Squirrel damage (wiring)

[Tex]

Darned mice/ground squirrels/rodents

I live right against a city desert park preserve, there's every variety of animal, and I have only a carport, so I've had my challenges with critters. This is with my 14-yo Tahoe, so different materials and YMMV.
A few years ago, found my truck smelled like popcorn after a few minutes running, and then starting stalling after driving any distance. Some investigation later, the corn smell was due to a pile of stuff from a quail block that'd I'd been buying to attract the birds in the neighborhood, a hundred feet away from where the truck was. Some small critter(s) had built a nest in the engine compartment, and fortunately hadn't chewed through any/few things in the engine area. However, the stalling was due to someone chewing through the wires to the fuel pump, right at the connector to the fuel pump, which of course was atop the fuel tank. Tank was freshly filled, so my buddy (my mechanic) had to empty the tank, drop it, replace the fuel pump (it was the second, and was now over 150k miles old, good preventive maintenance), repair the wiring, then put it all back together again.
No more quail blocks for me

That must have been great right up to the point where it quit running lol

I used to live way out in the country without so much as a carport to park in, I'd go outside and see foxes sitting on the hood of my Jeep, coyote crap in the yard, skunks and rattlesnakes on my porch, ground squirrels digging holes in my driveway, roadrunners scratching on the windows, packrat nests underneath the old pier and beam style foundation of my house, just total animal anarchy in general....and never once had a problem with wiring getting chewed through. Moved here into a small neighborhood and haven't seen anything but feral house pets and tree variety squirrels, to say I didn't expect wires to get chewed up in my vehicle is an understatement.

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[denneyt]

Okay, here's what I got


P025A-65, -50
P0453-AF
U0415-6D, -2E
P0403-28
P0418:86-AF
C2007:13-AB
C0031:01-AB
C0037:01-AB
C003A:01-AB
B1533:08-08
C05D9:99-6C
B148E:31-48
B115E:31-48
B15F1:15-48
B1165:15-0A
B10AD:08-2F (I wasn't aware I had a rain sensor lol)

Looking at that number of codes, you need a dealership that's more than a main code and co codes, if it is rodent damage they chewed through a lot of wires.

 

[Tex]

Looking at that number of codes, you need a dealership that's more than a main code and co codes, if it is rodent damage they chewed through a lot of wires.

Kind of what I was thinking, these codes are from several modules. Which makes me think perhaps I could narrow it down to a specific area to look if there's a particular wire loom that all of these modules pass through. If I could find that spot, hopefully a repair might be possible without going to a dealership, just a lot of tedious wiring. But looking at it from the engine bay and underneath I'm seeing nothing beyond the few aux wires I installed myself, and seeing as how the ABS fuse blew, I'm worried that some of those wires may have grounded or sent voltage to a module it shouldn't have...potentially frying one or more of them. So even if I do get the physical wiring repaired it's still a coin toss as to whether the modules are okay or not.

 

[JONNEE]

Thinking it’s actually mice / rodents. The wires / harnesses are made from a plant based material so car manufacturers can get Government breaks by going “green”.

Umm, if your theory is correct that doesn't explain all the rodent damage that's occurred to vehicles over the past 50 or more years that I've been alive

I work in designing civil infrastructure (dams, bridges, airports, freeways, railroads, etc.) and wildlife is a constant challenge to anything/everything we place in their world. It's always been that way AFAIK and will likely continue to be that way.

I've heard of electric substations taken down by squirrels becoming conductors (only for a moment), infestations of insects preventing mechanical switches from closing, countless episodes of insulation damage or connection failure.

Birds are a challenge: raptors have built nests atop medium voltage power line pylons/towers, and the poop contaminates the insulators, and causes power loss or arcing. Of course, we all know that birds aren't real, but that doesn't stop this stuff from happening.

The good thing is it helps keep me employed and forces my ilk to work more with biologists and wildlife people to help figure out new yet economic ways to thwart those diablitos.

Cheers - Jon

 

[Tex]

Back in the 90's the myth was that they used peanut oil in some form or fashion to lubricate either the copper conductor or the insulation as it was being manufactured, and that's why rodents were so attracted to it. That was back when everyone was still using petroleum based insulation on wiring instead of soy based. Could there be some credence to it now that they're plant based? Perhaps. Personally I think the vagrants just like to chew wires as a matter of instinct because they look like grass or small twigs, or they simply feel fun to nibble on, or they're masochists and enjoy electrostimulation play. Kinky little furries.

 

[indio22]

Main problem in my area are racoons. Last week they crawled into my Bronco engine compartment. Clawed foam cover off some tubing.

It's going to be all out nuclear war now, to discourage these varmints. They claw up soccer balls left overnight in the yard. They broke into our garage a few years back and made a mess. Done playing nice guy with them.

 

[Ducati1098]

Okay, here's what I got


P025A-65, -50
P0453-AF
U0415-6D, -2E
P0403-28
P0418:86-AF
C2007:13-AB
C0031:01-AB
C0037:01-AB
C003A:01-AB
B1533:08-08
C05D9:99-6C
B148E:31-48
B115E:31-48
B15F1:15-48
B1165:15-0A
B10AD:08-2F (I wasn't aware I had a rain sensor lol)

Yeah that’s difficult to go off of. Some of these DTCs I can’t even find in the workshop manual which is odd.

My best guess would be to look under/near the LF fender liner or even in the engine compartment near the EBB area. There’s a large connector that has the circuits for the fuel tank pressure sensor and fuel pump control module that you have DTCs for. This is also an area where I could possibly see typical rodent activity. Connector C105 in the first picture, then the red harness in the second picture is where it runs from there I believe.

 

[Tex]

Hahahahahaa I found it FINALLY
Does anyone know how to take the driver side front quarter panel off?

 

[Tex]

Yeah that’s difficult to go off of. Some of these DTCs I can’t even find in the workshop manual which is odd.

My best guess would be to look under/near the LF fender liner or even in the engine compartment near the EBB area. There’s a large connector that has the circuits for the fuel tank pressure sensor and fuel pump control module that you have DTCs for. This is also an area where I could possibly see typical rodent activity. Connector C105 in the first picture, then the red harness in the second picture is where it runs from there I believe.

That's exactly where it was! I found it right before you posted, that exact connector has some wires chewed through, fortunately it looks to be an easy repair if I can get the quarter panel off.

 

[Ducati1098]

That's exactly where it was! I found it right before you posted, that exact connector has some wires chewed through, fortunately it looks to be an easy repair if I can get the quarter panel off.

501-02 Front End Body Panels	2022 - 2023 Bronco​
Removal and Installation	Procedure revision date: 05/24/2021​

Fender
Removal

NOTE: Removal steps in this procedure may contain installation details.

NOTE: LH side shown, RH side similar.

1. Remove the front fender moulding.
   Refer to: Front Fender Moulding (501-08 Exterior Trim and Ornamentation, Removal and Installation).

1. Remove the fender splash shield.
   Refer to: Fender Splash Shield (501-02 Front End Body Panels, Removal and Installation).

1. Remove the exterior mirror.
   Refer to: Exterior Mirror (501-09 Rear View Mirrors, Removal and Installation).

1. Remove the lower fender bolts.
   Torque: 80 lb.in (9 Nm)

1. Open the front door.

1. Remove the bolt.
   Torque: 80 lb.in (9 Nm)

1. Remove the pin type retainers and the fender bolt.
   Torque: 80 lb.in (9 Nm)

1. 1. Remove the bolt.
      Torque: 97 lb.in (11 Nm)
2. 1. Remove the nut.
      Torque: 97 lb.in (11 Nm)

1. Remove the nut and remove the exterior bodyside grab handle.
   Torque: 97 lb.in (11 Nm)

1. Remove the upper fender bolts.
   Torque: 80 lb.in (9 Nm)

1. Using a suitable tool position aside the lower corner of the bumper cover.

1. Remove the bolts and remove the bumper cover bracket.
   Torque: 17 lb.in (1.9 Nm)

1. Remove the bolt.
   Torque: 80 lb.in (9 Nm)

1. Remove the radiator grille.
   Refer to: Radiator Grille (501-08 Exterior Trim and Ornamentation, Removal and Installation).

1. Remove the fender.

Installation

1. To install, reverse the removal procedure.

 

[JohnnyBronco]

Okay, here's what I got


P025A-65, -50
P0453-AF
U0415-6D, -2E
P0403-28
P0418:86-AF
C2007:13-AB
C0031:01-AB
C0037:01-AB
C003A:01-AB
B1533:08-08
C05D9:99-6C
B148E:31-48
B115E:31-48
B15F1:15-48
B1165:15-0A
B10AD:08-2F (I wasn't aware I had a rain sensor lol)

Yeah, think we all have the sensor but not the programming to use it.

 

[Tex]

Well I'm no expert but that might be the problem. I dunno if I'll need a new wiring harness or if this is fixable, the wires are chewed down real close to the connector. If I can take the individual wires out with the pins it shouldn't be a problem, not sure if that's possible though.

For anyone taking bets I found a tuft of squirrel hair that got stuck between the lining and fender. Hopefully it was pubic hair.

 

[604Bronco]

Hopefully it was pubic hair.

 

[Tex]

Anyone know how to de-pin these connectors or what kind of tool is needed?
I'm thinking that little plastic tab toward the back is something I have to pry away from the pin to release the lock, but I'm not particularly interested in prying on random stuff that may or may not be designed for it lol

Edit: I gently lifted it away with one of my lock picks and it released with ease. Now it's just a matter of re-wiring all that damage

 

[JL8jeff]

Wow, that's a lot of chewed up wires! Even with keeping my Bronco in the garage for the winter, I knew I had mice so I've been setting traps and got 10 so far! That's my biggest worry, mice getting into the Bronco and chewing the wiring.

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