NHTSA Investigation EQ09007

FALLING BUS WINDOWS

THE PURPOSE OF THIS INVESTIGATION WAS TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE TIP-IN STYLE TRANSOM WINDOWS SUPPLIED TO DAIMLER BUSES FOR USE ON BUSES IT MANUFACTURED, AND CONCERNING WHICH THAT COMPANY MADE A DEFECT DETERMINATION, WERE SUPPLIED TO ANY OTHER VEHICLE MANUFACTURERS OR AS REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT AND, IF SO, TO PROMPT ADDITIONAL SAFETY RECALLS IF AND WHERE NEEDED.RMD ISSUED A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION TO THE WINDOWS' MANUFACTURER, HEHR INTERNATIONAL, INC. (HEHR) ON SEPTEMBER 2, 2009, INQUIRING ABOUT ITS DISTRIBUTION OF THE WINDOWS AND SOLICITING ITS OPINION AS TO WHETHER A SAFETY DEFECT EXISTED IN THOSE WINDOWS.HEHR RESPONDED ON OCTOBER 28, 2009, THAT IT HAD NOT SUPPLIED THE WINDOWS TO ANYONE OTHER THAN DAIMLER BUSES.IT ALSO OPINED THAT THE WINDOWS DID NOT CONTAIN A SAFETY DEFECT AND THAT ANY SCREW LOOSENING, AND CONSEQUENTIAL WINDOW COLLAPSE, WOULD BE DUE TO A FAILURE TO PROPERLY RETIGHTEN A SCREW AFTER MAINTENANCE, AS OPPOSED TO A DEFECT INHERENT TO THE DESIGN OR MANUFACTURE OF THE SCREWS OR WINDOWS.IN SUPPORT OF ITS OPINION, IT PROVIDED A SUMMARY OF HISTORICAL FIELD DATA AND ITS FIELD INSPECTION INVESTIGATION, NEITHER OF WHICH DEMONSTRATED ABERRANT PERFORMANCE.IT ALSO PROVIDED A SUMMARY OF TESTING CONDUCTED BY AN INDEPENDENT TESTING FACILITY DEMONSTRATING THAT THE SCREWS WOULD NOT LOOSEN AS MANUFACTURED. IN VIEW OF HEHR'S RESPONSE AND THE INFORMATION PROVIDED THEREIN, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.

An investigation is a separate record from a recall and from a manufacturer communication. A manufacturer campaign to repair a safety defect or a failure to meet a federal safety standard.