A real-life case from the Camper Zone workshop

The camper's story

The camper was manufactured in 2025, on a Fiat chassis, and is only a year old. The owner had been camping off-grid in the forest for about a month. Afterwards, they noticed signs of a mouse under the engine hood – droppings and paw prints.

When starting the camper, the vehicle began reporting errors related to the lambda sensor, the fuel tank, and the airbag system. The owner discovered chewed-through cables in the engine compartment and managed to fix some of the problems themselves.

Then, another symptom appeared: when running water in the bathroom sink, the water leaked out from under the camper instead of reaching the grey water tank.

The owner had already placed numerous traps in the engine compartment and the living area, but with no result. That was the moment the camper came to us for a more thorough diagnosis.

The hidden nest. The diagnosis began with an inspection camera, automotive diagnostics, a gas analyzer, and checking the heating ducts and accessible technical spaces.

The inspection camera showed something that is practically impossible to detect during a simple visual inspection: under the shower tray, there was a nest made of materials from the camper itself – parts of the insulation, the floor, and veneer, as well as numerous droppings.

How did the mouse get in? During the inspection, we found a technical opening under the bathroom, near the chassis beam, which was not sufficiently protected. For a rodent that can move along the chassis, this is a possible path to the living area.

Important clarification: this is an observation based on this specific camper, not an assessment of the manufacturer's design. With such openings, protection should be installed in a way that limits access to rodents without hindering necessary ventilation, drainage, or system operation. Once in the technical spaces, the rodent can reach various parts of the camper through cable paths, pipe passages, and air ducts.

What damage did we find?

• Chewed-through electrical cables in the engine compartment.
• Chewed-through water supply pipes in multiple locations.
• Damaged part of the grey water drainage system.
• A nest made of insulation and interior materials.
• Signs of gnawing in hidden technical spaces.

In the water system, a damaged pipe can lead to a loss of pressure. One of the practical signs is the water pump switching on when no one is using water. In this specific case, the damaged water supply pipes explained the water the owner saw leaking under the camper.

How did the repair proceed? After the initial diagnosis, we disassembled the critical areas – under the shower space, the wardrobe, under the seating area, the air ducts, and the entire toilet. The goal was to provide access to the hidden installations and determine the real extent of the damage.

• We restored all identified damaged vehicle cables and performed a repeat automotive diagnosis – the reported errors disappeared.
• We performed a complete replacement of the water supply system and a partial replacement of the grey water drainage system.
• We conducted a 24-hour leak test, including monitoring the system under increased pressure.
• We checked the gas system with a gas detector.
• We carried out detailed pest control, full disinfection, and thorough cleaning and detailing of the camper.
• We installed two rodent repellent devices – for the engine and living areas, with an option to switch them off.

Total repair time: 3 days. In parallel with the repair, the client requested that the camper be prepared for the winter season. We also installed heating for the grey water system, gas hoses with safety valves, external outlets for portable solar panels, and numerous small repairs – hinges, mechanisms, showerhead, grouting/resealing the shower tray, and restoring the entrance door mosquito net.

How to protect your camper from rodents? There is no single measure that guarantees protection. The most reasonable approach is a combination of physical access restriction, removal of food and other attractants, and regular inspection.

5 places to check first

• The engine compartment and the space behind the bumper.
• The camper garage.
• Under the seats.
• The cabinets.
• Mattresses – including the space under the mattress frames.

5 signals you should not ignore