NHTSA Complaint #10970010 — 2008 TOYOTA CAMRY SOLARA

MY VEHICLE WAS PARKED AT MY HOME AROUND THE LAST WEEK IN JANUARY AND THE 4TH OF FEBRUARY 2017. WHEN I STARTED MY CAR IT DIDN'T SOUND LIKE IT NORMALLY DOES AND THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I OPENED THE HOOD AND FOUND A SQUIRREL UNDERNEATH AND HAD A LOT OF DEBRIS. I FOUND THE COVERINGS CHEWED OFF THE WIRES SOME WIRES CHEWED INTO AND SOME HOSES CHEWED. THE INJECTOR WIRES WERE CHEWED TO THE #6 INJECTOR CAUSING IT TO RUN VERY SLOW UPHILL. THE INSULATION UNDER THE HOOD, OUTER COVER WAS CHEWED OFF AND PART OF THE INSULATION. I HAVE LIVED HERE MANY YEARS AND NOT HAD THIS PROBLEM WITH OTHER VEHICLES EXCEPT ONE OTHER VEHICLE AT THE SAME TIME THIS HAPPENED. SINCE THEN I CAN'T KEEP THE SQUIRREL OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD OF MY VEHICLE I CHECK IT OFTEN AND THERE IS MORE DEBRIS UNDER THE HOOD SOMETIMES BUT NOT AS MUCH AS BEFORE. HAVE TRIED DIFFERENT THINGS TO KEEP THE RODENTS OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD BUT NOTHING IS WORKING PERMERNANTLY. I DON'T KNOW IF THIS HAS CREATED A SAFETY HAZARD AND AM AFRAID TO DRIVE IT UNTIL I CAN AFFORD TO GET IT CHECKED OUT COMPLETELY. G