Why do they eat wire? Because they have teeth that are constantly growing, and just like a cat needs to scratch to keep it's claws sharp and not too long, squirrels and other rodents do the same thing and have to chew to keep their teeth from getting too long and also to sharpen them.
The reason they don't "get dead" when they chew on the wire is because your ignition is off, and therefore has little to no power coursing through the system.
The "hot wires" that are constantly on for things like your door lights and the like? They don't carry enough current to hurt the animals, just annoy them and teach them to not eat that wire.
As far as the OP? Dude..................how long did you let your vehicle sit out there without using it? If it was there long enough to have them hide nuts and chew wires, you must have let it sit for a while.
