no wipers, rodent damage

Feb 12, 2006 12 Replies

Had the very first non normal repair on my 99 stang last week. For some reason, the wipers wouldn't come on. Checked the fuse, relay etc. Could hear it clicking but couldn't find out why the wipers wouldn't come on. Dropped it off and they called me back a few hours later to tell me a funny story. They found a "rodent nest" near the connector that goes through the firewall for the wiper, and some of the wires were chewed up. They were able to cut out the damage and wire around it, or it would have cost about 400.00 for the new harness. He asked me if the car wasn't driven much. Told him it's a



6 1/2 year old car with 44,000 miles.....duh. He told me to get a pan of mothballs and put under the car. Apparently the critters don't like the smell. Car sits outside......I thought about spraying the wire harness and around the lower opening between the firewall and the interior with some "pepper spray" since I have access to law enforcement quality spray.

Anyone else have experience with this?


That is true. And that sucks.

I parked a car outside for a while, started it and warmed it up, turned on the heat, and got a faceful of rodent nest. It was horrible. Little bastards had chewed up my seat padding, and made a nest out of it. I literally bolted from the car, stuck my head under the hose of frigid well water and scubbed myself furiously, then took a shower. I imagine that vermin and excrement got all over my face. I wanted to scrape my skin off.

I had to replace the ducts, and the smell took a while to go away. I don't know if pepper spray would work or not, or if it would be corrosive.

I don't know if I helped you or not... good for a chuckle maybe

RATS!

Ok ok, so SOMEONE had to say it!

Have you ever smelled moth balls?

Moth ball stench is ... ewwwwwwwwww and takes forever to go away. I say drive the darn car more often.

Kate

: > That is true. And that sucks. : >

: >> Car sits outside......I thought about spraying the wire harness and : >> around the lower opening between the firewall and the interior with : >> some "pepper spray" since I have access to law enforcement quality : >> spray. : >>

: >> Anyone else have experience with this? : >

: > I parked a car outside for a while, started it and warmed it up, turned on : > the heat, and got a faceful of rodent nest. It was horrible. Little : > bastards had chewed up my seat padding, and made a nest out of it. I : > literally bolted from the car, stuck my head under the hose of frigid well : > water and scubbed myself furiously, then took a shower. I imagine that : > vermin and excrement got all over my face. I wanted to scrape my skin : > off. : >

: > I had to replace the ducts, and the smell took a while to go away. I : > don't know if pepper spray would work or not, or if it would be corrosive. : >

: > I don't know if I helped you or not... good for a chuckle maybe : >

: > -- : > Wound Up : > ThunderSnake #65 : >

: > AHPBBFM pages:

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>

: >

: >

: >

: :

How'd they get in? Gotta head 'em off at the pass.

If you don't actually put the mothballs IN the car/venting, just spread 'em under the car it'd be better.

If you ever opened an old trunk, or a storage closet that hasn't been opened in a long time, like in a grandparent's home, you'd know those things are power packed and linger.

"Spike" wrote : : If you ever opened an old trunk, or a storage closet that hasn't been : opened in a long time, like in a grandparent's home, you'd know those : things are power packed and linger. :

FOR-EVER huh Spike! and nasty smellin things too!

Can't say as I've ever gotten that close to a moth.....

Yes, I recall fondly my grandmothers means of protecting against moths.... I soon break and inhale smelling salts, or breathe the vapors straight from a bottle of ammonia.

What I wanna know is how you get their legs apart?

But seriously folks. Moth ball stench reminds me of "old woman. Like my grandma's house mixed with a stroll through Walgreen's. Yech!

Wow! That was an old one... : 0 ) LOL Goes right along with fly fishing.... : 0 )

And yer right! About the smell, not about.... oh, welllll... anyways....

Sorry to read about that - it brings back painful memories of when I ended up having to sell nice Alfa 75 (Milano in the US?) for spares after storing it in a friends barn for six months. When I came back to the car there were two large adult rats and about seven "babies" living in the engine bay.

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The mess and smell was just awful. The only consolation was that once the barn doors were open, the neighbours dog (some sort of terrier) was able to get in and made short work of one adult rat and all of the youngsters.

: > Have you ever smelled moth balls? : >

: > Moth ball stench is ... ewwwwwwwwww and takes forever to go away. : >

: > Kate : >

: Can't say as I've ever gotten that close to a moth..... :

First, you spread his widdle wegs....

(damn, I heard that joke when I was in grade school)

"Blue Mesteno" wrote : : But seriously folks. Moth ball stench reminds me of "old woman. Like my : grandma's house mixed with a stroll through Walgreen's. Yech!

I agree! That s*it is NASTY and hell, I am almost an old woman.

Kate

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