear buy. That must of been a hungry rodent.

 

I keep an antique car and recently the F-type in my detached garage and use this electronic rodent repellent and never had any problems.

YARD GARD ULTRASONIC PEST CHASER

 

I had cat problems a couple years ago. They'd get up on top of the engine and sleep there. One got in a fight with the belts and once the truck spit him out he was pretty torn up and missing a LOT of fur. Never saw him again. Usually I have more of a problem with them sleeping on top of the cars in the shed. Cars are covered with old quilts so I guess they are comfortable. I usually have a live trap set up to keep the population down.

PITA but that's city living.

 

You know when it's getting bad when a couple of Rats start offering a Valet Service!!