Rodent damage - Main wire harness
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 32
Likes: 0
2003 C230K
Rodent damage - Main wire harness
So it appears that a rat went into the wife's c230 and started chewing through the main wiring harness and the radiator hose. I nearly fell over when the dealer told me it would cost $2k to replace the harness, hose and do a coolant flush. I then promptly called my insurance company who informed me that it is covered under my policy... I just need to pay my $500 deductible. I then asked if this was a freak accident to which the adjuster replied.. it happens all the time.
This is the first time I've ever heard of such a thing.. wondering if anyone else here had the same issue.
Damn rats.. now I need to call the exterminators.
This is the first time I've ever heard of such a thing.. wondering if anyone else here had the same issue.
Damn rats.. now I need to call the exterminators.
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 385
Likes: 5
From: Richmond California
2021 GLC300 4Matic
I have my MB in the garage most of the time and keep my truck outside, lets just say that inside the truck on top of the engine block there was droppings from a rat that decided to go all the way to the top and have a nice warm meal.
So yes, those rats can go anywhere.
So yes, those rats can go anywhere.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,055
Likes: 50
From: SoCal. Desert
'16 E350, gone: '03 c230k
My dad just found a rabbit in the engine compartment of his van - chomping away at the wiring. I read about a big problem with the rabbits eating car wiring at a major airport parking lot (Denver?) recently too - some poor dude with a less than week old VW. I just recently had the head gaskets replaced on my truck and they found a rat's nest under the intake. Good luck with it!
Banned
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 1,073
Likes: 1
From: North San diego
C320 2002
THOSE MF*** I HATE RATS... oh my.. i had one make a nest inside my car it started to claw my driver headlight. I look under my hood alot so i found it quickly before any dmg was done. Lucky me but i dunno about this winter.. its starting to get pretty cold here in cali like 60 damn its cold! lol
Banned
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 1,073
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From: North San diego
C320 2002
yeah its like 60 now haha it was 74 today =D damn 30 thats ball freezing temps! haha. Ive only been to the snow once =/ even tho its like an hour away.
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Super Member
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 904
Likes: 22
From: Toronto, Ontario, Canada, eh!
2003 C230 Sports Coupe, Paprika Metallic Red, Auto, Pano, Leather
Dr Seusse "The King, the Mice and the Cheese"
Remember that childhood story by Dr Seusse "The King, the Mice and the Cheese" about a dirty palace with cheese all over the palace and soon overrun by mice.
The solutions to being overrun with mice was to bring in cats to chase away the mice. Soon all the mice were gone but then, they are overrun with cats.
So they bring in dogs to chase away the cats. Soon all the cats were gone but then, they are overrun with dogs.
So they bring in lions to chase away the dogs. Soon all the dogs were gone but then, they are overrun with lions.
So they bring in elephants to chase away the lions. Soon all the lions were gone but then, they are overrun with elephants.
So they bring back the mice to chase away the elephants. Soon all the elephants were gone but then, they are overrun with mice,... again.
So they bring back the cats again to chase away the mice, then they bring back the dogs again to chase away the cats, then they bring back the lions again to chase way the dogs, then they bring back the elephants again to chase away the lions,... then they bring back the mice again to chase away the elephants again!,... and again!
(Software developers will recongize an "infinite loop" here)
Moral of this story,... if your engine bay is like this palace overrun with pests,... be happy with the mice. It could be worst!
Solution: clean the #%@* cheese out of your engine bay!
Another possible solution,... set up a motion detector under your hood. The siren in the engine bay should scare the crap out of any pest.
NOTE: No animals (real or imaginary) were harmed in this story. But there was a dead parrot in another thread. (I won't mention any names to protect the innocent,... and the not so innocent)
https://mbworld.org/forums/c-class-w...turn-over.html
The solutions to being overrun with mice was to bring in cats to chase away the mice. Soon all the mice were gone but then, they are overrun with cats.
So they bring in dogs to chase away the cats. Soon all the cats were gone but then, they are overrun with dogs.
So they bring in lions to chase away the dogs. Soon all the dogs were gone but then, they are overrun with lions.
So they bring in elephants to chase away the lions. Soon all the lions were gone but then, they are overrun with elephants.
So they bring back the mice to chase away the elephants. Soon all the elephants were gone but then, they are overrun with mice,... again.
So they bring back the cats again to chase away the mice, then they bring back the dogs again to chase away the cats, then they bring back the lions again to chase way the dogs, then they bring back the elephants again to chase away the lions,... then they bring back the mice again to chase away the elephants again!,... and again!
(Software developers will recongize an "infinite loop" here)
Moral of this story,... if your engine bay is like this palace overrun with pests,... be happy with the mice. It could be worst!
Solution: clean the #%@* cheese out of your engine bay!
Another possible solution,... set up a motion detector under your hood. The siren in the engine bay should scare the crap out of any pest.
NOTE: No animals (real or imaginary) were harmed in this story. But there was a dead parrot in another thread. (I won't mention any names to protect the innocent,... and the not so innocent)
https://mbworld.org/forums/c-class-w...turn-over.html
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 1,005
Likes: 0
2013 UFO
Remember that childhood story by Dr Seusse "The King, the Mice and the Cheese" about a dirty palace with cheese all over the palace and soon overrun by mice.
The solutions to being overrun with mice was to bring in cats to chase away the mice. Soon all the mice were gone but then, they are overrun with cats.
So they bring in dogs to chase away the cats. Soon all the cats were gone but then, they are overrun with dogs.
So they bring in lions to chase away the dogs. Soon all the dogs were gone but then, they are overrun with lions.
So they bring in elephants to chase away the lions. Soon all the lions were gone but then, they are overrun with elephants.
So they bring back the mice to chase away the elephants. Soon all the elephants were gone but then, they are overrun with mice,... again.
So they bring back the cats again to chase away the mice, then they bring back the dogs again to chase away the cats, then they bring back the lions again to chase way the dogs, then they bring back the elephants again to chase away the lions,... then they bring back the mice again to chase away the elephants again!,... and again!
(Software developers will recongize an "infinite loop" here)
Moral of this story,... if your engine bay is like this palace overrun with pests,... be happy with the mice. It could be worst!
Solution: clean the #%@* cheese out of your engine bay!
Another possible solution,... set up a motion detector under your hood. The siren in the engine bay should scare the crap out of any pest.
NOTE: No animals (real or imaginary) were harmed in this story. But there was a dead parrot in another thread. (I won't mention any names to protect the innocent,... and the not so innocent)
https://mbworld.org/forums/c-class-w...turn-over.html
The solutions to being overrun with mice was to bring in cats to chase away the mice. Soon all the mice were gone but then, they are overrun with cats.
So they bring in dogs to chase away the cats. Soon all the cats were gone but then, they are overrun with dogs.
So they bring in lions to chase away the dogs. Soon all the dogs were gone but then, they are overrun with lions.
So they bring in elephants to chase away the lions. Soon all the lions were gone but then, they are overrun with elephants.
So they bring back the mice to chase away the elephants. Soon all the elephants were gone but then, they are overrun with mice,... again.
So they bring back the cats again to chase away the mice, then they bring back the dogs again to chase away the cats, then they bring back the lions again to chase way the dogs, then they bring back the elephants again to chase away the lions,... then they bring back the mice again to chase away the elephants again!,... and again!
(Software developers will recongize an "infinite loop" here)
Moral of this story,... if your engine bay is like this palace overrun with pests,... be happy with the mice. It could be worst!
Solution: clean the #%@* cheese out of your engine bay!
Another possible solution,... set up a motion detector under your hood. The siren in the engine bay should scare the crap out of any pest.
NOTE: No animals (real or imaginary) were harmed in this story. But there was a dead parrot in another thread. (I won't mention any names to protect the innocent,... and the not so innocent)
https://mbworld.org/forums/c-class-w...turn-over.html
good moral.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 32
Likes: 0
2003 C230K
At what point would the engine bay get to a point where it becomes cheesy? The car is kept in the garage and we get the bay detailed once a year. I believe the rat came in when the garage door was open.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 7,265
Likes: 169
From: So. Oregon Coast
C230 Sport Coup + 2006 W164 ML350 + 99 Ford Escort RIP
Found a nest in my car recently, next to the battery.
Thought it was related to my car not starting,
but thankfully not, what ever it was didn't get a
chance to chew anything.
Thought it was related to my car not starting,
but thankfully not, what ever it was didn't get a
chance to chew anything.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 32
Likes: 0
2003 C230K
I could see where if you keep the car outside that this could be a problem. The rat had to get into the garage and then through the engine bay to do this. Seems hard.. but then I'm not a rat..
Super Member
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 904
Likes: 22
From: Toronto, Ontario, Canada, eh!
2003 C230 Sports Coupe, Paprika Metallic Red, Auto, Pano, Leather
I suggest getting one of those electronic ultrasonic rodent (mice/rat) repeller,... they plug into an electrical outlet. Ever since we put one in the garage,... we haven't had a problem with any mice.
