While we classic Citroën owners face a barrage of vermin who like to nest various places in our cars, at least we are not plagued by what modern automobile owners are facing. It is very common nowadays for newer cars to have wiring that is coated in soy based bioplastics. Starting in the early 2000’s, car manufacturers began using bioplastics (soy based wiring). This has led to a surge of issues with wildlife, particularly rodents, being attracted to these wires for consumption. Now, not only are rodents attracted to the cars for shelter, but also for food.

(his net suedo name) at Howtopreventratsfromeatingcarwires.com has taken to time to not only research but post tips on how deal with the problem. It’s a highly informative resource that we are pleased to include in this post. Here’s what Dave says:

In researching this, I was blown away by the number of complaints on websites, articles and forums of people reporting rodent damage on their newer cars. To be honest, both of my cars that were attacked are newer (2015 Honda, $2,400+ in damages, and 2012 Hyundai, $9,300+ in damages).

So, are you at risk? Does your car have soy based wiring?

In order to help determine, there are class action lawsuits that were recently filed against Honda, Toyota, KIA, and Hyundai. Here is a list of each class action lawsuit (including some links to more information):

From the lawsuits, we can gather that at least the following have soy based wiring:

Toyota

All 2012-2016 model year Toyota vehicles

2011 Toyota 4Runner

2009-2011 Toyota Camry

2010 Toyota Prius

2011 Toyota Prius C

2008-2011 Toyota RAV4

2009-2011 Toyota Tundra

2009 Toyota Highlander

2010 Toyota Venza Ltd.

Honda

All 2012-2015 model year Honda vehicles

KIA

2012-2017 Kia Soul

2012-2017 Sorrento

2012-2017 Sedona

2012-2017 Sportage

2012-2017 Forte

2012-2017 Cadenza

2012-2017 Optima

2012-2017 Rio

Hyundai

2013-2016 Veloster

2013-2016 Accent

2013-2016 Azera

2013-2016 Elantra

2013-2016 Equus

2013-2016 Genesis Coupe

2013-2016 Santa Fe

2013-2016 Sonata

2013-2016 Tuscon

I have also seen numerous complaints that reference earlier makes and models than what is referenced above.

Separately, I have seen reports of rodent damage due to soy based wiring on pretty much every large car manufacturer:

Audi

BMW

Dodge

Ford

Hyundai

Mazda

Nissan

Porsche

GMC

Chevrolet

Kia

…and I’m sure there’s many more

To be frank, this is a HUGE ISSUE!!

So to answer the question, “are you at risk?”, if your car is 2008 or newer, then YES! I think the evidence can’t be any more clear that if you own a newer car you need to take preventative action ASAP!

If you are reading this article, I could imagine either you are dealing with this issue or you have a friend that has rodent damage to their car. Here is an excerpt from the Home page (w/ edits for mice) that will tell you exactly what I have done to fix this problem:

“Before we get started I want to make it crystal clear that the instructions below explain the EXACT steps and products I used (and continue to use!) to successfully protect my car against rodents. This methodology factors in rodent behavior and psychology which makes for a very high probability of success.

Exactly How To Prevent Rats & Mice From Eating Your Car Wires

What you will need:

Step 1: Leave Your Hood Up At Night

At the first sign of damage or rodent droppings in the engine compartment, it is essential to leave your hood up at night. You should do this for the first 1-2 weeks every night and then 2-3 times a week once you feel comfortable that there are no more rodents visiting your car. This essentially eliminates the engine compartment as a potential nesting grounds by taking away the warmth, allowing more moisture to enter, and exposing it to more light.

Step 2: Place Tomcat Rat Snap Traps (For Rats) or Tomcat Press ‘N Set Mouse Traps (For Mice) on the Tread of the Front 2 Tires

You will need 6 snap traps total and 3 will be placed at specific locations on the tread of the front 2 tires. Here is video to show exactly where to place the snap traps.

When rodents enter the car, they climb up the tread of the tires so this essentially will block off the entrance to the car. I use the Tomcat Rat Snap Traps and the Tomcat Press ‘N Set Mouse Traps because they are super easy to set (i.e. I don’t feel like I am going to lose a finger when I set them), their design makes it almost impossible for a rodent to take the bait without setting off the trap, and they get the job done!

Step 3: Spray Rodent Defense into the Engine Compartment

In the first 1-2 weeks, spray the engine compartment 3-4 times a week and then reduce to 2-3 times week once you haven’t noticed any new signs of rodents. Rodent Defense is an all natural peppermint spray that was specifically created to deter rodents from chewing on the wires in cars. The purpose of the spray is to confuse the rodent on the safety of the engine compartment by making it more difficult to detect the scent of their urine. As mentioned above in the enemy profile, rodents use urine as a way to mark paths, locations, food, etc., as safe.

Step 4: Shine Bright Lights on the Tread of the Front Two Tires

As mentioned in the enemy profile, rodents always prefer to stay concealed and hate being in the light. The goal of this solution is to deter the rodent from climbing up the tread of the tires by forcing it to walk through a spotlight to get into the car. It would be best if you laid out 4 flashlights on the ground level and shined them on the front and backs of the tread (i.e. essentially you would shine them on the snap traps that are at the bases of the tread). Alternatively, you could take a shop light and shine that under the car at night.

(Optional) Step 5: Place Fake Owl on the Ground Near the Car

This is more the cherry on top, but I have always used a fake owl in my lineup. You can just place it at ground level and move to a different spot every few days. To be honest, it’s effectiveness is unknown, but it makes me feel more comfortable.”

I am certainly available if anyone has any questions or comments. Please drop a note below or visit the Contact Us page.

I hope that you have found this article to be helpful! Thank you!!

Rat King Dave