Japanese auto maker, Mazda, announced this past year that it discovered a safety hazard in the air filtration system of certain Mazda6 sedans with a model year of 2010 or 2011. Oddly enough, the cause of the defect is an external intruder who likes to invade that particular model with only those particular model years. So who or what is the cause of the recall? SPIDERS!!!
We don’t mean to startle you but it is not a joke. 20 reported cases of spider infestation have been reported and, as a result, around 52,000 Mazda6 sedans from either the 2010 or 2011 model year are being recalled.
A very common arachnoid, known as the yellow sac spider, is inhabiting the ventilation system of these sedans and making webs in the evaporation canister ventilation line, which filters in air from a charcoal canister that cleans the fumes from the fuel tank. The spider’s web can hinder the line’s ability to filter air into the tank causing negative air pressure, which can crack the tank. A crack can lead to a leak and a leak is likely to start a fire.
Another question I am sure you are asking is “are these creepy crawlies venomous?” The answer is yes. But “are they deadly?” The venom itself is not going to kill the average human, but the venom contains a cytotoxin, which destroys cells. This can cause a blister or a lesion at the site of the spider bite and, if not cared for properly, can lead to serious infection.
Mazda had no explanation as to why the yellow sac spider finds a filter tube deep within the engine’s ventilation system so appealing to these eight-legged invaders or why they only go for 2010 and 2011 Mazda6 sedans and not those from a different model year or a different vehicle model all together. To fix the issue, Mazda dealers are inspecting and cleaning the filtration tube and installing a spring to keep spiders from getting back in there and weaving more webs, further hindering air flow.