Toyota recalls almost a million cars because SPIDER WEBS could trigger air bags to inflate and cause drivers to lose control
- - Toyota has recalled 885,000 Camrys, Venzas and Avalons in the U.S. that were built from
2012 onwards - - The spider webs can cause a blockage in a drainage tube that comes from the cars' air
conditioning condenser - - Toyota said it is aware of three cases of airbags suddenly inflating and 35 cases of warning
lights showing as a result of the problem
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Toyota has recalled 885,000 cars for the unlikely reason that spider webs can cause airbags to inflate accidentally (illustrated)
Toyota has recalled 885,000 cars for the unlikely reason that spider webs could cause airbags to accidentally inflate and cause drivers to lose control at the wheel.
The auto manufacturer has recalled Camrys - the best-selling car in the U.S. - as well as Venzas and Avalons that were built from 2012 onwards.
The reason the company gave was that the arachnid's sticky webs could cause a blockage, which could in turn activate the driver-side airbags as well as cut the cars' power steering - potentially resulting in a nasty accident.
The problem lies with the air conditioning condenser unit housing - an area of the car that can get warm and is dark and damp - ideal spider habitat.
Toyota explained the spider webs can cause a blockage in a drainage tube that comes from the cars' air conditioning condenser.
While the result is not immediately dramatic, the blockage causes water to drip down into the airbag control module, which short circuits and can lead to a worrying warning light to display on the dashboard, or more seriously, cause the airbag to inflate suddenly.
The company warned that there is even a risk of complete loss of power steering and 'loss of steering assist results in increased steering effort'.
Toyota is in the process of notifying owners of the affected vehicles and said its dealers simply need to apply sealant and install a cover to the air conditioning condenser unit housing seam located above the airbag control module, to fix the problem.
The problem lies with the air conditioning condenser unit housing in threes models of car - an area of the vehicles that can get warm
and is dark and damp - ideal spider habitat. It is not known if a certain species of spider is to blame
One of the models which needs repair is the Camry, which is the best selling car in the United States, having already sold 318,990 cars so far this year.
Of the massive number which need fixing, 847,000 are in North America with the remainder in Europe, Asia and the Middle East.
According to Toyota, there have been no crashes due to the error as yet.
A Toyota spokesman told CNN Money the company is aware of three cases of airbags suddenly inflating and 35 cases of warning lights showing.
The company said that in the cases it has investigated, the cause has been spiderwebs, but they cannot confirm that every instance has been created by the troublesome arachnids.
This is not the first time that spiders have been blamed for car recalls.
Problematic: The auto manufacturer has recalled Camrys, Venzas (pictured) and Avalons, as well as their hybrid counterparts, in the U.S. that were built from 2012 onwards
In 2011, Mazda recalled 52,000 Mazda 6 sedans because spiders built webs inside a vent for the petrol tank, which could have led to vent blockages and even fires.
According to Gwen Pearson's blog for Wired, the culprit in the Mazda recall was the tiny yellow sac spider, which is commonly found in gardens.
The creatures spin tubular webs in which they hide during the daytime and as their silk creations are quite dense and water repellent, they can clog an opening in a vent fairly easily.
Popular: The Toyota Camry, above, is America's most popular car. Almost 319,000 have been sold in the US this year but its is one of Toyota's models that have now been recalled
Toyota has already issued two major recalls in recent months, asking for the return of around around 2.2 million vehicles.
In September, the company called back around 780,000 Lexus and Rav4 models.
That was a second recall of the same models after an initial call back in 2012 did not fix problems with the cars suspension systems.
Last month, it also recalled 615,000 Sienna minivans in the US after a problem with the gear box was discovered.
Analysts said the recalls could have an impact on its reputation with the customers.
A statement on the car maker's American site, said: 'Owners of the involved vehicles will be notified by first class mail to return their vehicles to a Toyota dealer for the repair.'
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