Man’s Car Refuses To Start. Then The Mechanic Opens The Hood: ‘Turns Out It Was Occupied’

Dealing with car issues is never ideal, especially when the car doesn’t start up at all. When this happens, it may require a mechanic's opinion, as an issue like this can be just above the everyday driver’s pay grade. 

Alisa Devivo (@alisadevivo) shares that her husband's Jeep refused to start, and the mechanic found something shocking under the hood. She reveals what was underneath the hood in a TikTok that has generated over 1 million views as of this writing.

The TikTok begins with the man’s Jeep being towed from their driveway, with the on-screen text "My husband thought his car was broken..." 

The Jeep’s dashboard displays warnings for service, stability, electronics, and control issues. Once the Jeep reaches the mechanic, the hood pops open, and the issue is clearly visible. 

“Mechanic said you’re not gonna believe this,” Devivo captioned the post. 

“Turns out, it was occupied,” the onscreen text reads. 

On top of the engine lies a full nest. With multiple leaves and brushing, a mother squirrel decided to use the Jeep as a home base to nurture her babies. The mechanic clears off the leaves to discover the squirrel and its babies directly on top of the engine. 

While this certainly wasn’t expected by the couple or the mechanic, it was quite the sight. What remains unknown is the potential damage caused by choosing the Jeep's engine as a place of residence. 

So, No One Decided To Pop Open The Hood?

Viewers were confused as to why the husband didn’t open the hood before calling the tow truck. 

“He didn’t open the hood to check it out,” one TikTok commenter questioned. 

“So he never opened the hood to check the car out? Just assumed and got it towed…weird,” another commented. 

While other viewers understood the move to immediately call a tow truck due to a lack of knowledge.

“People judging because he didn’t open the hood. Well, I wouldn’t have either because I don’t know a darn thing about cars,” one shared. 

“Not everyone is educated in car knowledge. Any light on my dash, car not turning over … that’s a mechanics problem. yes i can look under the hood but what is that going to do because im not a mechanic, i dont know what im looking at,” another added. 

While other viewers couldn’t resist the cuteness of the baby squirrels. 

“Awe baby squirrels,” one commented. 

“There’s a mama squirrel out there losing her mind right now,” another added. 

“The car was just pregnant,” one joked. 

Why Do Squirrels Shelter In Vehicles?

Now, seeing a squirrel family inside the hood of your engine may be cute and unexpected, but it’s not uncommon. Squirrels will find residence inside vehicles as a place to nest and can leave traces of corn everywhere. 

Mother squirrels will select car engines as a place to nest, as they’re dark, safe, and quiet, the Toronto Wildlife Centre reports. Considering squirrels can give birth twice a year, finding a safe den to nurture the babies is essential for their health. 

Getting the squirrels away from the engine can be simple. The Canadian Wildlife Federation says it’s best to leave the hood open to allow the squirrels to escape naturally. The light and sound exposure make the engine a less appealing place to reside, and the squirrel will move on from the engine. 

Additionally, cat litter, peppermint, or curry powder can be placed around the vehicle to lure the squirrels away from the engine. Squirrels will become fearful of the other animals' scents and reportedly don’t love the smell of curry and peppermint. 

Having any rodents inside your vehicle can lead to costly maintenance repairs. 

Progressive reports that squirrels are known for loving to chew and snack on car wires. Squirrels will seek shelter in engines and snack on the engine wires because it’s warm and cozy, especially during the wintertime. Squirrels are constantly growing teeth, so the wiring can provide a nice aid to teething. Getting a taste deterrent, such as a bitter apple spray, and putting it on the wires can prevent squirrels from chewing them. 

Motor1 has contacted Devivo via Instagram and TikTok direct messages. This post will be updated if she responds.