A mechanic warns that you should never let your dog under your car seat. The reason why may surprise you. Toyota service technician Ben Gaul (@suffer_overcome_recove) says it’s dangerous to let your dog roam freely throughout the vehicle. Doing so can lead to a costly repair or even be deadly. Why Is It Dangerous For Dogs To Go Underneath The Seat? Gaul says that a customer had an issue involving their seat belt. The dinger and beeper kept going off after buckling. Gaul ran a diagnostic and checked underneath the seat. That’s when he found the issue. "These are the four wires that live underneath the passenger seat. Now, that doesn’t seem like much until you realize that it was chewed by what I am going to say a 'rodent,'" Gaul shares. He reports it took an hour to locate the wires, which were clearly destroyed. "After looking through a bunch of different places, I went, huh, they got small dog treats in here. Again, there is a rodent," he reveals. (He’s actually referring to a dog, not a rodent.) After a deep sigh, Ben says, "Guys, if you have small dogs and they seem like they are spending a lot of time down on the floorboard: There are wires under there." There are indeed many exposed wires beneath both seats, with the driver’s seat having significantly more. "Little dogs, big dogs can get their noses down there. Keep them from under the seat," he advises. Then, Gaul explains why the wires are enticing to dogs. The coating is formulated with soybean oil to enhance biodegradability. Therein lies the allure. Now, it’s fine for dogs to consume a small amount of soybeans. The danger is that chewing through the wires can lead to Sparky turning into an actual sparky—as in, get electrocuted. "Animals can smell soybeans, and they think it’s food. If it’s a high voltage one, guess what. You got a crispy critter," he warns. Is There A Safe Way To Drive With A Dog? To protect your wires, Gaul recommends keeping animals off the floorboard entirely and using a pet hammock in the back seat. You can also buy seatbelts for dogs that click into the buckle and hook to your dog’s collar or harness. Wires aren’t the only dangers to dogs in cars, however. According to Progressive, airbags are a serious risk for dogs in the front seat. In the event of an accident, even a minor one, the airbags’ force can seriously injure or even kill a dog. Additionally, it advised keeping the windows rolled up while driving. Dogs typically love putting their heads out the window, but this can lead to serious damage to their eyes and ears. Debris, dirt, or rocks can hit a dog's eye and turn a car ride—which many dogs love—into a vet visit. Also, driving at fast speeds can generate enough pressure in the dog's ears to cause swelling and even long-term damage. So what’s the safest way to travel with man’s best friend? Putting your dog in a crate is the safest option, the ASPCA reports. The crate should be large enough for the dog to lie, sit, and stand comfortably. It’s also crucial to secure the crate from sliding around when driving. How Much Does It Cost To Repair Under-Seat Wires? Other mechanics who commented on Gaul’s TikTok agreed that it can be dangerous and expensive to let dogs wander around the car. "I’ve replaced so many BSM modules I have tape on my floor specifically for finding the center line for recalibration. Also idk if [Toyota] still uses the soy based wires anymore," one person wrote. "Knew when you said rodent and it was a Toyota it was a little rat dog," another added. "The most annoying part about the BSM is that you have to manually aim them, but then they will auto adjust from there," a third commented. "Leave pets at home. Why insurance on 4 wires? Does Toyota not have harness pin for repair vs harness replacement. I work agri equipment; this is very frequent issue," cautioned yet another. "These pins are way cheaper than replacing an entire right hand body harness," Gaul replied. The cost of replacing these wires can be high. Parts alone for a new wiring harness can range from $50 to $250. Labor costs range from $1,000 to $1,300. Motor1 has contacted Gaul via Instagram and TikTok direct message. We’ll update this if he responds. We want your opinion! What would you like to see on Motor1.com? Take our 3 minute survey. - The Motor1.com Team