My weekend getaway turned into a lesson on why you should never ignore weird engine noises

I drove up to the mountains for a quiet weekend. My car had been making a clicking sound for days, but I figured it was fine. At a gas station, a local mechanic peeked under the hood and found a family of chipmunks stashing acorns in my air filter. Can you believe that? Now I check for critters every time I hear something odd.

2 comments

2 Comments

james_barnes4d ago

Seriously? Chipmunks in the air filter sounds more like a weird nuisance than a real breakdown. That might just make your car smell funny or run a little rough for a bit. I've heard way worse noises that turned out to be nothing, like a loose heat shield rattling.

troygreen4d ago

People forget those little guys bring in nesting stuff that can dry out and catch fire near the engine. It's not just about the filter getting clogged. A friend had his car almost burn up because of mice nesting in similar spots. Insurance might not cover it if they decide it's lack of maintenance. Really makes you think about checking under the hood more often.