My 2023 Ford Maverick Has Been In The Dealership Shop for 5 Months, and They Cannot Fix It. Now Ford Corporate is Telling Me to Try to Sell It As-Is and Accept My Losses

A recent discussion on the Reddit r/Ford forum raises an interesting question of who to blame when essentially an "Act of God" happens to a 2023 Ford Maverick that should be a simple fix but turns out is not.

During the past 5 months, the Ford Maverick owner states that he has taken the following actions:

1. Created a case with Ford Corporate in October 2024.
2. Was able to secure a loaner vehicle from the dealership (I'm grateful and they've loaned me 8 new trucks since this all started).
3. I've searched for the wiring harness online, Part Number PZ6Z14A318BAA. I've placed orders on 3 different websites but they always cancel the orders since they cannot find the part.
4. Last week, Ford Corporate & the dealership let me know they cannot build the wiring harnesses because they cannot source the materials to even build them. Ford corporate recommended I try selling my truck where I would likely incur a financial loss.

Leaving the Maverick owner turning to advice for help from other Ford owners.

The Source of the Problem?

If you scour the internet, you would be led to believe that the problem's most fundamental source is that Ford and many other automakers use soy-based wiring in their vehicles.

The reason for this is that soy-derived oil works well as an eco-friendly renewable resource when used as insulation material in electrical wires, such as wiring harnesses, used in automobiles.

As a result, rodents are attracted to soy-based wiring and cause thousands of dollars of preventable damage that Ford and other automakers should be held responsible for.

But is this soy-based-electrical-wire-rodent-feeding-frenzy true? Or is it one of those anecdotal myths that "sounds right" and, therefore, must be true?

According to a convincing article titled "Car Talk Helps Bust the Myth That Soy Is Why Rodents Are Eating Your Car's Wires" there is no credible evidence that rodents find soy-based electrical wire especially edible.

In fact, in a more recent article, we learned that Toyota Tacoma owners were warned that in some situations, rodents were known to have a special liking for the rubber boots on the transaxle, CV boots, and suspension system, which are not soy-based.

Furthermore, rodents have a history of chewing the wires under the hoods of cars long before the invention of "eco-friendly renewable resources" was part of our vocabulary. If you have ever lifted the hood of an old barn-find, you will know this is true.

The Real Source of The Problem: Where to Shift the Blame?

The frustration of the Ford Maverick owner is understandable, and I can sympathize. Waiting for five months only to learn that his truck is, for all intents and purposes, totaled when what should be a simple fix is not a simple fix would be draining on anyone.

As such, you can feel the wide-ranging frustration in the comments in the thread, which point the blame on the dealership, Ford Motor Co, insurance companies, and the laws that should protect car owners in these kinds of situations, etc.

And I get it.

Why can't someone at Ford "find" a replacement wiring harness so that the fix can be done and make the Maverick owner a satisfied customer?

Because they do not have to.

Wires chewed by rodents are not a warranty issue. It is an owner-insurance coverage issue.

If we accept that the myth, or at best, anecdotal evidence, that rodents are more attracted to soy-based wire than traditional automotive electrical wire is untrue, then Ford is not reasonably responsible.

Unfortunately, we do not live in a reasonable world. As a litigious society, we are used to finding someone to pin the blame on from some manipulation (some would call it "interpretation") of the law to get what they or their client wants.

In fact, according to a Commonwealth of Massachusetts "Mass Consumer Affairs" blog, we see that they are telling their constituents, "It's important for consumers to know that, as unusual as it sounds, defects related to soy-based wiring are NOT excluded from Lemon Law protections," using a vague "the dealer has to disclose any material fact that would affect a consumer's decision to buy the car" logic supported by a linked page of Motor Vehicle Regulations that is questionably helpful or even accurate when it comes to something that is not proven to be true.

In that same vein, I suspect that Ford Motor Company has lawyers who have already advised them that the safest course of action on the soy-based wire complaints is inaction. In other words, accepting any responsibility or action to ameliorate the Maverick owner's problem invites future legal headaches.

For example, what is to prevent thousands of Ford truck owners from coating their wiring harness with peanut butter, leaving it in a barn, and allowing nature to do the rest so that they can file a soy-based wire lawsuit?!

The Best Recourse for the Ford Maverick Owner

Much to his credit, the thread clearly shows that the OP is not playing a blame game—only that many of the comments are.

While he questions why Ford cannot take an existing harness off the assembly line to replace his damaged one, which on its surface sounds like a reasonable request and a solution to the problem, some posts point out that, in reality, automotive manufacturing does not operate that way.

For the OP or anyone else who faces this same problem after exhausting all polite communications with the dealership and the manufacturer, the best recourse is to let their insurance provider do their job for situations like these.

After all, it really is an owner-insurance coverage issue.

Here is a useful article about how to protect your vehicle from rodent damage titled, "Spot Mouse and Rodent Trouble Under Your Hood Before It's a Disaster."

We Want to Hear From You: Have you ever had rodent damage to your car? Are you convinced by the article that soy-based wiring is not a problem? Please tell us what you think in the comments section below.

Timothy Boyer is an automotive reporter based in Cincinnati who currently researches and works on restoring older vehicles with engine modifications for improved performance. He also reports on modern cars (including EVs) with a focus on DIY mechanics, buying and using tools, and other related topical automotive repair news. Follow Tim on Twitter at @TimBoyerWrites as well as on Facebook and his automotive blog "Zen and the Art of DIY Car Repair" for useful daily news and topics related to new and used cars and trucks.

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