elon Musk and his TESLAS have a major rat problem. they use SOY on their electrical wires and rats are eating the wires

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Elon Musk may have a rat problem.

Fans of the South African billionaire’s electric cars say rats, mice and rodents are chomping down on their Teslas. And despite having dropped tens of thousands of dollars to buy the pricey vehicles, Tesla refuses to cover the damage

Sarah Williams, a 41-year-old physician who lives in Manhattan and uses her Tesla to commute to work in the Bronx, told the Post of an alarming incident when she took her 2018 Model 3 into Tesla’s Paramus, NJ, dealership in mid-May after her air conditioner had stopped working.

“They opened the glove compartment and a rodent fell out,” she said. “It’s crazy.” 

The pest apparently found its way into Williams’ Tesla and gobbled through several internal wires that were insulated with soy rather than oil, which critics claim makes them more appealing to rodents.

When Williams — who paid $59,200 for her car — complained, the company refused to help. The repair has taken more than a month, and estimated costs have soared over $5,000, she said.

Despite repeated promises that the pricey vehicle will be ready soon, Williams was unable to pick up her Tesla at the time of this publication — almost two months later.

“Most auto manufacturers use the soybean vs. oil in their wire insulation for newer vehicles because it is less expensive and better for the environment,” Tesla Service Advisor Jose Solis wrote in an e-mail to Williams that she shared with The Post. “The use of this material would not be considered a ‘defect’ in design or use… Considering there are too many factors outside of Tesla’s control we cannot cover this under a warranty or repair.” 

Solis is right that it’s not just Telsa.

Automakers have been getting slammed for years with complaints of their allegedly rat-friendly soy-based wiring. And like Tesla, they have all refused to cover the damage, claiming that rats chewing on car innards is the result of nature and therefore not their problem.

“It is a long-established fact that rodents are drawn to chew on electrical wiring in homes, cars or anywhere else they may choose to nest,” Honda told the Chicago Sun-Times in June about an Illinois man’s efforts to bring a class-action case against it.

Tesla so far only appears to be unique in having escaped legal action tied to its use of soy materials. But that could change as complaints about rats in Teslas appear to rise along with the popularity of the brand, now valued at $632 billion.


The Post did not immediately receive a reply to a request for comment from Tesla, which is owned by Elon Musk, who went by the nickname “Muskrat” as a child, according to a 2009 New Yorker profile.