Squirrels ate my CL
Thread Starter
10th Gear
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
From: North Jersey
Squirrels ate my CL
Anybody else have this? I'm driving along, like 35 and ABS and VSA lights come on, whole car shudders above 40 mph. Take it into the Dealer, guy calls me back and tells me the ABS sensor as well as the emergency brake lines have been chewed away by squirrels or rats! $200 because of the damn squirrels!
Moderator Alumnus
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 8,125
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From: Pacific Northwest, blah.
rodents chewed away my knock sensor wire about 2 years ago...this was during the middle of winter though. Rodents will chew on anything in the engine bay. Plus they like to keep warm...
check under your intake manifold from time to time. They love to sit there and feast!
check under your intake manifold from time to time. They love to sit there and feast!
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I Wanna Beer
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 2,151
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From: Minneapolis, MN
They love to hide in the airbox too. Someone on another forum had a small chipmunk get sucked into his intake manifold. I've seen pictures of BIG snakes that have gone and slept on the warm engine. Click here to checkout a snake on another Acura engine (warning, there's blood).
says "hello to my TLX".
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 5,789
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From: San Diego, Ca
recently during my crank pulley install, i noticed that my power steering belt was missing a rib's worth of lining and was all chewed up looking on one side. i found the culprit was a little field mouse since it was plastered up in front of the PS pulley and it's guts were splattered underneath my hood. 
Suzuka Master
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 8,620
Likes: 7
From: Charlotte
Yup, its a somewhat common problem. At least they didn't choose the brake lines to chew.
Was working on a car last week where a rodent chewed through the gas tank vent hoses as well as fuel level sending unit wires. The estimate on that was not cheap.
Was working on a car last week where a rodent chewed through the gas tank vent hoses as well as fuel level sending unit wires. The estimate on that was not cheap.
When I was at the dealership a little over a week ago, I heard the service advisor talking to another customer about rats getting into the engine bay and chewing on parts. One thing he recommended was putting rat traps behind and in front o fthe tires since they climb up the tires to keep them from getting into it.
whoda thunkit.
I forgot what he said about why they chew on the lines in the car though.
whoda thunkit.
I forgot what he said about why they chew on the lines in the car though.
Senior Moderator
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 35,218
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From: Swansea, MA
Originally Posted by Sly Raskal
I forgot what he said about why they chew on the lines in the car though.
Blown is Best
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 4,437
Likes: 15
From: Fresno, CA
A friend had this happen to her Honda Pilot. Something chewed through her main harness and the bill was in the $800 range if I remember correctly. She contacted her auto insurance and they covered it under her comprehensive portion less her deductible.
Thread Starter
10th Gear
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 12
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From: North Jersey
Co Pilot
Friend of mine took his Pilot into the shop for oil change/maintenance, they opened up the hood and there was an entire nest of squirrels, a mama and all her babies. They had to call animal control. I'll try to get pics, but there was this little tail sticking out of the exhaust pipe.
Racer
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 270
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Anti-squirrel/weasel/marmot device
I had this problem when I lived in Germany - d*&m marmots eating wires and insulation on my BMW and my poor CL (not as bad on the CL.) I talked to my German neighbor and he told me (believe it or not) to get a toilet sanitizer and hang it in the engine bay. You know, the little minty blue thing, that you hang on the edge of your toilet bowl with it's little plastic cradle?
Apparently, those marmots have a keen sense of smell - and they don't like that particular smell at all. Don't ask me why - you'd think that an engine bay isn't the nicest smelling place in the world anyway - but apparently those toilet sanitizers have a really sharp smell and the critters hate it.
I know that my dogs hate sharp smells (like toothpaste or mouthwash) - and they will run away and growl if I point the toothpaste tube at them - so perhaps there is a grain of truth to it. I can say that I had no further instances of marmot damage after I put the toilet thingy in the engine bay. Give it a try.
Apparently, those marmots have a keen sense of smell - and they don't like that particular smell at all. Don't ask me why - you'd think that an engine bay isn't the nicest smelling place in the world anyway - but apparently those toilet sanitizers have a really sharp smell and the critters hate it.
I know that my dogs hate sharp smells (like toothpaste or mouthwash) - and they will run away and growl if I point the toothpaste tube at them - so perhaps there is a grain of truth to it. I can say that I had no further instances of marmot damage after I put the toilet thingy in the engine bay. Give it a try.
Originally Posted by vipertrunk
I had this problem when I lived in Germany - d*&m marmots eating wires and insulation on my BMW and my poor CL (not as bad on the CL.) I talked to my German neighbor and he told me (believe it or not) to get a toilet sanitizer and hang it in the engine bay. You know, the little minty blue thing, that you hang on the edge of your toilet bowl with it's little plastic cradle?
Apparently, those marmots have a keen sense of smell - and they don't like that particular smell at all. Don't ask me why - you'd think that an engine bay isn't the nicest smelling place in the world anyway - but apparently those toilet sanitizers have a really sharp smell and the critters hate it.
I know that my dogs hate sharp smells (like toothpaste or mouthwash) - and they will run away and growl if I point the toothpaste tube at them - so perhaps there is a grain of truth to it. I can say that I had no further instances of marmot damage after I put the toilet thingy in the engine bay. Give it a try.
Apparently, those marmots have a keen sense of smell - and they don't like that particular smell at all. Don't ask me why - you'd think that an engine bay isn't the nicest smelling place in the world anyway - but apparently those toilet sanitizers have a really sharp smell and the critters hate it.
I know that my dogs hate sharp smells (like toothpaste or mouthwash) - and they will run away and growl if I point the toothpaste tube at them - so perhaps there is a grain of truth to it. I can say that I had no further instances of marmot damage after I put the toilet thingy in the engine bay. Give it a try.
I just recently had this exact same problem. A squirell chewed thru my abs line and sensor. When i went out to start the car the squirell actually got caught i nthe engine drive belt by his tail and it ripped him in half. I was cleaning out squirell chunks for awhile. Anyway i was quoted a lil over 200$ also. Damn those squirrels.
1919
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 21,467
Likes: 162
Originally Posted by thevikas87
wow...damn that snake...and the rodents...i have never heard of these problems..
the only animal i have seen come out of an engine bay was a cat, but it came out alive...hah
the only animal i have seen come out of an engine bay was a cat, but it came out alive...hah
I've seen a few cats that weren't so lucky.
And I didn't know rodents chewing on wires was such a common problem.
Only CL in town!
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 171
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From: Columbus, MS
i have the same problem from my cat. it seems like it doesnt want to get on the car if it is dirty, but as soon as i clean my car sure enough it walks all over my car leaving dirty paw prints all over it
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,189
Likes: 172
From: Austin, TX
i waxed my car a few days ago and accidently locked my cat in the garage. the next morning when i left for work there were paw prints all over. you could see where the cat was slidding all over the trunk and hood, i should have taken pictures lol