A mechanic trying to find a fault with a customer's car was stunned to open the bonnet - to find a hungry rabbit staring back at him. Matthew Rolfe had been asked to investigate after an engine light came on in a Ford S-Max bought into his garage.
After finding frayed wiring and suspecting a steering sensor fault, the mechanic was shocked to discover the culprit was as a natural one - with two big ears. It is thought the famished animal had crawled into the engine bay to nibble at the wire insulation, which is made from vegetable fibres.
Matthew, a workshop technician at Avanti Autos garage in Ipswich, Suffolk, said: “I have to say, it was a bit of a shock to see a pair of eyes peeping out from behind the engine! I grabbed a pair of sturdy gloves and managed to pull the full-size adult rabbit from inside the engine.
"We occasionally hear of animals turning up inside cars, but this is a first for us. The rabbit, which naturally we named Peter, thankfully let me pick him up. We tucked him into a warm box before transporting him back to his natural habitat near Washbrook.”
The car's owner Mr Davey had been driving from Ipswich to his home in Holbrook, Suffolk, earlier this year when an engine light he didn't recognise came on his dashboard. After hearing what the real fault was, he was absolutely baffled by the technician's discovery.
Mr Davey said: "I couldn’t believe it! The light wasn’t a warning light I’d seen before so I knew I had to take it straight into my garage in Ipswich.
"The rabbit looked huge when Matthew pulled him out. How he managed to cling on all that distance is beyond me."
The drive from Holbrook is a seven-mile journey taking roughly 18 minutes. Mr Davey said he was glad the fault was a live rabbit having almost chewed through some wiring, rather than the suspected 'steering torque sensor failure' which would have set him back four figures.
Mr Davey added: "It’s quite a remarkable adventure, one worthy of a Beatrix Potter story. Next time a light comes on, I’ll double check for Flopsy, Mopsy and Cotton-tail!”
A spokesperson for the garage had an explanation for why Peter would have been in the car engine.
In a statement, they said: "The wiring insulation on vehicle wiring looms has always been petroleum-based, but nowadays wiring insulation is soy-based on some vehicles. This has the advantage of being more environmentally friendly, but due to its natural make-up, it can attract animals to the smell and taste of the insulation."
They recommended specialised sprays to deter animals and rodents from tucking into vehicle wiring.
