Hi,
Our brand new skoda kodiaq has had the case of the 'fouine' eating its electrical cables twice now, in less than 3 months. We don't live in the city but surprising that this is happening so often. Has never happened with the 2019 mini and our old 2009 volvo. It seems the fouine has a thing for the soy-made electric cables of newer cars.

Thankfully it's covered by our insurance, but just wondering if anyone else has had any experience, or any solutions to recommend?

Welcome to the Forum. I think the word you're searching for in English is marten. Here are a few threads from people who've encountered the same problem.

https://www.englishforum.ch/other-ge...-your-car.html

https://www.englishforum.ch/transpor...en-rodent.html

Fouine??

I wasn't sure either, but with the context of eating car cables I knew I'd seen something here before about martens. Figured maybe they're related animals, if not the same thing.

In fact I first wondered if fouine was a fuel that you needed to fuel your car or something.

It’s french for Martens, those well known cable eating creatures.

Sorry yes I think it's a marten. Wasn't sure if it was exactly that so called it as it's said in french instead. Only ever heard it referred to as a fouine!

Best to install a sound-device and hope that solves your problem. You now have the smell of the marter in your compartment meaning if you park elsewhere other marters will feel threatened by what they think is an intruder in their territory and they also will "attack" your car. If the sound device does not work, there is a method with high voltage plates.

The Swiss-French federal employee who was fired for posting naughty photos and videos taken in the Bundeshaus.

Tom

We tried that after the first time! It was on while it came for the second time. We also tried to spray... and then found a hedgehog under the bonnet after 5 days! Thanks for the suggestions though.

<<soy-made electric cables of newer cars>> ?

Never heard of it. But apparently coyote urine could help. Should be interesting how this will put the Swiss animals in panic/confusion, not to mention it is probably difficult to get it here.
This marten-eating-cables problem is not new. I'm surprised the car industry has such stupid ideas.

Can't you have your cables replaced by old-fashioned ones? May not solve the problem completely but at least your car will no longer come across like a marten diner. Not to mention that if your car actually attracts rats, the neighbourhood will not be pleased.

__________________
never ever make assumptions

Indeed. I don't think it's the soy that actually attracts them but rather, the heat. Apparently animals go to the cars for heat and then find that conveniently much of the wiring inside is tasty!

I don't think we'll be able to replace the cables. Interesting though that some makes use them and some don't, not sure if there's any cost advantage. Generally it seems to be the premium makes that don't use them, hence the Mini of the same age not suffering from the issue. Worth bearing in mind for others living in the countryside!

Try moth balls, they hate the smell. Just put them underneath the car. You can get them at the drougarie across from Nyon Station. Naphtaline boules.

Those ultrasonic sound devices do nothing but annoy your neighbours, they don't stop the martens from chewing the cables.

They like the smell of the plastic when it is warm, some models are more enticing than others (the TCS guy told me it happens most to Opels, American and Japenese cars).

Best thing to do is buy some plastic to put around the cables, see here.

Sounds good, I'll take a look.

The ultrasound thing is actually barely audible when the bonnet is shut, unless you move really close to the car. It may not annoy the neighbours, but it still doesn't seem to work!

Will try that, thanks

If you have a dog, or know someone who has, when you groom them collect the hair and stick that under the bonnet.
We tried that and seemed to work...

Interesting ideas, thanks all!!

My dog sheds her body weight in hair everyday, I’m happy to share

You obviously are feeding her too much ...

Ok, so here is the thing with Martin, Slammer has had his brand spanking new company car, a Passat eaten three times and each was a garage stay. I spoke with the guys at the Passat repair shop and they tell me that the only way is with a kind of electric fence mounted under the car and a regular engine wash. The Martin laughs at everything else.