Weird Car Trouble...

[Like2Plan]

DH drives a 2008 Sienna (has 50K miles on it) .

We took a drive yesterday and the engine started to idle a little fast when waiting for a stop light. A little while later, the check engine, VSC, Trak off warning lights came on and the engine temp gauge went to zero.... We were a little bit surprised (and annoyed--this being relatively new and a Toyota--usually a pretty reliable brand ).

So, we took the vehicle right over to the dealership-did the night drop off (it has an extended warrantee on it).

Apparently, a squirrel decided to make a nest right behind one of the headlights. When they opened the hood, the squirrel jumped out (and startled the technician! ) The squirrel also chewed through the wiring harness--$700+ repair not covered under warrantee. But, apparently is covered under our auto ins.--with zero deductible.

Hopefully, the squirrel will find some nice tree to make a new nest and our vehicle won't be in the shop too long getting fixed.

[Joan.of.the.Arch]

I joke about how our Hyundai always sounded as if its engine were powered by chipmunks in an exercise wheel after about 80,000 miles. But we did not literally have chipmunks under the hood!

[bjl584]

My cousin had a groundhog under his once one. It climbed up in there to get warm.

[Like2Plan]

I joke about how our Hyundai always sounded as if its engine were powered by chipmunks in an exercise wheel after about 80,000 miles. But we did not literally have chipmunks under the hood!

DH was thinking along the same lines when the technician called about "the squirrel under the hood"--it took several minutes for DH to realize he literally meant a squirrel.

[disneysteve]

Never had a squirrel in the car though we did have a squirrel get into the electric transformer outside our house and blew out power to 20 homes. That squirrel didn't get away, though.

[Like2Plan]

My cousin had a groundhog under his once one. It climbed up in there to get warm.

I wonder if the groundhog saw his shadow?

[kork13]

The worst my family's had was maybe 10 years ago, a stray cat got into my father's car and proceeded to give birth to something like 5 or 10 kittens in his back seat. He stopped leaving his windows rolled down at night after that one (hey, what a novel idea!)

[GREENBACK]

I had a cat jump from under the hood my pickup truck one morning this winter. Definitely got my attention and his.

[feh]

I've heard lots of stories similar to this; usually cats.

Thirty years ago when the engine fan was mechanical, metal, and not well protected, the animals often ended up being diced.

[khosta]

That is so funny! Poor squirrel was probably so scared - and I can imagine the technician's surprise as well!!! I had a friend that had a dead bird stuck in the front of his car once... didn't notice until the smell got really bad!!