Fuel hose spider infestations have set off a mass Mazda recall of 65,000 cars. Mazda announced one of the strangest recalls in automobile history, this month. According to a spokesperson for the National Traffic Safety and Highway, the recall is over the presence of Yellow Sac spider that may weave its web in the evaporator canister vent line in the affected cars. The webs and the spiders subsequently can lead to blocking critical fuel lines that will eventually cause fuel tanks to leak.
The bizarre recall affects 52,000 Mazda6’s in the US, and 13,000 in Puerto Rico, Canada and Mexico. These Mazda’s were believed to have been built in 2009 and 2010.
Though Mazda has found over 20 cases of the spider infestations so far, the employees of the Japanese automaker are clueless as to why the tiny arachnids chose only their Mazda6 brand. Mazda6′s are manufactured in Flat Rock, Michigan and the recall affects four-cylinder models.
The spiders have been weaving small sacs in rubber hoses attached to the cars’ fuel tank system, blocking ventilation and causing pressure that could lead to cracks, gas leaks and in the worst-case scenario a fire. The company reports there have been no serious incidents related to this bizarre infestations.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration:
- The recalling of thousands of 2009 and 2010 Mazda6’s is due to the Yellow Sac Spider which lives predominately in the US
- This type of spider hates cold weather and the US went through one of the coldest winters on record this year
- The spiders seeking warm shelter make their way into the vehicles’ fuel cylinders and start weaving webs
- The web can make its way into the evaporator canister vent line and may cause a restriction and damage to the line
- The pressure could cause thousands of tanks to crack, spilling fuel and increasing fire hazard
- It could also cause vapor emissions which would be harmful to the vehicles’ occupants
It was unclear why the eight-legged pests were partial to the Mazda 6, the only model affected so far, over other models, brands or other automakers. This particular spider is about the size of a dime and weaves a small sac instead of a large web.
According to a Mazda spokesperson, they really do not know how the Yellow Sac Spiders are getting in. It is even speculated that the spiders are attracted to the smell of gasoline, but Arachnid experts disagree. Gasoline would kill them if they come in contact with it, and if they were attracted to it, the scientists would have known it long back.
In all its likelihood, they like to spend their time in little tight spaces which is more likely related to how the fuel system in the Mazda6 is constructed.
According to the automaker, it will notify owners of the affected cars, this month. Dealers will inspect and clean out the fuel lines if necessary, though Mazda is apprehensive of ever solving the mystery of the fuel line-dwelling spiders.