MY CAR HAS BEEN DAMAGED 3 TIMES BY RODENTS CHEWING ON WIRING IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE CAR HAD TO BE TOWED TWICE. FORTUNATELY, THE BREAKDOWNS HAVE OCCURRED WHILE THE CAR WAS PARKED, AND NOT WHILE I WAS DRIVING. BUT, YOU ONLY NEED TO DO A SEARCH OF THE 'NET TO FIND REPORTS OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE HAD BREAKDOWNS WHILE DRIVING, AND EVEN FIRES IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE ROOT CAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM IS THAT MANUFACTURING OF WIRING IS NOW USING "ECO-FRIENDLY" LUBRICANTS BASED ON SOY OR PEANUTS. THIS CREATES AN "ATTRACTIVE NUISANCE" FOR RODENTS TO CHEW ON THE WIRING, THINKING IT MAY CONCEAL FOOD. IF YOU LOOK CLOSELY AT THE PICTURE I ATTACHED, THE WIRING HAD BEEN WRAPPED WITH A GREY "ANTI-RODENT" TAPE (WHICH CONTAINS CAPSAICIN) THE SECOND TIME IT WAS REPAIRED. BUT, I DON'T THINK IT WAS COMPLETELY WRAPPED ALL THE WAY TO THE CONNECTOR, AND ONLY A SMALL PART WAS LEFT EXPOSED. THIS TAPE IS AN ACTUAL HONDA PART THAT CAN BE ORDERED BY THEIR SERVICE DEPT. SO, HONDA IS WELL AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THREE MEN FILED A LAWSUIT AGAINST AMERICAN HONDA IN 2016. AFTER REPEATED ATTEMPTS BY HONDA TO DISMISS IT, THE PLAINTIFFS FILED A MOTION TO CERTIFY THE LAWSUIT AS A CLASS ACTION. WITHIN WEEKS, THE LAWSUIT WAS WITHDRAWN WITHOUT PREJUDICE BY THE PLAINTIFFS, PRESUMABLY BECAUSE HONDA SETTLED. THIS METHOD OF MANUFACTURE IS IMPOSING SIGNIFICANT COSTS ON CONSUMERS TO REMEDY THE RESULTING PROBLEM, INCLUDING HIGHER INSURANCE PREMIUMS. I'M ACTUALLY NOT FILING A CLAIM ON MY LATEST DAMAGE, BECAUSE MY INSURANCE COMPANY CAN CANCEL MY INSURANCE IF I HAVE MORE THAN ONE CLAIM IN A YEAR DUE TO ANIMAL DAMAGE. I AM NOT ASKING FOR A RECALL. BUT, SOME REGULATION IS NEEDED TO BAN AUTOMOBILE MANUFACTURERS FROM USING FOOD-DERIVED LUBRICANTS IN MANUFACTURING, FOR SAFETY REASONS.
- NHTSA ID
- 11071578
- Incident
- Jan 24, 2018
- Mileage
- 27,500 mi