NHTSA Investigation PE04026

TURBOCHARGER FAILURE RESULTS IN FIRE

THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATIONLEARNED OF 19 TRANSIT BUS FIRE ALLEGATIONS WHERE THEENGINE TURBOCHARGER WAS SUSPECTED AS BEING THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE. THIS INVESTIGATION WAS OPENED TO OBTAIN SPECIFIC INFORMATION ON THE FIRE ALLEGATIONS AND GATHER TECHNICAL INFORMATION ON THE ENGINE/TURBOCHARGER COMBINATIONS USED ON THESE VEHICLES, AND TO UNDERSTAND THE INFLUENCE OF THE TURBOCHARGER AS A CATALYST FOR THE FIRES.DURING THE INVESTIGATION ODI EXMAMINED SEVERAL BUSES INVOLVED IN FIRES AND HAD A TECHNICAL MEETING WITH DETROIT OFFICIALS.AS A RESULT OF ODI'S INVESTIGATION, DETROIT HAS AGREED TO INITIATE TWO SEPARATE SAFETY RECALLS, EACH HAVING A DIFFERENT REMEDY, TO ADDRESS THE THERMAL EVENT CONCERNS.A COPY OF EACH RECALL IS ATTACHED. SEPARATE SAFETY RECALLS ARE BEING CONDUCTED ON THE TWO SERIES ENGINES, AS THE CAUSES AND SOLUTIONS ARE DIFFERENT FOR THE TWO APPLICATIONS.COPIES OF EACH RECALL ACTION ARE ATTACHED. ACCORDINGLY, 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.