NHTSA Complaint #10252877 — 2007 TOYOTA 4RUNNER

MICE HAVE INFILTRATED THE HEADLINER AREA OF 2007 TOYOTA 4 RUNNER. THEY BUILT A NEST AND CHEWED THE WIRING INSULATION FOR THE SUNROOF SWITCH WHICH CAUSED A SHORT THAT MELTED THE WIRES AND CAUSED THE SUNROOF TO MALFUNCTION. DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE SWITCH AND REPAIRED THE WIRES FOR $360 SINCE THIS WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. AFTER EXPLORING THE INTERNET OTHER PEOPLE ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEMS ON HONDA AND SEVERAL OTHER MODELS. SOME OF THE CONVERSATIONS REFERRED TO THE WIRING INSULATION BEING MADE OUT OF SOY BASED MATERIAL. IS THERE ANY IDEA WHY/HOW ARE THEY PAST THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND INTO THE HEADLINERS AND CABINS? COULD THERE BE A DESIGN FLAW? FROM READING THE POSTS A STRONG POSSIBILITY EXISTS FOR ACCIDENTS TO BE CAUSED BECAUSE MICE ARE RUNNING ACROSS PEOPLE'S FEET, ETC. WHILE THEY ARE DRIVING. HEALTH CONCERNS HAVE ALSO BEEN RAISED DUE TO ODORS AND FECES BY THE MICE, SOME OF THESE INFILTRATION SOUND PRETTY BAD ALL OF WHICH CANNOT BE ATTRIBUTED SOLELY TO THE OWNERS. THERE'S NOT MUCH THAT CAN BE DONE TO KEEP THEM OUT OR SO IT SEEMS. *TR