Question about the weirdest repair request I got at my shop in Boise

A customer brought in a vintage radio that had a family of mice living inside, and they asked if I could fix the radio without disturbing the 'tenants'.

4 comments

4 Comments

wren2302mo ago

Wait, did they seriously want you to keep the mice in there? That's a health code nightmare. You can't fix something with live animals inside, it's not safe for anyone. They'd need a wildlife removal person first, then you could see what the mice chewed up.

ross.christopher2mo ago

Exactly, you need to clear the pests first, no question. Rodents chew through wiring insulation and hoses, which is a fire risk. I've had customers bring in cars with nests in the airbox, and you can't even see the damage until it's all cleaned out. A mechanic can't work safely with animals running around, it's a liability thing. Get an exterminator, then we can assess what needs fixing.

aaron8802mo ago

Actually, exterminators usually handle bugs, not wildlife like rodents.

mark_green2h ago

Bring up a good point nobody's mentioned yet - some rodent damage doesn't show up until months later. I've seen cars where mice chewed through the evaporator drain tube, and the water just sits there and rots the carpet from underneath. You don't smell it till the whole interior gets musty. Also they can gnaw on the crankcase ventilation hoses, which makes the engine run rough and triggers a check engine light that's a pain to track down. So even after you clear them out, keep an eye on things for a while.