gM Plant Based Wire Insulation
 

gM uses plant-based wire insulation that is known for attracting rodents looking for a quick meal.

As of now this is NOT confirmed- but is quite entertaining none the less and reminds me of the "good ole GM"::biggthumpup:

Rumor has it that gM bought or is renting out several properties around the Fort Wayne, Indiana area to store newly produced Chevy and GMC trucks that could not be shipped due to the chip shortage. Apparently gM uses jump computers they can throw in these trucks to get them onto rail cars or transports so they can be stored at various locations, all outside, around the Fort Wayne area.

Insiders at the local truck plant now say they were told that as many as 30,000 of those trucks (that were being stored outside since the chip shortages hit) could have to be scrapped because of "severe rodent damage".

Rumor mill also says that whatever arrangement gM has with insurance or the government to cover these damages doesn't allow them to salvage any parts off of an affected vehicle - the entire vehicle must be scrapped, as-is:stupid:


https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a2...hink-is-tasty/

That's crazy. The only experience I had is mice eating my air filter, supposedly there is soy in the in them...I guess I have vegetarian air filter!

In the early 90s the Green Party in Germany put pressure on BMW to use plant based vinyl in the door panels. They all shrunk in just a few years. Horrible idea.

Plant based wire insulation, even if the rodents DON'T get to it, is a bad idea. Biodegradable is fine for something destined for short use, but pretty stupid for something that will be unsafe once it degrades.

Wow, what a waste!

Seen it in my shop a couple times now. Usually a trip to the local parts yard to fish another harness out of a wreck is required.

Another shop owner told me they'd done a Ford Explorer three times for the same issue. He told the customer to park it in a different place. That finally ended it.

When the Local Chevrolet dealer in town got their first "VOLT", the rep from GM said do not sell it and let the staff drive it and experience this "NEW" technology. So the next day,(2) techs decide to take it to lunch. They get in but it will not start or move. Opening the hood revealed all the high tension lead were chewed by rodents from the Cook County forest preserve across the street from the dealership.

GM was called and they stated it was an environmental issue and it would NOT be covered under warranty and they should call their insurance company. $5500.00 later they found out GM used peanut oil as a release agent in making the leads. Yummy!

Bill

Honda use similar soy base adhesive on it wiring, & Yes Rodents chewed up my transmission wiring down low, Figured they only needed to get on the hind legs for a snack. NOT WARRENTIED, repaired at owners cost, Look at the Honda OEM part numbered tapes with Capsasin (sp) in the adhesive as a repair item, WHY not use that at OEM manufacture?

Heard the same thing about using a plant (soy, peanut) based injection mold release spray that makes the plastic parts tasty to rodents. They went to this as the traditional silicone based spray could contaminate the cars during the paint process somehow. The silicone would get on workers gloves and then it would migrate to the car or parts bodies prior to paint.

Almost all manufactures use the plant based wire covering. The GM truck plant in Fort Wayne, IN was/is storing trucks across town in the old Casad Depot government storage facality. At one time they stored most of the US Governments supply of mercury. It was decommissioned in 1981. I did attend a couple of car show/ swap meets there in the mid 80's.

I'm not sure if it was a rat, squirrel or rabbit, but something ate through a wiring harness on my wife's car. That's when I first heard of plant based wire covering. Interestingly, it's the only living thing I know that likes anything plant based. It would probably like kale too.