They’re Putting Soy in Your Wires, Man

Megalith

Megalith

24-bit/48kHz
Staff member
Joined
Aug 20, 2006
Messages
13,000
Car manufacturers did not think things through when they decided to use wires insulated with soy-based bioplastics. A number of them have been getting sued, as rodents are treating the wires as food and chewing through them, causing big bucks in damage that is not covered under warranty.

Sure enough, a Google search for “soy wires” will get you plenty of hits about people who are experiencing a very strange problem. During the night, animals are getting up into the engine compartments of their cars and eating the insulation off the wiring harness. It isn’t just one or two cases either, it’s enough of a problem that some car manufacturers are getting hit with class-action lawsuits.
 
Last edited:
Happened to me a few years ago. Thankfully it wasn't that hard to repair the damage myself.
 
ymer said:
Damn, they forgot to put a bittering agent in them.
Click to expand...
It's ok, Honda makes an aftermarket capsaicin tape to wrap them in... that you can apply, and then be stuck having to wrap every wire that isn't covered...

But yeah, this is one of those things where... "No, I do not want these wires that are exposed to the elements to have their insulation start biodegrading, or random vermin treating my engine compartment as a lunch buffet".
 
I had a rodent chew through the rear stability/abs harness on my ATS last year, when I was camping. Made for an interesting ride home.

The soy wire sheathing was the exact issue the service manager described.
 
You know, once something is tossed in a landfill, you don't want it to decompose. A landfill is not being reclaimed naturally withing the lifespan of our species. The biggest problem is them being maintained and their clay linings cracking and fluids and gasses escaping carrying toxic material in them. Having something decompose creates heat and fluid and gaseous waste. It also contributes to material shifting and settling which doesn't help the structural integrity thing either.
 
(Customer)" what's that awful small"
(Dealer) " cat piss, keeps tge mice away"

....maybe they'll start using recycles condoms, hair, diapers and q-tips next
 
I thought Rodents were chewing up wires long before this. FWIW, roaches will eat up electronics (not sure if they actually eat them or just shit on them till they quit working). 30+ years ago I worked in a country club that had a fuck ton of roaches and they had to replace the dishwasher's boards because of the roaches. Yes it was pretty gross and eventually they had to close, tent the building and fumigate it. I assume that worked at least for a while, but I haven't been there in decades.
 
Rodents have been chewing through wires since they were invented. They do so to make room for nests and because their teeth always grow and they need to chew hard things to keep them worn down. I've had plenty of wires chewed by mice, rats and opossums a couple times in my old 96 diesel pickup (I doubt soy wire had even been heard of then) and once in my "newer" 2000 f250. In the walls of my 35 year old house and in my shop where they stripped out the wiring in a c1980 radial arm saw. Maybe soy wire is more susceptible but I'd need to see actual studies before I was convinced. I've known plenty of people who've had this happen to their homes (they seem to especially like doorbell wiring).
BTW my mechanic said that stuffing some "Bounce" fabric softener sheets in the engine compartment seemed to deter this kind of thing. I found not always parking in the same spot did the trick though.
 
Sure chewing through them from ever but WHY MAKE IT NUTRITIOUS AND TASTY.

I just don't get it.

Lets just use old bazooka Joe gum for cat5 insulation.
 
I had a marmot make home in my engine compartment and chew threw some wiring and leave a big pile of poo.
 
nilepez said:
I thought Rodents were chewing up wires long before this. FWIW, roaches will eat up electronics (not sure if they actually eat them or just shit on them till they quit working). 30+ years ago I worked in a country club that had a fuck ton of roaches and they had to replace the dishwasher's boards because of the roaches. Yes it was pretty gross and eventually they had to close, tent the building and fumigate it. I assume that worked at least for a while, but I haven't been there in decades.
Click to expand...
They don't eat them, just shit on them till they quit working.
 
I had some mice / rats (never saw the bastards) chew through a bunch of wiring in my car once. Cost me a pretty penny to fix... trying to find the pics but not having luck.
 
Use some mint oils to ward off rodents (y) Soy is weak against heat and time, for cars with a lot of electronics, it would be much better to have vinyl coated wires/electronics. Cars are very recyclable too so why not make them last more than 10 years without rotting plastics and other parts?
 
Glad i dont own one of these newer cars with soy wire lol...thats really fucked up!
 
WOW! Didn't even know this was a thing. It was only just last week when my wife was cracking up because someone at her told was telling everyone how some vanilla is made from beaver extracts(true-look it up). I had proceeded to tell her of a few other things that expanded her fear of unknown ingredients in food. I admit I didn't know about this and cars/tech are usually my thing.
 
Nanogrip said:
Use some mint oils to ward off rodents (y) Soy is weak against heat and time, for cars with a lot of electronics, it would be much better to have vinyl coated wires/electronics. Cars are very recyclable too so why not make them last more than 10 years without rotting plastics and other parts?
Click to expand...
Because it makes people feel better about themselves to say that they've got a 3,500 pound heap of biodegradable junk that will be off the road in 10 years or less.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top