Help - Rats in my pick-up truck

Hi folks,
just got my pick-up truck back from my mechanic.
Some sneaky rats got into it and ate some wires near the carburetor.
It disabled my truck and I had to get it towed.
It cost me $400 just to repair the damage!
What a waste of money, would have bought a lot of Christmas presents.
Question: Any idea how I can keep the rats from eating the wires on my
pick-up truck?
My mechanic suggested a "Dove" soap bar,. placed under the hood, might keep
them from eating the wires. The rats seem to prefer eating that bar of soap
rather than wires.
Another suggestion was, spraying Mexican Chili powder/mixed with water, all
over the engine compartment. Rats seem not to like that smell.
No offence intended to any Mexican readers :-))
Someone else suggested to place "fabric softener sheets" (used in clothes
dryer) around the engine compartment.
I'm thinking of placing an old fashioned rat trap
somewhere in the engine compartment instead, but there isn't all that much
room for it.
I would appreciate any other suggestion, that might keep those darned rats
off my beloved pick-up truck.
Btw, I do keep the hood up most of the time, that discourages the rats
somewhat, but is not 100% fool proof, as you can see by my repair bill.
I even had an occasional rabbit jump at me, when I opened the hood in the
morning. Has that happened to anyone too out there in the boonies?
Thanks, and have a Merry Christmas, all of you.



.