GEN 4 Seat Belt fraying

Micheal wrote: Humble Pie!
It's a mouse problem. First time had a chance to take a good look under the bonnet and the critturs have stripped a fair bit of wiring insulation, inside they've also had a go at an area behind the passenger front seat.
Can't see any obvious hole they're getting inside from though.
I reckon a new wiring loom is going to be needed as well as other 'consumables', this is going to be an expensive repair so will need to look at insurance claim.
The wiring insulation does look very thin compared to stuff I'm used to like on a landrover. I saw that Toyota were sued in USA over this issue when they switched from petroleum based plastic insulation to soy. Rodents turned out to view the soy based insulation as a free snack. I wonder if Suzuki use the same material.
Question is how to stop this happening again.....

Check all the body drain plugs, one of mine got left out after a dealer/service visit.

Thanks, already contacted insurers who were a bit nonplussed but seemed to accept the claim. Problem is they insist on sending the car to one of their 'approved' repairers and said if I wanted to send it to the Suzuki dealer who supplied it, that would be an extra £200 excess thank you. It's not clear to me what this will do to the Jimny warranty.
I did check the drain holes George C, thanks, all are in place. I think they must be getting in through one or other of the holes from the engine bay into the dash area.

That’s amazing mice have done so much damage. I hope it’s covered on the insurance, a new wiring loom isn’t going to be cheap or labour to replace.

Mice have deformable bodies, basically if you can push a pencil through yes that is 5mm) a small mouse can squeeze through, but they usually only do this for food or shelter. Was the Jimny in a garage when it wasn’t been used?

I'm afraid it's parked outside in the deep country next to the house and the wife uses it only 2-3 times a week so the critturs have time to get busy, essentially undisturbed..
I think you are right about the small spaces they can get through.
I do wonder if Suzuki are using soya based plastics though.... very green but enticing for mice!

You've prompted me to set fresh mouse traps.

If my jimny suffered a mouse attack, I would be horrified.

Micheal wrote: Thanks, already contacted insurers who were a bit nonplussed but seemed to accept the claim. Problem is they insist on sending the car to one of their 'approved' repairers and said if I wanted to send it to the Suzuki dealer who supplied it, that would be an extra £200 excess thank you. It's not clear to me what this will do to the Jimny warranty.

I believe that's illegal. They are obliged to allow you to "freely" use a repairer of your choice. See here:-
www.motorclaimguru.co.uk/consumer-rights-for-a-motor-claim

Also, have you tried Suzuki's own claim management system? They pushed it very hard through direct emails, I wonder if it's worth involving them?

GeorgeC wrote:

Micheal wrote: Humble Pie!
It's a mouse problem. First time had a chance to take a good look under the bonnet and the critturs have stripped a fair bit of wiring insulation, inside they've also had a go at an area behind the passenger front seat.
Can't see any obvious hole they're getting inside from though.
I reckon a new wiring loom is going to be needed as well as other 'consumables', this is going to be an expensive repair so will need to look at insurance claim.
The wiring insulation does look very thin compared to stuff I'm used to like on a landrover. I saw that Toyota were sued in USA over this issue when they switched from petroleum based plastic insulation to soy. Rodents turned out to view the soy based insulation as a free snack. I wonder if Suzuki use the same material.
Question is how to stop this happening again.....

Check all the body drain plugs, one of mine got left out after a dealer/service visit.

Quite possibly they are getting in through the vent flaps. They are behind the back bumper.

Car picked up to take to Suzuki Dealer today. We wait with bated breath for the £ estimate! Incidentally the recovery truck driver mentioned this was the fourth mouse damaged vehicle they had collected today!
He also said that the most common vehicle he has to collect broken down are high-level Range Rovers and that (mice excepted) he never has to collect Japanese or Korean cars. One top spec local Range Rover has had to be picked up by him eighteen times!
Back to mice, he said that he recommended IZAL disinfectant be sprayed on wiring and other susceptible areas (the guy used to be a mechanic apparently). I'm not sure what this is or if it is still available. But some solution needs to be found or the same mouse banquet will happen again.

Rodents, they do like electrical cable.
In my previous life I have repaired a few rodent damaged 415v feed cables, but at these voltages they only do it once.

I believe they also like peanut butter or Kit Kat as the preferred alternate to bait.

l am not sure you'll need a whole new wiring loom. lt's likely it can be repaired by soldering new pieces of wire in and using shrink wrap on the joins.

I used this method on a caravan electrical coupling that had fallen down and rubbed along the road, damaging some wires.

lt depends on how much damage there is, but l would rather repair it if possible than rip out the whole loom.