Transfer Case Wiring Harness Failure - What Caused this & when?

[Rodeo Survivor]

Turned on the car and up popped a 4x4 fault alert, the goat mode dial started flashing - all 4 lights at once, and I lost my ability to change goat modes. Could not even enter Eco mode which I always switch too. Took the car to the dealer. They inspected and found damage to the transfer case wiring harness. They shared this picture with me and want to charge me a lot to fix it.
Dealer suggested it was done by a stick or a rock... but just don't believe it would look this way. Also - I have not driven off road for well over a month, and dont recall smashing into any big rocks or bushes here on the paved city streets. Not to mention a rock or bush that would get up into the transfer case. Not to mention, I would expect a stick to cut all the wires, not leave 1 intact. Feels like that would be an all or nothing event?
At 1st I thought Rodents, but dealer said he saw no visual evidence of other scratches or droppings. Not a great part of the car for a rodent to hang out either.
Saw 3 historic posts of the drive shaft wearing through this harness... but those are quite old and don't seem to have any new posts? Also although visually the best fit of the 3 options, seems there should be way more of these issues posted if it was really a thing?
Any sleuths out there have a good hypothesis for what happened?
Is this something where the error signal would turn on immediately, or could I have been driving with this for months?
Looking forward to your thoughts.

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[Ducati1098]

100% rodent damage. Those wires are chewed. That's on top of the transfer case. No rock, stick or driveshaft would've hit that harness in that spot.

 

[Redcobra]

Call your insurance company!? Rodent damage for sure

 

[Rodeo Survivor]

All, thanks for the feedback. I had a chance to visit the dealer today and had a chance to see the damage for myself. As ducati1098.4930 said... Its up there and well protected. No sticks or stones or drive shaft. Definitely siding with all the voters. As redcobra suggested - called the insurance company today and filed a claim.
I looks like a big job though... pull the transfer case, remove the drive shafts... ouch. Feels like open heart surgery. Good times for the garage.
Busted out the peppermint oil and will start spraying under the chassis regularly.

 

[Rodeo Survivor]

A little update. Problem is a hard one to solve.
Took a few weeks to get back... as they had to wait on parts and then replace the full wiring harness. I drove it for a few weeks afterwards... and then ... bang.... the 4x4 light started blinking again and lost all ability to shift.
Took it back to the dealership and they are stumped. Been there going on 3 weeks. Apparently working with ford engineering to figure it out?

Anyone got any bright ideas, please let me know.

 

[mcinfantry]

Insurance deemed rodent damage??

 

[Rodeo Survivor]

Yes - insurance deemed rodent damage for the 1st time around - although not sure they actually went to look at it. Hard to imagine any other possibility given how buried it was up above the transfer case.
Second time around its being covered by the dealership under the repair warranty.

 

[redone17]

For a second there I thought your user name was Rodent Survivor.

 

[Rodeo Survivor]

Except I am not surviving. At least the Bronco is not. :-(

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