Q: Is there something specific in the 2018 Chevy Traverse that attracts squirrels? The car had to go to the dealer twice for repairs. The last time the car was towed because the squirrels chewed the transmission harness. I have two other cars the squirrels do not touch. We had relatives with a 2018 Traverse that stayed a few days at our house. The squirrels started attacking it the next morning.
– A.Q., Plainfield, Ill.
A: Seldom do carmakers announce a recall that doesn't involve a safety issue or an emissions issue. Ravenous rodents don't count. The insulation on many wires is made from soybean-based compounds that squirrels (and mice and other rodents) find appealing. It is not just Chevrolets. Honda had such a problem and even developed a tape made with capsaicin — the active ingredient in chili pepper heat — to protect the wires. Amazon sells a 20-meter (65 feet) roll of Honda tape for $44.63. That should be enough to share with your relatives and then some. The tape even has images of mice with "X's" on them.
Q: While driving through Missouri (on Interstate 44) in late September, the pop-up highway signs said, "Did you check your blinker fluid?" and "One good turn signal deserves another." We need some more catchy phrases to get drivers' attentions.
– S.B., Wadsworth, Ill.
A: There are others. We recently saw "Keep your head out of your apps" and "Santa's coming. Have you been a good driver?" In Illinois, one reportedly says, "The holidays can be stressful, slow down." Many states are getting into the clever highway signs act.
Q: The warning light on my tire pressure indicator lit up at 62,000 miles on my 2012 Hyundai Elantra. Cost to replace one is $130, but they told me two were out. I don't feel I need them and would like to have them disabled. Can I do that?
– P.M., Grayslake, Ill.
