NHTSA Complaint #11387409 — 2014 TOYOTA TACOMA

THIS IS THE 2ND TIME MY TOYOTA TACOMA HAS BEEN DAMAGED BY RODENTS: THE 1ST TIME (12/15/2015), THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING ROUGH, THE ENGINE AND TRAC OFF WARNING LIGHTS WERE ON, AND THE DAMAGE WAS ABOUT $3,000. THE 2ND TIME (1/09/2021), THE ABS, AIRBAG, TRACTION CONTROL WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON, AND THE COST OF THE DAMAGE IS NOT YET KNOWN, BUT IT IS LIKELY TO BE MORE EXPENSIVE (5 YEARS LATER). I HAVE HAD 19 PRIOR VEHICLES IN 46 YEARS (8 CHEVROLETS, 2 FORDS, 2 NISSANS, 3 HONDAS, 1 JEEP, 1 PONTIAC, 1 HYUNDAI, AND 1 CHRYSLER), AND I NEVER HAD SUCH SERIOUS RODENT PROBLEMS. RODENT DAMAGE HAS ALSO OCCURRED WITH MY PARENT'S TOYOTAS (WHO HAD MANY OTHER VEHICLE BRANDS IN 70 YEARS), AND OTHER NEIGHBORS AND FRIENDS HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THEIR NEWER MODEL TOYOTAS. HOWEVER, THEY DID NOT HAVE THESE ISSUES EVER WITH OTHER VEHICLE BRANDS IN THE PAST. ALSO, I HAD A NISSAN FRONTIER AT MY CURRENT ADDRESS IN 2012 AND 2013, AND STILL HAVE A NISSAN ALTIMA AT MY CURRENT ADDRESS, AND RODENTS NEVER CHEWED THE WIRES ON THOSE VEHICLES. THE PROBLEM IS THAT TOYOTA PUTS SOY IN THEIR WIRING INSULATION, AND RODENTS FIND IT TASTY. THERE IS A RESURRECTED CLASS ACTION IN CALIFORNIA ABOUT TOYOTA'S TASTY WIRES. I ASKED TOYOTA TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY, BUT TOYOTA MAINTAINS THAT THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THEIR WIRING. HOWEVER, THE WIRING DOES CONTAIN SOY, AND RODENTS MOST CERTAINLY TO LIKE TO CHEW ON IT. SO, THIS IS THE SECOND TIME MY 2014 TOYOTA TACOMA HAS BEEN DAMAGED BY RODENTS, DESPITE ME TAKING THE FOLLOWING STEPS TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN: (1) PLACE BAG OF MOTH BALLS UNDER THE HOOD. (2) INSTALLED 2 SONIC SOUND DETERRENTS UNDER THE HOOD; (3) INSTALLED 1 LIGHT-FLASHING DETERRENT UNDER THE HOOD; (4) SPRAYED THE WHEEL WELLS AND ENGINE WITH PEPPERMINT SPRAY; (5) INSPECT THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT REGULARLY FOR SIGNS OF RODENTS;