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-   -   Rat damage to cars | Protection, solutions & advice (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/technical-stuff/2729-rat-damage-cars-protection-solutions-advice-48.html)

Manjot1912,

I had been at the receiving end of rats on my Swift too. I came to know about this only when my steering had become very tight and heavy (very much unlike a swift). When I went to the S.C, the SA told me it that rats would have chewed up the power steering cables. After inspecting for 2 hours, we found that it was indeed a rat menace (I had a family of twelve under my hood:Shockked:). The SA also mentioned that it, is very easy for rats to enter the swifts hood as there are quite some (not sure how many) openings. I got the cables replaced which cost me about 15K and fixed all the openings with MS mesh pieces. After three months, the same problem recurred. That was when I decided to sell the swift:deadhorse

OT: My friend (has a Swift VDi) has had a very uncommon problem. His pet dog would always stand with fore legs on the front right fender and bark at the car (Making deep scratches on his bumper and the fender). He noticed that there was something under the bonnet that the dog was barking at. One day, when he opened the bonnet, Holy crap... There was a cat resting peacefully under it.

Some months back, in my Alto which was road side parked, I notice indicator wiring and wind screen jet pipe hindered by rodents.. and found back drops in Glove box, checked with service center guy, and paid minor service chages !!

I too faced many problems with the rats in my Swiftie but the difference those rats had a penchant for only the blower and its ducting and twice the wind shield washer tube. And the indicator wirings of my Beevi's Alto.
But this is too much.

Rat attack again. Drove Beevi's Alto and noticed that windshield washer was not functioning. First thought that tank is empty so filled it and no effect. So took it to a garage and found that wires were cut by who else. Connected and taped. Really fed up.

@GTO - Thanks for this information, this product seemed like something to try to get rid of rats in our garden - recently our Maruti 800 suffered some chewed up wires and radiator hose pipe courtesy rats :Frustrati
The link mentioned in your post does not work now but a search on the net took me to ebay from where I placed the order for a set of 4 (Rs.395+Rs.100 shipping). Thanks again, will use this and report the results in some time.

When I took my car for servicing last month, found 2-3 wires hanging in the engine bay which was definitely the handiwork of rats. My SA adviced me to go for engine lacquering. He mentioned that if the lacquering is done, I can pour water into the engine bay once a week and keep away the rats. I don't know how useful is this lacquering.

One of my favorite threads. Had a rat menace at a hostel where the rats were biting the feet of the residents. :Shockked:.
Got this and laid it on the corner of the rooms. The pic shows it closed.

If you open it like a book it has an extremely sticky surface where the rat gets trapped.

Now all you have to do is get rid of it:D

Thanks GTO, I have started using tufkote product for almost a month now and no longer see any rat dropping in the engine bay or under the car.

Tufkote service is good too. Since I'm in Navi Mumbai side, not possible to go to there office near Malad. So had it couriered it. Cost me 400 bucks (Rs 350 for a set of 4 + Rs 50 for courier).

Its not a rat,but a Lizard,that is now enjoying the stay in my car since last 2 days.
i spotted it on the rear curtain,and by the time i could react,it vanished below the parcel tray,i thought it might have escaped through the boot,but how wrong i was,just today it was spotted on the dashboard-arghhhh,any pointers as to how i can get rid of it,i tried baygon\hit spray but of no use,i dread,that it might get killed inside the car,and then turn it into a smelly mess.

It'll eat the small insects in your car! Dead lizard will be stinky: live lizard will do you no harm at all.

Is your car parked in a secure compound? Can you leave a door open in the dark? If so, my idea is to put a lamp, outside the car, maybe on a white paper. Small insects will swarm to the lamp, lizard will know that insects like light...

Of course, I can't say what might get in to your car while this is going on! :eek:

Tufkote Update

Mrs G says that the incidence of rat tunneling into our garden is absolutely reduced, in fact to zero in the smaller section behind the house where, whatever we did, they would just make a new tunnel. I did see one dropping the other day. Must check inside the engine compartment again, but it was ok last time. We will probably buy another set of ten and distribute them around our border walls to try and make the front garden rat free.

It sure is a big problem since lizards are very difficult to get rid of. Those gross looking creepy monsters can slip into any nook and corner.The ugliest creation of God and thing I hate the most.
Anyway coming back to your problem,the things you could try out are:

i> Lizards feed on insects, get rid of any insect inside your car. A nice vacuum cleaning would do that, it may even pull the lizard out without creating the mess.

ii> Naphthalene balls, they do repel the smaller ones.Put some of them in your car and pray.

iii> Get those rat killing glue pads as shown in the previous page. Stick an insect on it as bait and keep it in the car. The lizard may fall for it.

iv>For God's sake don't let the lizard get a partner for him/herself. Two lizards in a nice lonely car with no one to disturb would spell doom for you. Don't let them start a family inside your car. Also, the present one may move out if it doesn't find a partner out of frustration.

v> If nothing works,wait for winter and the reptile to hibernate.

Best of luck. I hate lizards.:D

Well, I can't tell you who or what to hate, but, honestly, they do us no harm and they keep down the numbers of small insects.

It so happens that I like lizards, so I didn't need converting to that point of view.

Maybe... if you can't make friends of them... you could appreciate them a little? :D

Actually, I have absolutely nothing against rats either. Delightful, intelligent creatures, but so fertile that, in the end, territory-wise, it would be them or me, and, as this thread testifies, they can and do do a lot of damage. So, sorry rats, I don't hate you, but nor am I prepared to have you as "tennants."

Yes,i got a covered parking and I tried parking it with doors open,under light this evening,and result,it being monsoon,the car was filled with moths in no time,and not to mention,its monsoon,we have snakes moving around in our compound,i would prefer a lizard over a snake in my carlol:
Will try napthlene balls,and get rid of all stuff in the car,and park it in under the sun(if there is any around in the morning) with doors and boot open,lets see,the moment the lizard notices any commotion,it vanishes into oblivion,and the fact,it was spotted on the parcel tray,and now around the dashboard area,proves that he\she has developed a liking for my italian beauty.
Err even i hate,i dread the moment,if it ever falls on me while i am driving:Frustrati

Well, I wouldn't mind a lizard falling on me, but what would worry me is the time between feeling something fall, and working out that it was a lizard! Dangerous things could happen in that time.

The way that they grip is actually a miracle of science. They fall very rarely. But not never!

In the past 1 month, me too suffered from rat terror. I was consistently finding rat droppings and plastic remains of key chain, koys (belonging to my son) under the seats. While i went through the forum i and reading experiences of other people i also bought Tufkote product.
Initially i installed one inside bonet and other inside the cabin. However the rats still came inside and created nuicence. I installed 2 inside cabin and 2 under the hood. Still same problem.
I am calling pest control now for help. Thankfully they are eating the carpet and plastic toys etc till now. Wires are still intact.
Any further advises.