Soy based wire a concern?

[DryHeat]

Very true all makes use vegetable based plastics for the enviros.

Possibly true, but...

One of the articles I cited above made the argument that car manufacturers actually switched to bioplastics because they are cheaper.

And I haven't seen any articles saying that there are currently any government regulations dealing with this.

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[Decayed]

Great, something else to worry about!

 

[JASmith]

Grab two handfuls of diablo sauce from taco bell and cover all exposed wiring. I imagine the rats up North aren't used to eating such spicy noodles.

 

[Davis]

At my place of employment we have a newer diesel Ford truck that gets parked outside. One day go to start it up and nothing happens. Pop the hood and a rodent got up under there and chewed up anything it could get its teeth on. Laugh all you want about soy wires, but the repair bill was about $10k so it's no laughing matter.

 

[Aherpa]

My dog has a soy allergy, should I be concerned?

At least he won't be eating your wiring............

 

[2517X]

That might explain why the rats are fatter now than they were a few years back.

 

[KenC]

Ford uses soy based wires which rodents are chewing up. This is concerning to me in the northeast. If no one believes it...Google it.

Awe man! I knew Toyota or Honda used soy and it was a problem but damnit, Ford too? Crap. There is a special wrap you can buy ti keep rodents away from it.

 

[tonyinsd]

Get a cat to piss on your truck and you'll repel the rats. Rats may not have brains like ours but even they know that it's a bad idea to hang around places where their predators are.

That will keep the rats away. However, you'll have to deal with the smell.

 

[BILLNOROVILLE]

Soy based wire a concern?


Why do I keep reading posts? Now I have electrical wires to worry if I park outside (as well as someone stealing my catalytic converter) along with a shaking hood, poor backup camera quality, interior noise, soft paint, no lumbar adjustment, no keyless entry, excessive road noise, and the list is so long I can't remember them all and it's growing daily.

My hybrid truck is on a train heading north as I write this. How can I knowingly accept such a POS.

Oh, I just remembered why.......

it's the cheapest (and only) new 4 door truck I can buy that gets 40mpg. Enough said, I'm good. No worries for me. Good night , sweet dreams, etc.

 

[TCK]

This is fantastic. Dad bought a loaded HRV a few years ago, put maybe 6k miles on it (I put 1400 of those on it). About a year later he has brain surgery and mom asks if I can drive her the 60 miles to the hospital- certainly, just meet me at home and I will drive you in.
They live out in the sticks (why I asked her to drive in), and she shows up in her Focus…sigh. I have told her a thousand times not to drive it (it is now totally unsafe- my frugal dad thinks it is good for another 20k) and I ask her where the HRV is. Turns out it had not moved in months. I tell her I will come up and have it towed to a shop to fix it (the joys of aging parents). I get there and ask her why their are bowls under it.
“Your dad feeds his feral cat under there to keep the rodents out of it…”
Well, turns out he attracted more rodents than he deterred. 32k in damage from Honda- totaled. He bought an Edge afterwards, loves it. I don’t have the heart to tell him…same wires.
I had a partial harness eaten (VW…$1100), have tied a few dryer sheets under the hood since and no additional problem. Works far better than dads cat.

 

[TCK]

Get a cat to piss on your truck and you'll repel the rats. Rats may not have brains like ours but even they know that it's a bad idea to hang around places where their predators are.

That will keep the rats away. However, you'll have to deal with the smell.

Yeah- see above and do not do this.

 

[Shecster]

I do have personal Ford experience on the wiring issue and this was Out West.......
Company car, 2014 Fusion left outside every night in the lot next to a wooded area. Momma rat chewed the cover on the lead harness and made a nest near the 2.0 Eco Boost engine.
I treat the vehicle as if it were my own, check the oil, fluids and tire pressure etc. Normal stuff under the hood. Spotted the wire cover damage, made a note to fleet services. Nothing from them - so I checked more often .... nothing went wrong.

Of note: I did place two dryer sheets near the area and it appears momma rat moved on....... so no damage. Fleet did rewrap the harness with electrical tape.... she didn’t chew the actual wires.
I learned about the dryer sheets (and the vapor they put off) from some of my old Model A Ford buddies that keep their cars in long term storage. Rats and mice love mohair - wool upholstery and cotton batting!
Many companies use this type of soy based product so perhaps they are working on a refined version for safety.... ?

Thankfully, when it hits the dealer, our Maverick will enjoy the garage due to its “ appropriate “ size.

 

[2517X]

That might explain why the rats are fatter now than they were a few years back.

Seriously, I had an 07 Ridgeline that I parked in the grass at a small airport and left it for a week. When I came back it wouldn't start because some animal chewed up the wiring to the crankshaft position indicator. In this case I don't think it was the soy based wiring but rather the slight water pump leak that I had. The sweet coolant made the wires taste good I guess.

 

[MakinDoForNow]

Sorry...I guess most car manufacturers use soy based wire coatings. I'm spaying the engine compartment with rodent repellent. So its not only Ford.

After $5800 wiring harness, fuse box, 6.5" of + battery cable insulation, + other plastic stuff in 2018 Frontier, I installed motion activated high frequency varmint deterrent device in engine compartment! (Harness was on BO and they had 3 others in shop!).

 

[TSAINTS1115]

Anyone who's every pulled out a barn find car will know rodents chewed wiring long before there was soy involved.

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