# A Groundhog Chewed My Plug Wires



## lawrence1 (Jul 2, 2008)

So I go out to go to work this morning and my car won't start. I tried it for a few minutes thinking it's just bad gas when I seen a big fat groundhog run out from underneath. When I lifted the hood I noticed four of my plug wires were cut and the wires in front of a connector too. What the dickens? Upon closer inspection I could see chew marks, it must have been that groundhog. 
This evening I was able to get the wires soldered back on the connector and installed new plug wires, runs good again.
How he got to the top of the engine compartment with only a few inches of clearance is beyond me.
Anybody know why a groundhog would do that? Smarta$$ replies welcome.


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## Shad Rap (Nov 10, 2010)

Could it have just been a coincidence and not from the groundhog??..like another animal?


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## cb55 (Jan 4, 2014)

Shad Rap said:


> Could it have just been a coincidence and not from the groundhog??..like another animal?


That's funny.


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## TRAPPERBECK (Mar 23, 2010)

I had a call like that , the person took their car to the shop to get worked on & when the shop put the car on the lift to look under it they seen a Ghog up under the engine . Well they called me to get it out so that could fix it . Why the Ghogs chew on them wires who knows , but I had fun on that call .


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## Dovans (Nov 15, 2011)

seriously doubt that if you do more intense investigation that it was a groundhog. More likely you were the victim of the BLACK CRAPPIE!


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## Shad Rap (Nov 10, 2010)

cb55 said:


> That's funny.


And why is that humorous?..it was just a question...he said it was too tight of spot for the groundhog...I dont know.


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## Matt63 (Jun 1, 2016)

Do u have chipmunks around they chewed up my FIL wire harnesses and it cost him big bucks to get it fixed.


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## Snakecharmer (Apr 9, 2008)

A rodent just chewed up my wife's Corollas wires to the tune of a $500 bill.
I understand that they have gotten away from plastic coating on wires and the new coatings are a vegetable/ plant material which is why rodents like them so much.


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## MassillonBuckeye (May 3, 2010)

Rodent need to chew things to file their teeth down. They love all sorts of wires/cables including your coax. When you have pixellation on your TV or your Video on Demand isn't working, odds are its a squirrels fault.


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## bigtracker (Apr 6, 2010)

The same thing happened to my wife's vehicle. She went out to start it one morning after I had left for work and it wouldn't start. Well with the vehicle being new she called the dealership and they sent someone out to assist. The mechanic lifted the hood and there up against the firewall was a big groundhog munching away. The guy had to use a broom to nudge him out of there. Around $2,500 damages to our new 4Runner. Like Snakecharmer, I've heard the critters like the coating on the wire. Peanut oil is used, so I've been told?


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## Snakecharmer (Apr 9, 2008)

I'm wondering is spraying a little deer-b-gone (pepper spray) on the wires may be a good deterrent.


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## flyman01 (Jan 23, 2013)

I have heard others who also witnessed ground hogs damaging car/truck wires so it is not uncommon. Mice and rats will also do the same, all three are rodents so I do not doubt the claims at all. My neighbor in Tn battles this issue all the time since we are located in the National Forest. He has tried a number of things to prevent this from happening and he claims the best thing he has done and seems to have resolved the issue is to sprinkle hot pepper seasoning around the engine bay and to coat the wires with Armor All. The hot pepper/seasoning is a real irritant and they do not like the taste of the Armor All. Economical way to resolve an expensive problem in my opinion.


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## Junebug2320 (Apr 23, 2010)

Had mice in my winter stored car. Was told dryer sheets deter the critters. They chose to piss and crap on one. Chewed the tubing protecting wiring to the tail lights and chewed through the wiring to #3 sparkplug.


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## bassattacker (Mar 14, 2007)

When i worked for Time Warner Cable we had to use squirrel guard on the drop line that goes to the house. The reason why was pretty simple, it usually happens around spring time when this happens and it is mainly females. They lack the metal in their system and a simple and easy way to get it is to chew the wires. Especially copper, which almost all wires have. how much truth to this there is i don't know, but i do know i came across a lot of chewed lines and in some cases some had metal shavings where the animal had chewed the metal.


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## flyman01 (Jan 23, 2013)

bassattacker said:


> When i worked for Time Warner Cable we had to use squirrel guard on the drop line that goes to the house. The reason why was pretty simple, it usually happens around spring time when this happens and it is mainly females. They lack the metal in their system and a simple and easy way to get it is to chew the wires. Especially copper, which almost all wires have. how much truth to this there is i don't know, but i do know i came across a lot of chewed lines and in some cases some had metal shavings where the animal had chewed the metal.


I have seen this happen! The previous owner of the cabin we purchased in Tn had satellite installed. After we bought the place, I did not want that expense just for periodic weekend use; Instead I decided to install an HD antenna and was going to utilize the RG6 cable that was run through the crawlspace and up into the rooms of the cabin. The frustration was building after numerous attempts with no reception so I went into the crawlspace to make sure that I was using the correct cable. To my complete shock, I found the cable chewed into several pieces from most likely a rat that gnawed completely through it including the copper center. My new run of cable was placed on the outside of the cabin off the ground in an effort to avoid this from happening again. UGH!


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## TDD11 (Aug 5, 2015)

Last summer my friend, a hay farmer, said one 90° day that he smelled something dead on his trip to town. After lunch we noticed a pool of fluid under the truck as if the AC was sweating, but also a swarm of flies around the truck. Popped the hood, and apparently about week before while bailing hay and having the truck parked in a hay field, a ground hog got stuck IN the passenger front fender. We had to pull the fender off the truck and it was still incredibly difficult (and disgusting) getting that groundhog out of the fender.


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## Fishingisfun (Jul 19, 2012)

For most rodents, If they can get their head through a opening they can squeeze their bodies thru that opening. Ground hogs can get through real small holes and can climb where you would not expect. If you or your kids ever owned a hamster you know how they chew and are masters at getting thru small hole to make an escape.


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## Lazy 8 (May 21, 2010)

Fishingisfun said:


> For most rodents, If they can get their head through a opening they can squeeze their bodies thru that opening. Ground hogs can get through real small holes and can climb where you would not expect. If you or your kids ever owned a hamster you know how they chew and are masters at getting thru small hole to make an escape.


You're right. If they get their head through, and they REALLY want to get in a tight squeeze, they can dislocate their shoulders and get the rest of their body in.
Back in the 70's, I worked at a Cadillac, Olds, and International Scout dealership. I remember working on a car that was running poorly. When I took the top part of the air cleaner off and looked down at the air filter and carb, a mouse had packed the space between the filter and the air cleaner full of peanuts in the shell. You Couldn't of got another one in there if you tried.


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## ress (Jan 1, 2008)

Soybean oil used in plastic now a days. I've used Moth Balls to keep critters away.


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## Snakecharmer (Apr 9, 2008)

ress said:


> Soybean oil used in plastic now a days. I've used Moth Balls to keep critters away.


Rodents must like soybeans.. What were they thinking......


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## krustymc223 (Jul 19, 2009)

Apparently the wiring under my truck are what fox squirrels prefer to snack on!


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## ezbite (May 25, 2006)

bet you didn't know groundhogs can climb trees. I killed one years ago during bow season, I was in my tree stand and the crazy thing climbed a tree about 20 feet away from me, just waited until he got to eye height and WHAP!! my buddy took it home and ate it after it sat all day ungutted in the sun... I passed on that tasty meal, so im not surprised they can get under the hood of a car.


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## JCsHOOK (Apr 18, 2004)

I do a lot of tooling for the electrical wire industry. The material that is used for the insulation on the wire use to have a certain amount of lead in it for lubrication so it would not wear out the extruder dies. A few years ago they did away with the lead and started using soy bean oil. Than is what is attracting mice, squires and any other rodents that are hungry. My house and shop is in the woods and I have had my share of chewed wires. JC


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