NHTSA safety investigation
NHTSA Investigation PE00021
Preliminary Evaluation · Blue Bird Body Company · ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
An investigation is not a finding that a defect exists.
NHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
What NHTSA is examining
The agency's own description of the inquiry, quoted as published
ELECTRICAL WIRE CHAFING
ON MAY 23, 2000, ODI WAS CONTACTED BY A SCHOOL BUS FLEET MANAGER WHO ALLEGED ONE OF THEIR BUSES HAD BEEN INVOLVED IN A MINOR ELECTRICAL FIRE AT THE DRIVER'S ACCESSORY CONTROL PANEL.WHILE UNLOADING CHILDREN, THE DRIVER NOTICED A LARGE VOLUME OF SMOKING POURING FROM BEHINE THE PANEL.EVENTUALLY THE SMOKE ABATED AND THE BUS WAS TOWED TO THE FLEET'S MAINTENANCE FACILITY WHERE THEY FOUND THE HEATER CONTROL CABLE HAD ABRADED ONE OF THE BODY SOLENOID WIRES AND A PORTION OF THE HEATER CONTROL CABLE SHEATH, IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO THE WIRE/CABLE CONTACT POINT, HAD BEEN MELTED AWAY.SUBSEQUENTLY, THEY INSPECTED ANOTHER SUBJECT BUS AND FOUND CABLE/WIRE CONTACT NEAR THE SOLENOID AS WELL.
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.
Investigation details
Identifiers, dates and outcome as recorded by NHTSA
- Action number
- PE00021
- Investigation type
- Preliminary Evaluation (PE)
- Status
- Closed
- Manufacturer
- Blue Bird Body Company
- Component
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- Opened
- May 2, 2000
- Closed
- Aug 2, 2000
- Associated recall campaign
- None recorded
Vehicles named in this investigation
1 model year across 1 model
Being named here means NHTSA included the vehicle in the scope of its inquiry. It is not a statement that these vehicles have a defect.