A 2010 Mazda 6. Image: Mazda
Do you have a fear of spiders, known medically as arachnophobia? Chances are there’s no good reason for it, since very few of the eight legged critters found in the U.S. can do you much harm. Sure, we’ve got the black widow and the brown recluse to worry about, but both pale in comparison to spiders found in Australia. Take the Sydney funnel web, for example, whose fangs can penetrate the leather of a shoe and whose venom is perfectly capable of killing a human (or making him wish he was dead). In the United States, though, there’s no good reason to fear spiders, unless you own a 2009 to 2010 Mazda 6; in that case, a spider really can kill you.
Before you go bug bombing the inside of your car, don’t worry – it’s not that some exotic and deadly species found its way into the U.S. via the Mazda 6’s interior. Instead, and I am not making this up, “a certain type of spider may weave a web in the evaporative canister vent line and this may cause a restriction in the line”. The net result, Mazda tells us, is “excessively negative” fuel tank pressure that could ultimately lead to a crack in the fuel tank, a fuel spill and a resulting fire. Which, in turn, could lead to a rather unpleasant, spider-related death. Which is reason enough, in my book, to kill every one of them I see.
It’s worth noting that no fires, injuries or deaths have been traced back to this bizarre recall of 52,000 Mazda 6 sedans. In fact, Mazda has found just two fuel leaks, so the recall is voluntary and an example of Mazda erring on the side of caution. The fix is to install a spring that “prohibits spider intrusion”, but I’ve got my own way of doing just that. Generally it involves a carefully placed, size 10 wide shoe.
Source: NY Times Wheels
Kurt Ernst has been passionate about automobiles and driving nearly his entire life. His early years were shaped working in the family service station, though his real passion was auto racing. After graduating from the University of Colorado, Kurt spent a year club racing with the Sports Car Club of America, before focusing on a business career in marketing and project management. Later, his passion for writing and the automotive hobby found him freelancing for a variety of automotive news sites, including Automotive Addicts and Motor Authority, where his work was syndicated and appeared in several national publications. Recognized as an expert in the automotive field, Kurt joined Hemmings Motor News as an Associate Editor in 2013, and in the years since has progressed to Editor, Hemmings Daily; Managing Editor for Hemmings Motor News, Hemmings Classic Car, Hemmings Muscle Machines, and the Hemmings Daily; and now, Managing Editor, Hemmings Auctions. Kurt was instrumental in organizing the Hemmings Motor News Concours d’Elegance from 2013-2019, and has served as a judge at this event and The Vintage Racing Stable Concours d’Elegance. A Skip Barber Racing School graduate and prolific writer, Ernst is also skilled in copyediting, project management, brand development, and public relations.
