Martens have a great appetite for your car - at least for parts of it. But the rodents do not want to eat these parts - what happens there and how do you recognize attacks from the animal kingdom?
Berlin (dpa / tmn) - They often come at night, attack parts of your car and leave costly devastation behind. We're talking about martens.
In the course of a turf battle, they can bite into parts in the engine compartment or into the rubber axle sleeves if they smell a conspecific alien.
The animals sometimes use these areas of the car as shelter or hide food there. Young animals can also occupy your engine compartment as a playground and have fun biting there, informs the Auto Club Europa (ACE).
Track down traces
In the morning you cannot always tell whether martens were active before you set off. But there are tips that you should take into account in order not to risk expensive consequential damage. If ignition cables, plastic hoses, hoses for cooling water and windshield wipers as well as sleeves made of rubber and insulating material are affected, this can be expressed by the following indicators: The engine jerks suddenly, has less power available or starts poorly or not at all. In addition, the engine management warning light can light up.
If you notice this, you should stop driving. Otherwise there is a risk of damage to the catalytic converter. The vehicle also loses fluids when the hoses are affected by cooling or washer fluid. There may also be fat loss from bitten axle boots. Warning signals before even getting in can be fur or paw marks as well as the remains of bitten material on or under the car. Then, at the latest, you better take a look in the engine compartment before you turn the ignition key.
What can help
Sheathing for the cables as a retrofit in the workshop can help, but does not protect sleeves or insulation materials. In the meantime, it is possible to order partitions for the engine compartment of some cars ex works or as accessories to prevent martens from getting into the engine compartment. This often works with brush curtains or sheet metal partitions, according to the ACE. An engine wash can help remove the odor of an already active marten so as not to attract adversaries.
There are also protective systems that will distribute brief, non-fatal electric shocks if problems persist. Something like this should only be installed by experts so as not to endanger humans and animals through malfunctions. Only partial and fully comprehensive insurance cover marten damage. It is important to check whether only direct or consequential damage is covered.
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 200810-99-112551 / 4
