Mazda recall for spider infestations

Mazda is recalling 52,000 Mazda6 cars because they attract cobwebs:

The recall of 2009 and 2010 Mazda6s is due to "a certain type of spider" that "may weave a web in the evaporative canister vent line and this may cause a restriction in the line," the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says on its website. Another 13,000 of the cars sold in Puerto Rico, Canada and Mexico are also being recalled.

Spider infestation leads to recall of 65,000 Mazdas (via Super Punch)

(Image: Spider catches car. What next?, a Creative Commons Attribution (2.0) image from srboisvert's photostream)

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Z4rd0z

I, for one, welcome our new car-infesting-arachnid overlords.
Jack

I am betting there is something in the composition of the resin or sealant that is making that vent attractive to spiders.
Anonymous

What species of spider (or spiders) are the reports talking about? It drives me nuts (no pun intended) when reports talk about “a certain type of spider.”
VagabondAstronomer

Holy shit! Look at the size of that thing!
urbanspaceman

Talk about a bug in the system!
maidhc

My father had the same problem with his gas barbecue. Apparently this type of spider is attracted by the propane or something. If you don’t do enough grilling, they’ll colonize the burners and gum them up.

I haven’t heard of this happening to other cars, so presumably it has something to do with the particular design.
Anonymous

As an ASE master tech, this is pretty common problem. Spiders in general are attracted to hydrocarbon vapors. No one can really explain why – but this is why you’ll find spiders in BBQ grill ventwork if you leave your gas on or have a small leak in the tank valves.

When at school for Ford our instructor always warned us about “spider butt” in the evaporation emissions system solenoids, tubing, and valves. When the vent is clogged it will cause a check engine light to come on. He said that down south spiders were such a problem causing check engine lights that Ford started to add “filters” to the vents to keep them out. Sure enough such filters are still on most vehicle solenoids today.
Anonymous

I keep thinking “planned obsolescence”.
Blaine

Take the number of vehicles in the field, A, multiply by the probable rate of failure, B, multiply by the average out-of-court settlement, C. A times B times C equals X. If X is less than the cost of a recall, we don’t do one.
- RustyTrawler
  
  Correct! Which is the reason why punitive damages (and the implied threat thereof) are societally important, even when they might seem excessive on their face.
- teddanson
  
  You’re right, but you forgot to factor in any PR damage from carrying out the recall – less quantifiable, but still tangible.
irksome

In a related story, Ford has decided to discontinue it’s Curds and Whey option, for similar reasons.
vmaldia

This is an oddly specific “bug”, hehehehe

I’m sure that spider has a limited geographic range, or does the part in question attract many species of spiders?

Is there something attracting the spiders or is the spider just picking it at random and theat part happens to be a secluded spot?
gwailo_joe

I knew it I KNEW IT!! They’re coming! Drums in the Deep! YOU’RE NEXT!!! AAAAIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEE!!!
Anonymous

My brother-in-law’s car had this problem, but his was a 2006. Never could figure out what the problem was.
Donald Petersen

All four cars in my driveway should be recalled for this very same reason.

Or maybe I should just do more squishin’ and less long-term outdoor parking.