MILWAUKEE — Auto mechanics are discovering daily damage this spring, and they say hungry rodents are to blame. The problem can cost vehicle owners thousands of dollars in repairs, and parking in a garage doesn't necessarily protect your car.
"That's a telltale sign that something's been in here," said Jonathan Klute, service manager at Tech Way Auto in Milwaukee, pointing to seeds found inside a vehicle's air intake system.
Rodents like mice and rats can enter vehicles through air intake systems and use the space to build nests.
"Three weeks ago, we had a customer in for an unrelated issue, but we actually found a dead rat under the hood of his truck," Klute said.
Watch: Milwaukee mechanic reveals how rodents are costing car owners thousands
Klute says there are warning signs vehicle owners should watch for before major damage occurs.
"You'll get a burning smell, and it will almost smell like grass burning," Klute said.
For Milwaukee homeowner Fred Kilp, it wasn't his nose but the family's dog, Nala, who detected the problem!
"She would go immediately to the car and climb up on the hood and sniff it," Kilp said. "Nala was the one that actually called our attention to the fact that there was something amiss under the hood of our car."
The damage became apparent when Kilp tried to drive his vehicle.
"I started the car, and we had no dashboard lights, no radio," Kilp said. "So I drove it over to Tech Way to Jonathan, and they called me later and said, 'Yeah, you've got some critters living in there."
Once rodents make themselves at home under a vehicle's hood, they often begin chewing on wires.
"They want the casings because it makes good insulation for their nests," Klute said.
These repairs can be costly, with Klute noting they can run up to several thousand dollars. Kilp's repair bill was more modest but still significant.
"I'm thinking it was about $600," Kilp said.
Janelle Iaccino from Rose Pest Solutions offered several prevention tips for vehicle owners.
"Mice only need the size of a dime to get through," Iaccino said, adding that rats can squeeze through a gap the size of a quarter.
She recommends replacing weather stripping on garage doors as one easy and inexpensive fix. Another solution is preventing access to what attracts rodents in the first place.
"If you're storing dog food or bird seed in the garage, put it in a big, plastic, well-sealed, airtight container," Iaccino said.
For persistent problems, Iaccino advises against using store-bought poisons and suggests calling professionals instead.
"When you're using poison or rodenticides off the shelf, you often think, 'Oh, I'll just double up the recipe and make them go away quicker,’ but you could be hurting birds of prey, you could be hurting other wildlife, and we have to be more conscious of those things," Iaccino said.
After his experience, Kilp has learned a few important lessons, including this: pay attention to your pets' behavior.
"They know more stuff than we do!" Kilp said with a laugh.
Most auto shops will do a complimentary check for signs of rodent damage or nesting during an oil change.
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