Item #: SCP-941
Object Class: Euclid
Special Containment Procedures: Due to the ease with which SCP-941 spreads, it is currently uncontained. As such, current containment efforts are focused in three areas: Suppression of information regarding SCP-941, identification of the cause of the phenomenon, and research into methods of preventing or inhibiting the spread of SCP-941. Details may be found in Documents 941-1a through 1c.
Foundation-owned vehicles are to be, whenever possible, diesel-fueled or electrically powered.
Description: SCP-941 is a phenomenon of unknown origin affecting vehicles powered at least in part by an internal combustion engine. Affected vehicles suffer a variety of malfunctions, an overwhelming majority of which will have no discernable cause. These typically manifest over a period of three to five days, then fade over a further two to five days. Once a case of SCP-941 has faded completely, the vehicle will display no further anomalous malfunctions unless it is reexposed to SCP-941 by another vehicle (see below).
While different subjects often manifest different issues, most (██%) experience at least two from the following list:
- Elevated engine temperature (often accompanied by malfunction of temperature sensors to indicate a lower temperature than is actually present)
- Intermittent malfunctions in ventilation systems
- Partial or total blockages in filters and/or fuel line
- Fluid leaks
- Fluctuations in engine responsiveness
- [DATA EXPUNGED]
- Stiffening or softening of the suspension system of one or more wheels
- Loosening and/or slipping of belts
- Increased fuel consumption
- Electrical and computer malfunctions
- Excessive or inadequate fluid pressures
More severe malfunctions have been noted on occasion, including: Brake failure, wheel detachment, steering failure, spontaneous airbag deployment, [DATA EXPUNGED] explosion. These occur very rarely, in less than █% of cases. If a vehicle has existing damage, defect, or other trouble in a particular part or system, that part or system will be involved in at least one of the issues caused by SCP-941.
Vehicles affected by SCP-941 are able to spread the phenomenon to other suitable vehicles. SCP-941 spreads to new subjects when air containing exhaust from an affected vehicle enters one or more cylinders of the new subject's engine, with probability of infection depending upon the concentration of affected exhaust (see Document 941-█ for details). Once the exhaust has been diluted by at least [REDACTED], it is no longer capable of spreading SCP-941. No other anomalous or distinctive traits have been identified in exhaust produced by SCP-941 affected vehicles. In addition, vehicles that have recently been affected by SCP-941 seem to gain a temporary resistance to reaquisition, though this resistance decreases by approximately █% per day (see Document 941-██).
SCP-941 currently appears unable to affect vehicles without a four-stroke gasoline-fueled internal combustion engine. It should be noted that gasoline-electric hybrids, due to their more extensive electrical and computer systems, are subject to significantly more severe and dangerous malfunctions than non-hybrid vehicles.