Rodent cost me $600 plus time

[TMacNTN]

Flew 600 miles and paid $5K over invoice to get my Maverick Lariat- Yes, I wanted it that bad.
LOVED it for 1,900 miles until I got an Engine Light warning, and had to take it to my local dealer.

Issue diagnosed to be a single wire damaged by rodent- at a repair cost of nearly $600 that was NOT covered under warranty.

I do not have rodents in my garage, and my subsequent calls to Ford are have been useless.
The Mav was produced in early Feb, and I purchased it in late March, which means Ford owned it during transit after manufacturing longer than the time I have owned it since purchasing. Additionally a $600 repair bill for a few small wire terminals is crazy.

I've since seen stories of Soy Based Wiring insulation attracting rodents, etc., but since I do not have any in my garage where this Mav is kept, I can only assume that the problem may have begin at the point of manufacture in Mexico. Then, a few weeks later the wire frayed enough to cause the Engine light to come on.

Anyone else have similar experiences? I still love the Maverick, but am extremely disappointed in Ford.

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[Tindo]

Flew 600 miles and paid $5K over invoice to get my Maverick Lariat- Yes, I wanted it that bad.
LOVED it for 1,900 miles until I got an Engine Light warning, and had to take it to my local dealer.

Issue diagnosed to be a single wire damaged by rodent- at a repair cost of nearly $600 that was NOT covered under warranty.

I do not have rodents in my garage, and my subsequent calls to Ford are have been useless.
The Mav was produced in early Feb, and I purchased it in late March, which means Ford owned it during transit after manufacturing longer than the time I have owned it since purchasing. Additionally a $600 repair bill for a few small wire terminals is crazy.

I've since seen stories of Soy Based Wiring insulation attracting rodents, etc., but since I do not have any in my garage where this Mav is kept, I can only assume that the problem may have begin at the point of manufacture in Mexico. Then, a few weeks later the wire frayed enough to cause the Engine light to come on.

Anyone else have similar experiences? I still love the Maverick, but am extremely disappointed in Ford.

 

[Tindo]

Your car insurance will cover that under comprehensive, minus the deductible.

 

[Dochatley]

All those NEW Maverick’s sitting out in fields and in large outdoor lots, then sitting sometimes weeks on rail cars, no way they could get any rodents in them. Come on Ford. $600 for a freakin wire that was in ALL PROBABILITY chewed by a Mexican rat.

 

[EvilSpock]

I’ve had this happen to two vehicles. We live in the country and raise horses. There are not enough cats in the world to keep the field mice at bay. They like a car that’s parked in one place and not being run. We had one move into the headliner of our Dodge Ram. Another ate the wiring to the A/C motor. You could have picked Larry the Cable Guy up anywhere from Mexico to the dealership parking lot. He might still be there—I’d definitely get some traps out and spray some fox urine in my garage.

 

[RR - All the way]

All those NEW Maverick’s sitting out in fields and in large outdoor lots, then sitting sometimes weeks on rail cars, no way they could get any rodents in them. Come on Ford. $600 for a freakin wire that was in ALL PROBABILITY chewed by a Mexican rat.

So, if I send you a bill for $600 because of something that was "probably" your fault, would you send me a check for that amount??

It took 1900 miles after the Mexican rat gnawed on the wire before it caused a problem??
Possibly, NOT probably...

The problem is no one knows. Now the $600 cost is another story; that is questionable.

 

[StillWaiting]

1900 miles, kind of hard in terms of liability but that $600 charge is crazy.

 

[UpNorthBuckeye]

Your car insurance will cover that under comprehensive, minus the deductible.

Nah, probably not. Inherent vice or vermin.... depends on how the adjuster interprets it. Hitting a deer is different than an infestation.... I'd be interested in knowing what they say. I retired after 45 years in the insurance biz and sometimes it comes down to the adjuster's mood.

 

[DarkStormy]

Nah, probably not. Inherent vice or vermin.... depends on how the adjuster interprets it. Hitting a deer is different than an infestation.... I'd be interested in knowing what they say. I retired after 45 years in the insurance biz and sometimes it comes down to the adjuster's mood.

My co-workers F150 spent a month in the shop waiting for a new wiring harness, because of rodent damage. Insurance covered it except for a $100.00 deductible.

 

[tomahawk72]

Not going to be much of a profit when he bought it for 5k+ over MSRP.

 

[Brian_J]

Is there anything we can do to protect the wires from being chewed on? A liberal application of spray on undercoating or something?

 

[JBL14]

Uh oh. I live in a rural area. Sorry you have/had this problem.
I know someone who had vermin eating the green wiring of an F150 after he owned it awhile.
I was hoping the Maverick did not have this green tasty wiring, and I cannot believe they do not put a bittering agent as a deterent in the insulation. Here is some info below.

https://nhoilundercoating.com/soy-based-wiring-how-to-help-keep-mice-out/

http://www.fordproblems.com/soy-wiring/#:~:text=Ford uses a soy-based,cheaper and more environmentally friendly.

 

[Deleted member 9552]

Is there anything we can do to protect the wires from being chewed on? A liberal application of spray on undercoating or something?

Wrap dryer sheets around the wire bundle and throw in a few pouches of Grandpa Gus's mouse repellent.

 

[The Weatherman]

https://www.mavericktruckclub.com/forum/threads/squirrels-on-the-attack.14631/unread

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