Looks like I have a Rat problem 😞

nautchilous

Active Member
Verified Owner
Joined
Apr 14, 2022
Messages
246
Location
Richmond TX
Cars
Lucid Air Touring
Well I got some bad news today. The Houston service center found a rat nest in the Frunk area behind the cover close to the firewall..They chewed up couple harnesses and left a little mess. So they are replacing the HV battery after the most recent OTA update.. luckily the replacement is fully under warranty …The harness replacement will be an insurance claim …. I am sure I am not the first to experience this …You guys have any idea what the cost to replace these 2 harnesses shown in the below pics…I am praying the insurance does not deem the car a total loss 😞

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What the...? So sorry to see this. Hope insurance has your back. Any idea where the rats entered from?
 
What the...? So sorry to see this. Hope insurance has your back. Any idea where the rats entered from?
I have no idea…I was under the impression the Frunk area was fully sealed 😤
 
What the...? So sorry to see this. Hope insurance has your back. Any idea where the rats entered from?
Wow! Harnesses are an expensive item to replace but in an electric car...it could be excessive. Good luck.

Assuming the car is not totaled, I suggest upon receipt of the car back giving it a very, very thorough analysis of how the various features are working as gremlins can easily enter if a wiring harness mistake is made.
 
Are there signs of recent droppings? I only ask as I had a Porsche Cayenne that had the same issue. Initially they said that this happened under my ownership. Fortunately I had a good relationship with ownership and it was pretty easy to determine that this happened before I took possession.
 
Generally harness are expensive. They can also be a total pain to deal with, especially on a car that has tight packaging.
 
Got my car back yesterday……Definitely dodged a bullet…The rodent damage was not significant enough for the 2 harnesses to be replaced. They did replace the HV battery to latest HV version and repaired the wire insulation and got rid of the rats nest at no charge …..The Houston service is the best ….A big shout out to Victoria and Joshua for taking care of me…..Now I gotta put some miles on the new battery pack to get it broken into 😄
 
Oh snap! My previous car, 2016 Jag F pace S type, had a family of rodents that enjoyed consuming the radiator tank lines and a couple of harnesses while enjoying the warmth of the engine block during the cool winter SoCal nights. Apparently, soy is used in some these materials, not to mention rodents will eat anything. Radiator fluid also has a sweet taste attracts their noses. We had a major repair 2 years ago. Insurance helped cover it but still left a bad taste in my mouth. We ended up getting this rodent deterrent devices that flash and make a high pitched noise when the car is not running. It was attached near these replaced parts. The only downside is that they are battery powered and have to be changed every couple of months. I also learned to park in the garage regularly. Maybe there is a way to sneak in the rodent deterrent device behind the trunk well?
 
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