Mazda’s “Itsy-Bitsy Problem” Leads to Recall

Friday, 04 March 2011 | by Pat's Picks

As the LA Times brilliantly puts it, Mazda “has an itsy-bitsy problem, and it’s recalling 65,000 cars to fix it.” The Japanese automaker says 20 cases of yellow sac spiders infesting the tiny plastic tubes leading to the motor of their Mazda6 have been reported. Oddly, the problem has only affected models with V4 engines, not those that have a V6. The worry is that once in there, the spiders will weave a web which will restrict air flow, lead to a crack in the gas tank and possibly a fire. Mazda, and everyone else, is unsure why the spiders, which usually lay their eggs in vegetation, have chosen to switch residences—or didn’t choose a Porsche Spyder instead.