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Weird wire cage under the hood of my Prime… a mystery

Discussion in 'Prime Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by Whoami, May 9, 2021.

  1. Whoami

    Whoami Junior Member

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    So I bought this 2017 Prime a couple weeks ago and today I was doing air filters and noticed this weird wire cage that is loosely connected to my coolant line. I can’t think of any earthly reason that someone would put it there. It isn’t supporting any weight or anything like that, it is just there.

    I am 99.9% sure there is absolutely no reason to leave it there (in fact I can think of a couple reasons I should remove it), but I figured I would see what you guys think before I do. Maybe someone can think of a reason it would be in there in the first place???

    Thanks.
     

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  2. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Looks like anti-rodent mesh. Maybe someone was “hardening the target”, hung that scrap while doing something else, then forgot about it.

    just for giggles check around for any signs, like chewed wires, nests and/or droppings/urine.
     
    jerrymildred likes this.
  3. yoyoman

    yoyoman Active Member

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    I just looked at my 2017 prime and there is none chicken wire fence under my engine hood. I will take it off right away if I see this in my car.

    By the way, Toyota engineer will be fainted if they see this photo .


    iPhone ?
     
  4. GabrielD

    GabrielD Member

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    Maybe this looks similar...
    It was used for a squirell
     

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  5. Whoami

    Whoami Junior Member

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    What’s really funny is that this car was always serviced at Toyota from what I can see in the Toyota app… as recently as the week they sold the car. So weird.

    Not sure what your question about iPhone is, but I did make the post from my phone.
     
  6. Whoami

    Whoami Junior Member

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    Sorry- failed upload
     
    #6 Whoami, May 9, 2021
    Last edited: May 9, 2021
  7. Whoami

    Whoami Junior Member

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    looks like you may be on to something… look what I found on the other side of the engine…
     

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    Mendel Leisk likes this.
  8. Whoami

    Whoami Junior Member

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    90% of what I fished out using the very professional tool called 2 sticks I found in my yard . Looks like I got the whole thing and it doesn’t look like anything was actively living in there anymore.

    still doesn’t really explain the wire mesh cage thing, but maybe there was some kind of rodent repellant in there at some point???
     

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    Mendel Leisk likes this.
  9. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    My dad used to use 1/2 of that tool, to check the gas level in our 58 VW Bug (no gauge).
     
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  10. road2cycle

    road2cycle Active Member

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    I’d check the area around the orange wire bundle for any bite marks since the nest was near there. Just be careful since anything in orange has the potential to be energized high voltage.