Member-only story
Two New Vans, Over £3,000 in Rodent Damage. Now I’m Taking This Personally.
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There are certain things you don’t expect from a brand-new van with just 1,300 miles on the clock. One of them is a dashboard warning saying “Check Anti-Pollution System”.
Another is discovering that something has been eating it.
My van is called Mouse. In hindsight, naming a vehicle after a rodent may have sent entirely the wrong message to the local wildlife.
Mouse is a 2025 Renault Trafic. When the warning appeared, I was concerned, obviously, but there was the reassuring thought that at least it was a new vehicle. Whatever had gone wrong would hopefully be covered by the 3 year warranty.
Unfortunately, the warranty does not extend to teeth.
The garage found chewed wiring. A sensor and its wiring needed replacing, and the bill came to £1,086.
Rodent damage. Squirrels being the prime suspects.
I don’t have footage of the incident. Nobody has come forward. But this is now the fourth attack across two vans, and I am beginning to feel that someone ought to be interviewed.
