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2017 Prius Engine Destroyed By Rodents One Week after Buying

Discussion in 'Gen 4 Prius Main Forum' started by O'Shag, Feb 1, 2017.

  1. O'Shag

    O'Shag New Member

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    Hello all,

    This post concerns a brand new 2017 Prius bought from Toyota of Orange not more than two and a half weeks ago. We traded in a 2014 Prius with 52k miles and got a brand new 2017 Prius Four in Magnetic Gray and Moonstone Interior with the Advanced package. All was well for a week or so and then about a week ago we drove it and it started to shudder violently while driving it. We thanked our lucky stars this didn't happen in busy traffic on the freeway as it could have been disastrous. We managed to hobble the car back to Toyota of Orange (living in Anaheim Hills thats only 4 miles or so) where it was examined by the technician. The diagnosis was that rodents had chewed through the main harness overnight and the car needed major repair work. We almost fainted when we were told it would cost $4,000 - about 1/8 of what we paid for the car all told. Fortunately we do have insurance and the tech told us that the insurance would cover it. Toyata denied any responsibility whatsover and indicated that this doesn't happen - which upon research we discovered is not true.

    Needless to say we are absolutely furious. A cursory glance though Google indicates that the wiring harnesses are made from Soy - a highly attractive food source for rodents. It is also a fact that in any suburban areas there are lots of rodents. It would seem to me that the use of Soy in the harness is a major mistake and indeed a hazard to Prius owners.

    Please provide any advice or input as we could sure use it.

    Thanks again - and sorry if this comes across a bit of a rant - but $4K is looney if you ask me.

    Best

    O'Shag.
     
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  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    welcome! argh.:mad: sorry to hear it, glad your insurance covered it!

    when you say toyota, did you call corporate, or do you mean the dealer?

    look through the mouse/mice/rat threads here, there's plenty of advice, but unfortunately, nothing is completely foolproof.

    odd that it never happened to you last prius.
     
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  3. O'Shag

    O'Shag New Member

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    thanks for the welcome Bisco. Yes, 'Argh' indeed..
     
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  4. Chuck.

    Chuck. Former Honda Enzyte Driver

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    Ernies Snack.JPG

    I would have loved to have lent you this bad dude...
     

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    #4 Chuck., Feb 1, 2017
    Last edited: Feb 1, 2017
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  5. O'Shag

    O'Shag New Member

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    Chuck, Haha Yes. I am sure he would have made short work of the rodents.
     
  6. tucatz

    tucatz Active Member

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    I would contact Toyota again. The car is under warranty, you brought it to a dealer, Toyota will fix the Prius and pay for the repair.
     
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  7. O'Shag

    O'Shag New Member

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    Hi Tucatz, They say it is not covered under warranty. They will not pay for the repair.
     
  8. Samprocat

    Samprocat Active Member

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    With my experience owning cars in USA and Europe......and have Japan make and Germany make car's
    None of them will cover damages made by .. .
    And i have personally just repair out of my pocket BMW X5 14 months old
    If you have Comprehensive insurance that will cover ....
     
  9. O'Shag

    O'Shag New Member

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    When we brought it back to Toyota of Orange, the manager's response was - 'I have four hundred cars on my lot, and none of them have this problem'. What does one say to that?
     
  10. O'Shag

    O'Shag New Member

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    So Samprocat, do you think its okay for Toyota or any brand for that matter to make a car that is so insanely vulnerable to destruction from something so common as rodents? Soy may be a lot less expensive for the manufacturer - in this case Toyota - to use in place of pertroleum based wiring harnesses, but look at the subsequent destruction and massive cost - that is unless you believe several thousand dollars is acceptable? Yes I do have insurance, but by putting the responsiblity on insurance companies that only drives up the cost of insurance for everybody does it not?
     
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  11. Samprocat

    Samprocat Active Member

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    Yes i do agree with you...And for that will still not be 100% proof....
    I would like more details...picture if possible and you are lucky to be around Good Dealer that have Master Technician to pinpoint issue.....what on my end i get calls from my dealer to assist in troubleshooting.....
    And i don't do this anymore as Hybrid technician
    I'm now on different type of the job i do for living
    Still trying my best to help community....and work on buddy's car's
     
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  12. Samprocat

    Samprocat Active Member

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    Remember the name of lead Mechanic and require for all future service to have him and nobody else messing with your car...
    Good mechanic is all You will need and how you will experience your time with Toyota
     
  13. Chuck.

    Chuck. Former Honda Enzyte Driver

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    What is the likelyhood a local investigative reporter would do a spot on this?
     
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  14. GrGramps

    GrGramps Active Member

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    What do you suppose a recall would cost Toyota?
     
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  15. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    this problem is not specific to toyota. i don't know if there's soy in the wiring harness, but i have seen/heard many brands with this problem. just recently cadillac.
    when i was in business, we found field wiring insulation eaten by rodents all the time. the theory was heat from the electric charge.
    a squirrel chewed through my cable wire at the telephone pole.
     
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  16. Sam Spade

    Sam Spade Senior Member

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    You need to get this in the proper perspective.
    ALL makes and models are prone to have rodents make nests in/on the engine.
    Sometimes they chew the wires, sometimes they do other things that are bad.

    In my opinion, YOU have to take some of the responsibility for this.
    Have you really honestly never seen any evidence of a rodent population around your house.....NEVER ??
    Well if so, that's also what the car dealer is telling you.

    I think you need to put out some child-proof, pet-proof bait stations out and get on with your life.
    Why do you care who pays for the repairs.......as long as it is not YOU ???
     
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  17. O'Shag

    O'Shag New Member

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    Thanks Samprocat, Chuck and Bisco for the input.

    Chuck I will go through that information.

    I don't know as to how widespread this issue is with respect to different manufacturers, but I do know it is in no way acceptable to sell a car for 30k knowing that this is a potential issue and not telling the customer. We had no earthly idea that this was a potential problem. Had we have known, we would at the least taken extra precautionary measures or even decided on another car. AS it is we are left with a 4K bill only 2 weeks after purchasing the car.
     
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  18. O'Shag

    O'Shag New Member

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    This family has a Range Rover, 3 Mercedes Benzes sitting in the driveway, and like I said we had the 2014 Prius until trdded in for this new Pruis. Not one of these cars has had the car engine destroyed by rodents.

    You are saying it is okay to palm off the expenses on others as long as it is not me? You think it is justifiable to help Toyota skirt the responsibility and have the general American population pay for it by way of increased insurance costs? I don't think that way. I believe this issue - a terrible design choice by Toyota which costs customers like us thousands and even worse could lead to death or injury if the car fails on a busy road, is Toyota's sole responsibility, not ours.

    I was persuaded to by this car by Toyota. I was led to believe it is a reliable car that would serve its intended purpose without issue for many years. I understand the limits of that responsibility, but in this case they are most definitely at fault and should fix the car at their expense.

    By the way Sam Spade, I asked for advice, not to be attacked. I find your tone and insinuation to be derogatory and disrespectful.
     
  19. Samprocat

    Samprocat Active Member

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    All car's suffering this issue....it doesn't matter is it soy based lubrication or oil based way of making wiring on car's....
    I do know how do you feel....i have 6000 Euros repair and was question use insurance and have raised my cost for insurance or pay out of my pocket....
    So i paid out my pocket.....
    My only suggestion is when you park on places where there is grass try to avoid or back in so your engine compartment is facing opposite side of grass.....
    Try to see if you have problem at your residence and how to figure out peace between them and your property....
    I could go long way but there is many things that attract this species to come and seek for food and new places....
    Remember that no vehicles are better from each other ....in this scenario
    My BMW was chewed by ...and it is a that cost in Europe 97 000 Euros....and they are Recognized Company like Toyota
     
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