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I hate squirrels...totally destroyed my car today

Discussion in '5th Gen 4Runners (2010-2024)' started by Drababan, Feb 9, 2020.

  1. Feb 9, 2020 at 5:12 PM
    #1
    Drababan

    Drababan [OP] New Member

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    Went to go pick up a pizza for dinner and had a CEL on. Just drove the car yesterday and everything was fine. Opened the hood and found this mess.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
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  2. Feb 9, 2020 at 5:21 PM
    #2
    SlvrSlug

    SlvrSlug Slightly bent.

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    Holy crap man, I can’t even look at this again.
     
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  3. Feb 9, 2020 at 5:21 PM
    #3
    Thatbassguy

    Thatbassguy New member? Really??

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    Holy cow! Please update us about the total damage. That looks pretty serious!
     
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  4. Feb 9, 2020 at 5:24 PM
    #4
    Drababan

    Drababan [OP] New Member

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    Did i mention this is a 2020 with 2800 miles! Insurance covers all this under comprehensive but it's still killing me. Went and check my footage from my cameras. I've got the little bas%^ard on camera today from like 1-4pm packing it all in there. Goes from my flower beds, under my wifes Rav4 and up and under my car.
     
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  5. Feb 9, 2020 at 5:26 PM
    #5
    Thatbassguy

    Thatbassguy New member? Really??

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    Geez! That sucks!
     
  6. Feb 9, 2020 at 5:37 PM
    #6
    xyzzy

    xyzzy New Member

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    At the lake
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    Yeah, them little bastahds, mice are just as bad, pissing, shi**ing, and chewing stuff that just isn't food worthy.
    Once they're in, it seems like they leave a trail for others to follow.

    Good luck with the cleanup.
     
  7. Feb 9, 2020 at 5:47 PM
    #7
    Tama1968

    Tama1968 New Member

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    wow. I've heard rodents like the wiring on our trucks, but I've never seen the damage. that's painful. We have two Labs and a Beagle with a bark that sounds like an air-raid siren....must scare the little bastahds off.
     
  8. Feb 9, 2020 at 5:54 PM
    #8
    SR5 Limited

    SR5 Limited New Member

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    OMG!! Are they making the fuse panels out of soy now too?
     
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  9. Feb 9, 2020 at 6:00 PM
    #9
    4scooter19

    4scooter19 New Member

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    A buddy of mine just had a squirrel take out the fan, fan clutch, radiator and a bunch of other shit on his brand new Duramax, like 12k in damage. It was in the engine compartment when he started it. Little bastards are a pain in the ass!
     
  10. Feb 9, 2020 at 6:01 PM
    #10
    ipnpulz

    ipnpulz New Member

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    This is the most extreme I have seen
     
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  11. Feb 9, 2020 at 6:04 PM
    #11
    RusPro17

    RusPro17 Back home again!!

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    That sucks. It cost me $1000 at the Acura dealer to fix my wiring for my heater fan to work. Now even my beater car 2003 Acura is being parked in the garage. I keep all my vehicles in the garage with traps around.
     
  12. Feb 9, 2020 at 6:06 PM
    #12
    WallyT4R

    WallyT4R New Member

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    Yeah that is a ridiculous amount of damage and what is up with them eating the fuse panels??? Time to slaughter some squirrels.:infantry:
     
    Last edited: Feb 10, 2020
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  13. Feb 9, 2020 at 6:10 PM
    #13
    e_alvarez91

    e_alvarez91 New Member

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    Wow that is an insane amount of damage in such little time. I ran one over yesterday on accident and don't feel as bad now!
     
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  14. Feb 9, 2020 at 6:13 PM
    #14
    Laserred96gt

    Laserred96gt New Member

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    wow that's painful to look at, i didn't know squirrels were capable of doing that much damage in so little time.
     
  15. Feb 9, 2020 at 6:19 PM
    #15
    ForRun

    ForRun 4Runner

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    Ouch! unreal, time for some traps
     
  16. Feb 9, 2020 at 7:21 PM
    #16
    SR5 Limited

    SR5 Limited New Member

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    Obviously it was nesting? Got kicked out of the trees, not enough room, or lack of....not any natural predators? Hawks? Depending on how close the neighbors are you could get a license, quality air rifle, and eat’em?
     
    Last edited: Feb 9, 2020
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  17. Feb 9, 2020 at 8:17 PM
    #17
    tonycaputo

    tonycaputo New Member

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    I just had a friends fully-built 2017 4runner totally written off because of rodent damage. He left his vehicle for 3 weeks when he went on vacation and a bunch of rats turned it into an orgy house.

    Between the damage and the shit/piss, it ended up being a complete right off.
     
  18. Feb 9, 2020 at 11:12 PM
    #18
    TRDPro916

    TRDPro916 New Member

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    Damn!
     
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  19. Feb 10, 2020 at 2:57 AM
    #19
    Benny123

    Benny123 Toyota enthusiast

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    Awful. Yes the rodents love the soy in the wiring. Time for a cat or Dcon. Park in garage if able.
     
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  20. Feb 10, 2020 at 4:24 AM
    #20
    Drababan

    Drababan [OP] New Member

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    I would love to put down some poison but i'm always afraid they'll not just eat it but move it to an area where my dogs can get it. We don't live in the woods or anything. A nice neighborhood that was built in the late 80's that was expanded over the last few decades. We have a ton of squirrels though, more than usual this year. I suspect it has a lot to do with a new housing area being developed that is disturbing even more of their habitat.
     
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  21. Feb 10, 2020 at 4:27 AM
    #21
    Drababan

    Drababan [OP] New Member

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    I'm afraid this one is going to be costly. This happened earlier this year to my Tundra (which i traded in for the T4R). They only chewed through the wiring harness on that one though, no nest. Repair was 1500 but Toyota said it would have been 6k if they would have had to replace the whole wiring harness. Insurance covers all of it minus my deductible (it's covered under the comprehensive side). Being that this car is brand new i'm going to make sure they replace everything, no wire splicing allowed. I'm not sure they can even replace the fuse boxes without changing the harnesses. It's going to be a big mess. I'm really kinda down about it.
     
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  22. Feb 10, 2020 at 4:53 AM
    #22
    rkwfxd

    rkwfxd New Member

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    Easy for me to say but..... much Much MUCH worse things happen to folks EVERY day through no fault of their own. Insurance and the dealer will get you fixed right up. The dealer will most likely start looking at you as a valued customer and might remember you and give you a little better deal the next time you purchase a vehicle from them. They never remember why you brought your rig in for service, just that you did. Try not to let this get you down. Good luck.
     
  23. Feb 10, 2020 at 5:30 AM
    #23
    Ironguy

    Ironguy New Member

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    Ouch!! I check mine every day just to try and keep the little jerks at bay. I have traps under the hood and sprayed the wiring with some repellent I found on Amazon.
    Good luck hunting.
     
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  24. Feb 10, 2020 at 5:33 AM
    #24
    Benny123

    Benny123 Toyota enthusiast

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    Since it happened that quickly, it could happen again. Id definitely try to do something to prevent it now. Also just saw it happened to your Tundra as well. Squirrels cant tolerate hot. We use cayenne pepper on bird seed so they dont eat it from the feeders. Consider something like that.

    Just found this.
    https://www.wthr.com/article/13-investigates-lawsuit-says-toyota-vehicles-attract-rodents-causing-costly-repairs

    They also suggest Cayenne

    here's what happens if they get to your knock sensor

    https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...p0333-diy-knock-sensor-harness-repair.547066/
     
    Last edited: Feb 10, 2020
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  25. Feb 10, 2020 at 6:13 AM
    #25
    SgtKeebler

    SgtKeebler New Member

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    A buddy of mine with a Tundra had the exact same issue, he was also told it was soy used as part of wire coating. Squirrels destroyed the wires in the engine bay. Then he had a bunch of electrical issues. Definite pain in the ass.

    Squirrels just love environmentally friendly wires.

    Glad I don’t have squirrels around my house and I park in the garage.
     
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  26. Feb 10, 2020 at 6:27 AM
    #26
    Charlievee

    Charlievee New Member

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    Don't hate the lil guys. Hate the ID10T tree huggers that thought of the awesome idea to use a food product to insulate automotive electrical harnesses.
     
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  27. Feb 10, 2020 at 9:18 AM
    #27
    catus

    catus New Member

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    There's a campaign in our little slice of the world to eliminate some of the natural predators, so squirrels and rabbits are multiplying like, uhhh, rabbits. I think I'll open the hood today to see if I have any new pets.
     
  28. Feb 10, 2020 at 11:21 AM
    #28
    nimby

    nimby in the drink

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  29. Feb 10, 2020 at 11:24 AM
    #29
    glwood54

    glwood54 Stop making me buy stuff!

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  30. Feb 10, 2020 at 12:19 PM
    #30
    Ajmogen

    Ajmogen Staying Stock

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