Last week I get in my car, close the door and see some rodent scamper across my feet. Oh great, somehow I picked up a hitchhiker (I leave my windows down in the garage so the moisture from my ice fishing stuff won't freeze the windows inside the car).
Took me two days to get the blasted thing out(don't ask, the varmit did not want to leave my vehicle), and meanwhile I noticed my check engine and ABS indicator lights were on. Wasn't too worried about the check engine as my flaky knock sensor had that randomly go on and off. This time though, on for a solid week so something different may be amiss. As to the ABS, never had that happen before and car is now at local mechanic. Needed an oil change so I told him to check out the codes.
The rat may have had the last laugh?
BTW, no rats in the hood, but plenty by work. I may have hopped a ride in the engine compartment, then crawled inside when I parked it in the garage?
I have had a lot of trouble over the years with mice, (or actually voles, we call 'em "field mice") getting into parked cars and making nests. Aah, the simple joys of rural living. They're not particularly sanitary, and make a stinky mess that is usually a b____ to clean up; they seem to prefer heating ducts and similar hidden places. Sometimes you don't discover they've been to visit 'til the heater comes on in the fall :-P
I wish I knew for sure how these pesky little bast . . . um, beasts get into a closed up auto, but I suspect they come in thru the outside air intake below the windshield. I have noticed that they are more likely to infest a car left sitting for awhile in the tall weeds in the back yard than one parked on the dirt drive, and also that they tend to stay away from vehicles in regular use.
I haven't ever had problems with them chewing up wiring, but they sure do like the carpet padding, and the foam inside the heater box.
Oz, it's probably worth the effort to pull the panels from below the steering wheel and glove box and do a thorough inspection with a flashlight. Alas, this requires a head-stand in the foot well to do a good job, but if mister rodent has munched on your ABS, there may be other more critical systems hanging by a thread as well.
Finally, I have had good luck using a live trap baited with peanut butter. Keep resetting it til you go several days without catching anybody; these guys are colony dwellers, and where there is one, there are probably several.
Once you master any disassembly required, hot water and soap do a decent job with clean-up, and a product called Febreeze (or something like that; the missus uses it for her cat's indiscretions, but _that's _another_ story) seems to null out the stench reasonably well.
Best of luck.
ByeBye! S. Steve Jernigan KG0MB Laboratory Manager Microelectronics Research University of Colorado (719) 262-3101
Good title. Have you tried using mothballs to keep the critters out? Supposedly, mice don't like the smell any better than we do. I've never had mouse problems so can't say if the mothball trick works.
Not really on subject but I started to deal with a mice problem today. Saw a mouse last fall in the garage where my dog stays at night. I spend a lot of time out there tinkering/sleeping/watching TV. Over the winter I left small amounts of food out for the little guy. Lately I have been seeing more than just one and discovered mouse droppings all over the place. Plus the little guys had started chewing into everything. Enough is enough and I bought 4 traps this morning. So far I have collected 10 mice. Don't know what the population will turn out to be but they have to go. Hated to kill them but I can see them eventually chewing on the electrical wiring causing a fire. My dog, have had her for 14 years, comes first.
Looks like the problems weren't rodent related. The check engine was indeed due to the knock sensor which must really be knocked out as usually the check engine light would stay on for less then 2 days, if on at all. As the the ABS, the mechanic said I needed a new control module and when I asked how he determined that, he kind of gave me the run around, like he may have been guessing? Anyway he said the brakes were fine, although the front brakes probably have about 2 - 3 months before they need servicing and to look for used parts (sensor and module) and replace them myself or bring them in and he'll do it.
I don't recall the year/model of your car, but I THINK there were some ABS pumps in the 90s that would 'buzz' or fail occasionally. Perhaps you picked up some debris that is stuck on a wheel sensor?
The ABS light indicates a trouble code has been stored, just like when the check engine light comes on. In order to properly troubleshoot the problem, the code has to be retrieved. This can be done either by using a scanner that communicates with the ABS module, or by following the procedure in the service manual to read the codes through the light itself (by counting flashes in a diagnostic mode). If your mechanic hasn't done either one of these then there is no way he can tell you for sure what is wrong. Don't proceed with any repairs until you get more specific information that includes the actual trouble code(s).
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