Mice have eaten my car!!!!!

[northernpar]

The plot thickens.......

After an uneventful run home the previous evening the car cutting out with no MIL light came back this morning. So much so that I had no choice but to pull over and call the AA recovery. Apparently the policy is that rather than send the flat bed straight away they send a guy in a van to see if he can fix it at the roadside even though it was explained to them there was no chance of this. Anyhoo, the guy turns up after 40 mins and plugs in his box to check the codes, doesn't have an RS4 in his selection menu so chooses an Audi TT and then states there are no error codes. Once I pointed out it was a completely different car that he had selected he then states it is most likely the EGR valves blocking the turbo, once I pointed out there is no turbo he decided to take a look under the bonnet for himself. Once open his statement was "there's not a lot of room in there" and admitted defeat. That was when I saw the devastation.

Little barstewards have had a go at a load of stuff and probably explains the car symptoms. The fault is almost the same as losing an earth so presumably they have chewed through a wire which is either shorting or earthing down when energised.

Car now with Audi to assess the damage but they reckon 10 hours of diagnostic as they will need to strip a considerable amount from the car to check for damage. On the plus side I have confirmed with Direct Line that this is covered under the policy so only the excess to worry about there. The real issue is how to keep the little buggers out once I get it back. I live rural and the misses keeps horses so it's probably a mouse paradise. The Audi guy seemed to think that a liberal dose of WD40 or Duck Oil on the wires and tubes will keep them at bay so I guess that's my only hope at the moment. Also might explain the niffy aircon as they have a habit of using the pollen filter as a nest.

Had been considering an RS5 but thinking what's the point as the little barstewards will just eat that as well. Kinda resigned to giving it one more go and if it happens again then it's something agricultural until I build my rodent proof garage.

Searching on the internet for repellant I found a case in the US where they had got into a TT and caused $18,000 worth of a repair bill.

Will keep you posted on the repair costs and insurance.

Oh, and before any smart ass comes out with the "make sure your CAT's are fitted" posts don't bother as I got it all at work today also when I finally got into my office someone had also taken the time to place chocolate mice allover the place.

[Rick_RS4]

get a cat

[HYFR]

get 4 cats

[iR8V10]

Can't believe you guys are taking the 'mickey'.
Shame on you.

[ArthurPE]

[Tonks4x4]

May be worth asking the dealer if they can add a Rodent Repellor System to your car.

It was a factory Audi option on the Audi S2

[lofty]

Mice ate my Aunts Bentley last year.It cost over £10k to fix.

[spikeyboy101]

ouch thats really not mice !!!!!


On a serious note - where do you keep the car ? if in a garage then just buy some mouse traps, bait with either chocolate or peanut butter, plus add some plug in ultrasonic mice repelants.

For good measure get some mouse poison.

All that should keep them at bay.

[lengster1]

I've got similar problem but I think its either a weasel or rats as I'm not sure mice go for rubber,I've also just bought and rebuilding a place in the country,I leave my old vito van there all the time and the nuggets have eaten through the same 3 fuel lines twice within a week,the first time I found out was when it was fully loaded for a tip run that I was pushing it to make! Wasn't happy! Apparently rats or weasels like the fish oils used in some of the hoses but i infortunatly discovered this after replacing fuel lines so I'm not sure if I've replaced like for like,my German work mates suggested making up a grate of wire mesh to sit under the engine bay when parked up,on a frame 1 inch high so there legs fall through,apparently they don't like it.

[DazN]

Leave the key in the ignition, anything electrical they chew should give them a good 12 volts?

I use humane mouse traps, you could buy a few of these and leave them near the wheels so they're caught before climbing in?

[MB2]

I think I would either try to get the car moved to someone who wires race vehicles or ask Audi to sleeve the wiring up eg http://www.vehicle-wiring-products.eu/V ... p#adhesive

I know cats etc. hate lavendar so maybe a bit of that in the airbox ?

There are also ultrasonic mouse repellers which maybe could be wired in nearby if you have power or gutted & adapted to 12v ?

[adsgreen]

Carcoon perhaps?

[edge]

Carcoon perhaps?

Exactly what I was thinking....

[ShaneyB]

They'll chew through that surely?

[Boggle73]

Carcoon perhaps?

Exactly what I was thinking....

What the fook is that ?

I would get laughed off the street round here.