Developer Diary #3 | Dang Pack Rats!!!! | Trip Prep, Truck Maintenance | Rat Nest Removal 

Hi Glenn, this is very good information. My car sits out in the hot sun and cold winter here in Colorado. Can't wait till I get to Arizona and have a garage. Anyway, there is a hay field out near the parking lot which if I park in the third row, I have been told there are mice that get into the engine compartment in the cold winters and chew up cables. I always think about it. I park in the first row next to the building but not sure that is safer as there are fields all around this building. Anyway, thanks for this program. You are probably more aware of the problems with camp grounds than most people are and it is a valuable lesson.

Fabric softeners and sweet smells will also attract bears. I always go for a neutralizer.

It makes sense when you live in a dusty area and drive off road to check the air filter every 5K miles. If it's good, save the new filter for next time, and replace for sure every 20K minimum. You already know the air flow can be pretty seriously restricted and the engine still runs fine. And please feel free to get the Yosemite story out of your system. It's a shame when people don't care about their neighbors, especially when everyone is so close together. If you're looking for an alternate date for that trip, I learned last year that the traffic issues had completely disappeared by a week after Labor Day. No crowded parking lots, no traffic jams on the valley roads, lots of time to myself even on the most popular hiking trails. Best wishes on your new endeavor!

Yikes! I probably would have put on a mask instantly after seeing the nest. We do live in a region where Hantavirus exists. I also assume the dealership didn't overlook it because they LOVE to find any excuse to get you to spend more money.

Same thing happened to my neighbor and the animal also chewed through some wires so I recommend looking closely

Bummer that happened Glen. I didn’t get the “Mechanic Gene” but I’m pretty good at doing my own basic vehicle maintenance. I’m also an off-roader, and change my oil every 5-7,000 miles. I replace my engine air filter every oil change, (with a cheap filter) and I replace my cabin filter every year. Twice I’ve had a Kangaroo Rat get into my Jeep, and eat some of my food, so I know how easy that could happen, but luckily I’ve never had one nest in my vehicle. I’m super careful about that now. I try hard to keep all food (like open chip bags) packed away. I should probably check my engine compartment a bit more often. Especially after a camping trip.

I've owned three ZR2s (1998, 2018 and now a 2024 Bison), I live in Phoenix, and they all sit/sat outside. I had a pack rat build a nest in my 1998. It blocked the vents on the back of my alternator and the electronics were cooked (and they built the nest mostly with Cholla, so that was fun to cleanup). A couple of years ago some neighbors were complaining about pack rats so I bought one of those Ultrasonic Rat Deterrent. I've never had a problem at home or after 100s of nights of camping (I might just be lucky, though 😉). For wire damage: look at your wiring harnesses. If the wrap is OK, then you should be OK. With the air filter: I would check it every 10k miles or so. Since you aren't following other people much on dirt roads that should be good enough. I wouldn't buy the cheap air filters. I did that once and you can see the difference between the AC Delco and the cheap ones. Buy Wix or AC Delco. The pack rat isn't getting into your air box through the engine side, but through the air intake in your wheel well. REI has excellent products. I've been a member for 50 years and they are great. If you needed to clean your tent because of odors, I would just hand wash it in the bathtub. With your tonneau cover I would add a tailgate seal. I have a Softopper, and with this tailgate seal I have almost no dust in the bed of my truck. Look on amazon for "ESI Ultimate Tailgate Seal with Taper Seal Compatible with 2015 and Newer Colorado and Canyon"

I also bring extra air filters to change on trail if needed When you go offroad just go by inspection not mileage

We need the full Yosemite story.

Glenn you need to get your engine cleaned periodically. Go to a do it yourself car wash.

My husband took his 4Runner in fir service and there was a possum under the hood. They chased it out with a water hose. Spray ing Rodent Sheriff ( hardware store) under the hood helps some bur you have to do it every 2 to 3 weeksx

I've seen this before. You don't want to park your truck in the garage because it can get in your house. This dude can be traveling from other locations you frequent. You may have picked up the hitchhiker in city.

It's just my .02, but I would invest in a reusable K&N filter. If you're thinking of doing maintenance every 5k miles or so, you can pull it out and wash/vacuum it. Regarding the tonneau cover, have you considered putting on a shell? It would provide more room for storage.

Bruh, i doubt the nest formed after the servicing. Had to have been oversight, I mean they even missed the air filter.

20 bucks is worth the peace of mind to replace that filter every 5 to 10K miles, especially with dirt road driving. Crawl up under and a visual check on wires and lines should be fine.