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2014 Prius V, Soy Wiring? Mice...

Discussion in 'Prius v Main Forum' started by Onlooker, Aug 15, 2019.

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  1. Onlooker

    Onlooker Junior Member

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    2014 Prius v wagon
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    Technology
    I recently inherited a 2014 Prius V; a gift; and I always liked, never owned a Prius before.. I knew not to buy a Prius newer than 2009 for the Soy Wiring, but here we are.. I've found 3 mice nests and this is after a Toyota dealership sold it in February(used; from before the dealer sold it, or this spring). I'm doing various mouse proofing and wondering how much more of the car needs to be disassembled ( Any instructions on mouse-proofing the Prius v? | PriusChat ) for the V specifically, but I keep coming back to the wiring...

    Before this, my most expensive car was $2500 and I've had it 10 years and 80,000 miles (S10 27mpg). With all the mice around and hearing of multiple multi-thousand dollar wiring repairs because of the insane choice to use soy as an insulator in cars... I want to enjoy/use the car to honor the person who left it to me, but if one of these events occur, it's not worth repairing, especially as a repeatable event. While researching the lawsuits I found this post:

    Toyota Facing Class Action Over Soy-Based Wiring Insulation

    Could it be, my 2014 model, unlike the 2012 and 2015 doesn't have Soy wiring? Could the undercoating and mouse screening be enough? Or might it be better to sell and buy my next 3-5 cars? I've had the car a couple months now, and have yet to park it home for fear of the field/forest mice that abound(no garage; building one isn't very practical given area restrictions.).

    Thoughts/Comments?
     
    #1 Onlooker, Aug 15, 2019
  2. rjparker

    rjparker Tu Humilde Sirviente

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    I believe the biggest problem is through the cowl vents into the cabin. There are threads here that describe the process to screen those off. Most of the time they end up with nests in the ac evaporator, often on top of the cabin filter. I have seen that on many cars and while they are there they did not cause other wire damage. I personally don't believe the actual wire damage is primarily due to the soy insulation.

    I have seen non-soy coax cable chewed through the outside insulation, the braided ground, the inside insulation just to get to a current carrying satellite dish conductor. No problem on an adjacent tv antenna coax. So conductors with voltage on them is my bet.

    However if it bothers you, sell it and get your choice of vehicle. I would ask the local independent mechanics who seem to have their stuff together if they have seen automotive wiring damage that caused a major wire harness repair. More than likely they have seen much more corrosion damage at connectors.
     
    #2 rjparker, Aug 15, 2019
    Last edited: Aug 15, 2019
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  3. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    afaik, the wiring has always been the same. every gen has experienced problems with mice to some extent.

    if it were me, i would sell it before they chewed the $7,000. main wiring harness
     
    #3 bisco, Aug 15, 2019
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