Toyota Recall of 870K Vehicles Spurred by Spiders
A Toyota recall is unintentionally getting into the Halloween spirit and recalling about 885,000 vehicles worldwide due to spiders.
No, not Spyders --we're talking spiders.
The vehicles involved are model year 2012 and 2013 Camrys, Venzas and Avalons, including hybrid versions of those cars.
Weaving a Web of Recalls
Due to an issue with an air conditioner part, water from the condenser can leak onto the airbag control module, which can cause the airbag to spontaneously inflate and deploy, according to Toyota's statement.
Curiously, spiders have also caused the problem by weaving their webs inside the cars' condensers, reports The Christian Science Monitor.
The web blockage can cause water to drip down onto the airbag control module, causing a short circuit. That, in turn, could cause a loss in power steering, cause the airbag warning light to light up on the dashboard, and even cause the driver's side airbag to deploy.
It's like Lemony Snicket's "Series of Unfortunate Events" on a microcosmic level. Fortunately, the problems are similarly on a small-scale. Thus far, Toyota is only aware of three faulty airbag deployments and 35 cases of warning lights coming on, reports The Monitor.
This actually isn't the first time spiders have sparked a recall. In 2011, Mazda recalled more than 50,000 of its Mazda6 sedans after the company realized that the vent lines for the model's gas tank could be compromised by -- you guessed it -- spider webs.
If Your Car is Caught in the Web
When a recall is initiated, manufacturers must offer affected owners a repair, replacement or refund.
Toyota is opting for the "repair" option. Toyota dealers will apply a sealant and install a new part to cover the air conditioner’s condensing unit, reports The Monitor.
If your car is part of the Toyota recall, spider or sans spider, you will be notified by mail to take your vehicle to a Toyota dealer where the necessary work will be performed at no charge.
Spooky stuff, huh?
Related Resources:
- Toyota Is Recalling More Than 800,000 Cars Because of Spiders (The Atlantic)
- Toyota's $1.1B Recall Settlement Includes No Admission of Fault (FindLaw's Decided)
- Unintended Acceleration: Toyota to Fix 3.8 Million Gas Pedals (FindLaw's Common Law)
- Toyota Recalls 1M Corolla, Lexus Models Over Airbags, Wipers (FindLaw's Common Law)