New Post: Seattle Winter Car Tip: Animals Don’t Belong In the Engine Compartment - Animals are going to be seeking warm shelter now that winter is here. A recently-driven car provides a warm engine and overhead protection. This becomes a cozy abode for much of Seattle’s wildlife. Animals don’t belong in the engine compartment. If you park your vehicle outside, you must keep them out. Critters taking up residence in your car can cause serious damage.
Animals Found in the Engine Compartment
Rats, opossums, and raccoons are the culprits which commonly seek shelter under a car hood. The Pacific Northwest, however, has such a diverse wildlife population that motorists have reported discovering rabbits, owls, groundhogs, pythons, and even an entire bird’s nest with young hatchlings.
How to Keep Animals Away from Car Engine
Wildlife can damage the car components by chewing the electrical wires or belts and hoses. Follow these steps to ensure your car doesn’t become an overnight hotel for furry, feathered, or slithery creatures.
1. Keep trash bins away from the car. Animals will scavenge waste bins for food. If there happens to be a car nearby, then they just might take up lodging following a hearty dumpster feast.
2. Keep the hood open for several minutes after driving. This will cool the engine down faster and make it less inviting.
3. Place mothballs in a small baggy and suspend it under the hood of a car. Mothballs dispense a chemical odor that deters most a
