Something is stealing the copper wire from my 135.

F10 TTV8 · 01-27-2010, 01:21 PM

I took the 135 to the local dealership to have them check out a Service Engine Soon light and a Oil Level Inactive light and this is what they found.

What ever it was used the copper to build a nest or got cash for it at the scrap yard. I sure don't need this to happen every time I park my car outside.
Anybody have advice to keep this from happening again?

My135 · 01-27-2010, 01:47 PM

It looks like some sharp road debris hit and striped the wiring. Was this the root cause of the warning lights?

NihonX · 01-27-2010, 04:07 PM

Sorry to hear about the wires. It looks like it was eaten by maybe a rat?

I was wondering if someone would happen to have any photos of the same location as the eaten wires, but like photos of "before"?

I think I may have crossed wires or something.. I keep getting SES and lambda probe errors.

infinitekidM2C · 01-27-2010, 04:44 PM

Slam it and leave a sandwich under ur car..if its a hobo he cant get underneath..if its a rat he'll eat the sandwich

former · 01-27-2010, 09:58 PM

This happened to a guy at work. Something kept chomping on his wires. He put down rat poison around the wheels to his car. Whatever was eating his wires stopped after a few days when it/they died. YMMV.

escobar929 · 01-27-2010, 10:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by infinitekid2002

Slam it and leave a sandwich under ur car..if its a hobo he cant get underneath..if its a rat he'll eat the sandwich

lol, thats funny

sorry bout the car OP, what did the dealership say? are they fixing it? do you have to pay?

m_thompson · 01-28-2010, 07:42 AM

I had a mouse or chipmunk eat the wires on top of the gas tank that go to the fuel level sensor and fuel pump. I repaired the wires and left moth balls on top of the tank.

jeremyc74 · 01-28-2010, 12:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by My135

It looks like some sharp road debris hit and striped the wiring.

That would be my guess as well.

That much copper wire isn't worth stealing. I've seen animals chew through wires before and it doesn't look like that. The way those are cut it looks like it was done all at once.

richsnuc · 01-28-2010, 02:40 PM

Looks just like the injector wiring to my wife's car...gnawed on by a squirrel! Looks a lot more expensive to fix, though! I don't suppose your dealer is going to cover under warranty, somehow?

Lionel Hutz · 01-28-2010, 05:49 PM

Those pictures are with an undercarraige tray taken off, right? I can't believe any engineer would leave those harnesses uncovered on the bottom of a car.

F10 TTV8 · 01-28-2010, 06:29 PM

Something definitely chewed the wires. There is a under panel that covers the wires that was not damage by any debris.
Here is a close up were you can see the wires were chewed.

Just brought the car home. $970 parts and labor to fix it.
They did go ahead and put in a new dash with out my request. No more airbag outline.

InlineSix · 01-29-2010, 08:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by My135

It looks like some sharp road debris hit and striped the wiring. Was this the root cause of the warning lights?

I don't think so, road debry would have left scratch on the surrounding areas. most likely a rat. Something similiar happend to my 2001 Z3.

SlickShift · 01-29-2010, 09:23 AM

carve · 11-09-2010, 10:56 AM

Damn! $970!?

I found this thread because the oil sensor on my 335i was also reading "INACTIVE". Sure enough, something chewed through the wires, in exactly the same spot. I think with the undertray, it's a convenient place for them to run around, and then they just run right into those low hanging wires. He just got the wires to the oil sensor though- not the rest. Otherwise it looks just like your pics. He only made off with a few inches of wire, too, so I'm going to solder them back together tonight, and probably do something to armor the cables (like heavy foil, or stainless steel screen). I may see if I can tape a pack of decon to the undertray, too.

It looks like you didn't have much wire hanging out of your connectors left to solder anything to...but still...$970!? Did they follow the cable run all the way back to the CPU and replace the whole harness? Man- that'd be a nightmare.

Dackelone · 11-09-2010, 05:01 PM

This happens alot in Germany. Most Germans park their cars outside and critters get up in there and love to eat the wire insulation. Its the scent of the rubber I am told. The little critters are called: "marauders" (Sp?).

Some people will hang toilet bowl cleaners under the hood/engine area. Some will buy these high tech boxes that emit a ultra high freq screech that scares the annimals away.

Ocne you know you have a problem with these critters - you should put something under your car so they don't get up there again. A lot of people will build a large frame like thing... and put chicken wire all over this "frame" Its something that the annimals don't like to walk on top of this chicken wire thing that keeps them away. Or... find a garage.

01-27-2010, 01:21 PM	#1
F10 TTV8 Private 16 Rep 50 Posts Drives: 1 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Z iTrader: (0)	Something is stealing the copper wire from my 135. I took the 135 to the local dealership to have them check out a Service Engine Soon light and a Oil Level Inactive light and this is what they found. What ever it was used the copper to build a nest or got cash for it at the scrap yard. I sure don't need this to happen every time I park my car outside. Anybody have advice to keep this from happening again?
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01-27-2010, 01:47 PM	#2
My135 Lieutenant Colonel 87 Rep 1,609 Posts Drives: Join Date: Mar 2008 iTrader: (0)	It looks like some sharp road debris hit and striped the wiring. Was this the root cause of the warning lights? __________________ 7/08 135 Coupe, Crimson Red, 6 SP, Sport, Taupe Lette/Aluminum. Performance Mods: JB4 on Map 5, BMS DP Fix V3, Injen polished intake, AR Catless DP, Maddad resonated mid-pipes, aFe exhaust polished tips, ST Suspension Coil Over and Hotchkis front sway bar. Others: BMS OCC, BT Scanner, Mud Flap. Next Mods: AA Front Strut Brace.
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01-27-2010, 04:07 PM	#3
NihonX Captain 63 Rep 899 Posts Drives: 2011 VO 1M Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Antioch iTrader: (8)	Sorry to hear about the wires. It looks like it was eaten by maybe a rat? I was wondering if someone would happen to have any photos of the same location as the eaten wires, but like photos of "before"? I think I may have crossed wires or something.. I keep getting SES and lambda probe errors.
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01-27-2010, 04:44 PM	#4
infinitekidM2C Major General 4285 Rep 5,729 Posts Drives: 2019 M2 Competition Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Orange County, CA iTrader: (4) Garage List 2019 M2 COMPETITION [9.75] 2008 135i (my old car) [7.56]	Slam it and leave a sandwich under ur car..if its a hobo he cant get underneath..if its a rat he'll eat the sandwich
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01-27-2010, 09:58 PM	#5
former Practical Idealist 9 Rep 408 Posts Drives: 2009 135i Coupe Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Greater Los Angeles Area iTrader: (0)	This happened to a guy at work. Something kept chomping on his wires. He put down rat poison around the wheels to his car. Whatever was eating his wires stopped after a few days when it/they died. YMMV. __________________ -f 2009 135 6MT Montego Blue Coupe, Sport, Prem, Cold, Nav, CA, iPod, Smartphone \| Euro Delivery on 10/25/2008
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01-28-2010, 07:42 AM	#7
m_thompson Major 137 Rep 1,423 Posts Drives: M-Sport 128i, 328xi, 3.0CS Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: New England, USA iTrader: (0) Garage List 2009 128i [0.00] 1972 3.0CS [10.00]	I had a mouse or chipmunk eat the wires on top of the gas tank that go to the fuel level sensor and fuel pump. I repaired the wires and left moth balls on top of the tank. __________________ '09 128i - Black Sapphire Metallic\Coral Red\Glacier Silver\N51 DISA\6MT\Navigation\Premium\M-Sport\Heated seats\Xenon\Headlights\iPod\Smartphone\Euro Delivery
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01-28-2010, 02:40 PM	#9
richsnuc Retired USN LT 22 Rep 194 Posts Drives: 2024 X5M60i Avus Blue/Coffee Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: NC iTrader: (0)	Looks just like the injector wiring to my wife's car...gnawed on by a squirrel! Looks a lot more expensive to fix, though! I don't suppose your dealer is going to cover under warranty, somehow?
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01-28-2010, 05:49 PM	#10
Lionel Hutz Lieutenant 231 Rep 509 Posts Drives: '24 X5 50e Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: SoCal iTrader: (0)	Those pictures are with an undercarraige tray taken off, right? I can't believe any engineer would leave those harnesses uncovered on the bottom of a car.
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01-28-2010, 06:29 PM	#11
F10 TTV8 Private 16 Rep 50 Posts Drives: 1 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Z iTrader: (0)	Something definitely chewed the wires. There is a under panel that covers the wires that was not damage by any debris. Here is a close up were you can see the wires were chewed. Just brought the car home. $970 parts and labor to fix it. They did go ahead and put in a new dash with out my request. No more airbag outline.
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01-29-2010, 09:23 AM	#13
SlickShift Lieutenant Colonel 326 Rep 1,805 Posts Drives: '11 BMW E90 M3 ZCP, '21 X5 ZMP Join Date: May 2007 Location: Atlanta iTrader: (7)	__________________ -Nick 2018 BMW 440i - M Sport, Exec Glacier Silver Metallic/Coral Red Dakota Retired: '00 323i, '06 325Ci, '09 135i, '06 Z4M Roadster, '93 525i, '76 2002, '14 X1, '14 M235i, '16 X4, '16 435i
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11-09-2010, 10:56 AM	#14
carve Major 188 Rep 1,105 Posts Drives: 335i Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: usa iTrader: (0)	Damn! $970!? I found this thread because the oil sensor on my 335i was also reading "INACTIVE". Sure enough, something chewed through the wires, in exactly the same spot. I think with the undertray, it's a convenient place for them to run around, and then they just run right into those low hanging wires. He just got the wires to the oil sensor though- not the rest. Otherwise it looks just like your pics. He only made off with a few inches of wire, too, so I'm going to solder them back together tonight, and probably do something to armor the cables (like heavy foil, or stainless steel screen). I may see if I can tape a pack of decon to the undertray, too. It looks like you didn't have much wire hanging out of your connectors left to solder anything to...but still...$970!? Did they follow the cable run all the way back to the CPU and replace the whole harness? Man- that'd be a nightmare.
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11-09-2010, 05:01 PM	#15
Dackelone European Editor 10759 Rep 22,992 Posts Drives: N54 e82 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Bayern, Germany iTrader: (1)	This happens alot in Germany. Most Germans park their cars outside and critters get up in there and love to eat the wire insulation. Its the scent of the rubber I am told. The little critters are called: "marauders" (Sp?). Some people will hang toilet bowl cleaners under the hood/engine area. Some will buy these high tech boxes that emit a ultra high freq screech that scares the annimals away. Ocne you know you have a problem with these critters - you should put something under your car so they don't get up there again. A lot of people will build a large frame like thing... and put chicken wire all over this "frame" Its something that the annimals don't like to walk on top of this chicken wire thing that keeps them away. Or... find a garage.
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