Rat eating away in engine compartment

[MSG2004]

One of our daughters cars
She had the car serviced today and they advised
as per title.
I've had a look about 20 minutes ago and the rat/s
has chewed away the spark plug's wiring cover on one plug and just started on the wiring.
The garage tapped the wiring up.
The Rats have eaten some plastic/foamy bit and its
all over the engine compartment

This daughter lives in an apartment with allocated parking bays and has two bays
The garden did advise her that he had seen rats creep under her car about 6 months ago. The
car is reverse parked and a lawn is behind her parking spots. She will move the car
to a friend's parking bay away from the grass today and report this to the management agents
for her estate.

I've advised our daughter to get the people at the supermarket car wash to clean out the engine bay
and I have been looking up rat-repellent gadgets/sprays etc.
This is where I need your help

I've looked on the net and a few posts on another MB forum, poster posted that only an electronic gadget worked for him
but does not say which one. I've looked on Amazon and seen a few with 4+ ratings

Anyone any recommendations - and do these gadgets drain the battery a lot (The car is often not driven for approximately two weeks at a
time as our daughter works abroad and when she is home - our daughter works from home so the car is not a daily
driver and an attraction to these ruddy rats.

Thr car is a complex car and we all want to avoid wiring problems etc. Thanks for your help.

 

[Ted]

I’ve found the best way to deal with rats in a non enclosed area is a humane rat trap.
This way if you catch something you haven’t intended to, you can set them free.
Couple of things
You need to check the traps at least three times a day in case you have trapped something you don’t want. A trapped animal or bird can hurt itself trying to escape. Robins seem to be particularly attracted.
Despite what people may say, cheese. Smelly cheese has always worked for me.
Once caught, you then have to despatch the animal as humanely as possible. Not everyone wants to do this.
I never use a snap trap in the open. All sorts of wildlife will find it. Fine for something like a chicken coop or a garage (I always try a humane trap first just in case)

There are probably sprays to deter vermin which might help - I’ve not used any.

Good luck. You need to get them under control asap or you’ll lose control.

Edit: I’ve never used an electronic device and I’m not convinced that they work.

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

Nowt you can do, really.

Some spray the plastics with chilli flavour spray but hard to imagine that it doesn’t get washed away.

It’s eco plastics & wiring that appeals to rats and squirrels.

Best advice: park away from the grass. But hard to imagine that it makes much of a difference

 

[noogieman]

Rats do like to nibble on pieces of Snickers bars, put that on a rat trap and it will snap rats neck caressing it as gently as possible.
Also heard that drops of peppermint oil could keep rodents away, if you put a drop or two on each one of the 4 floor mats inside your car or inside the engine bay.

 

[alabbasi]

Stick two or three mothballs under the bonnet. The smell will drive them crazy and they'll move onto another car. They're probably nesting somewhere in the car.
Be aware, it might drive your daughter crazy for a few days when she turns the blower on.

 

[MSG2004]

Stick two or three mothballs under the bonnet. The smell will drive them crazy and they'll move onto another car. They're probably nesting somewhere in the car.
Be aware, it might drive your daughter crazy for a few days when she turns the blower on.

Cheers all
The "moth balls" suggestion seems the cheapest and I've seen a few Americans/Mechanics in the USA recommend those.

First of all, our daughter will park in a different bay away from the grass. The private estate is well kept and lawns are kept short.
The management has put out rat traps in the car parks, grassed areas, and by walls for the last couple of years. The place is
managed well and clean but I know London is full of rats.

Second thing I've told our daughter to do is get the engine bay cleaned but only when she has decided on a solution
ie sprays, battery gadgets etc. However, as stated above I will tell her the the moth balls and place them around the engine when cleaned and possibly before

I know its a hit-and-miss but we shall see,

(NB: Just noted the bit about the "blower...." - she is very allergic so I will warn her about that.)

 

[badgx]

Try removing any moisture resistant foam material under any covers, they seem to like the foam stuff.

 

[keith of kent]

I have hot chilli powder dusted around the engine compartment as we had a mouse problem. It doesn't get washed away in normal use

 

[MSG2004]

Try removing any moisture resistant foam material under any covers, they seem to like the foam stuff.

Will do as only a few inches of it left.

The moth balls is a no as our daughter is very allergic and asthmatic and trigers for this is anything from smoke/pollen/cats/dogs/grass you name it.
She has researched peppermint concentrate and we will go fo that - I may go over and spray a little bit before the car is cleaned as when she
has a bit of spare time and has parked the car in a different place

 

[MSG2004]

I have hot chilli powder dusted around the engine compartment as we had a mouse problem. It doesn't get washed away in normal use

Cheers. Our daughter won't be able to mange that due to severe allergies ubt thanks - we use red chilli powder to keep the ruddy cats
and foxes from doing their business on the grass/drive/paths etc - it works to a good degree in dry weather


Thanks to all (I have several air/gas weapons but can't use those in our daughters car park - also, I don't have it in me to kill them like that.

 

[Farmer boy]

Our local Lidl has Pine Marten spray. The spray will need to be periodically reapplied. Not sure that it will be effective but it’s not going to drain the battery or cost a lot.

Liqui Moly version is available on Amazon.

 

[optimusprime]

Simple fix to kill off the rats Baking Soda and Drinking Chocolate ..Fill a few containers and put them in the engine compartment ,or under the car at the back of the wheels ...it wont hurt carts or dogs ,but rats and mice can not digest it , and they soon die .. Problem with putting out side under the car , the rats might still be in the car ........ but best dont tell your daughter this .

 

[MSG2004]

Simple fix to kill off the rats Baking Soda and Drinking Chocolate ..Fill a few containers and put them in the engine compartment ,or under the car at the back of the wheels ...it wont hurt carts or dogs ,but rats and mice can not digest it , and they soon die .. Problem with putting out side under the car , the rats might still be in the car ........ but best dont tell your daughter this .

Thank you - As posted a bit earlier today, we will initially try the peppermint stuff first as she has already ordered it about when I first posted this pm.
If that fails, a two-pronged attack, ie the p/mint stuff along with Baking Soda and Choc as per your post hopeful eliminates the rats or send them packing to another car.

Edit - I will look around the car myself for rats or dead rats stench that I guess smell like fox mess. (She keeps the car very clean in and out and I guess its just luck and the fact parked backing onto a grassed area (She has started parking in another spot since last night

 

[badgx]

Will do as only a few inches of it left.

The moth balls is a no as our daughter is very allergic and asthmatic and trigers for this is anything from smoke/pollen/cats/dogs/grass you name it.
She has researched peppermint concentrate and we will go fo that - I may go over and spray a little bit before the car is cleaned as when she
has a bit of spare time and has parked the car in a different place

Spray wd40 and wipe off with microfiber cloth or leave spray to dry off naturally. Spray all over plastics, inside covers too

 

[DerekP]

Don't mess about with the deterrents. If they are hungry or cold they won't deter them. Snap traps or bait boxes. Check them before you drive off. Remember, mice/rats are vermin and spread diseases. I had this in my Mx5, found loads of nut shells next to suspension turret. Placed trap and Bingo. Delboy 1 Mice 0