Emission Fail by Spider

This 2006 Honda Element Van came for diagnostic of emission failures. Previously this customer went to Honda Dealer, and they could not find any fault. So we are the second shop to challenge this problem.

As usual, we stated to analyze basics. We inspected visually for all related components, wiring conditions and connectors fitting and its conditions. Everything appears normal. There was the trouble code of P2422, which explains "EVAP shut valve close malfunction". We looked in our Mitchell1 Automotive Service Database for any related service bulletin. And we located this article.

"The most commonly reported blockage-oddly enough-is a yellow sac spider's nest in the hose, the fitting, or both, that connects the canister vent to atmosphere." .

We use our bore-scope to look inside of the vent hose, there it was a spider's nest. Unbelievable. It is the place that gasoline vapor may escape, is spider attracted to gasoline fume? It was an interesting fix. I posted this article to share with our readers.

When I was talking with Takeshi, he experienced a similar incident. This was air conditions drainage problem. Customer complained that water comes into the passenger floor. The examination of drain pipe at firewall appears clean and no clogging. When he was under the dash to inspecting the heater box area, he saw a spider. He used the compressed air to blow out that area, then suddenly gash of water runs down from drainage pipe. The spider must have nested inside the vent pipe, like above case. So condensation water could not drain throu proper route, so it overflow into passenger floor.