NHTSA Investigation PE06035

MISSING ELECT. PANEL MOUNTING HARDWARE

THIS INVESTIGATION WAS OPENED BASED ON A FLEET VISIT WHERE THE ODI INVESTIGATOR OBSERVED AN ELECTRICAL PANEL THAT WAS DISLOCATED FROM ITS MOUNTING BRACKETS.FURTHER EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT TWO MOUNTING SCREWS WERE MISSING. THE PANEL CONSISTS OF A SERIES OF ELECTRICAL BREAKERS AND TWO HEAVY GAUGE ELECTRICAL CABLES THAT SUPPLY POWER TO THE PANEL AND OTHER ELECTRICAL CIRCUITS.ODI'S CONCERN WAS THAT IF A FULL SEPARATION OCCURRED, THE PANEL COULD SHORT OUT AND POSSIBLY CAUSE A VEHICLE FIRE IF IT WERE TO COME IN CONTACT WITH THE SURROUNDING METAL ENCLOSURE. AN INSPECTION OF FIVE ADDITIONAL BUSES REVEALED TWO WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AND THIRTEEN WEREDISCLOSED BY THE DEALER AS BEING REPAIRED FOR LOOSE OR MISSING SCREWS. FREIGHTLINER CONTENDS THAT THEY HAVERECEIVED ONLY ONE OTHER COMPLAINT FROM A FLEET OTHER THAN THE ONE IDENTIFIED BY ODI. THERE ARE NO REPORTS OF FIRES, SHORT CIRCUITS ORELECTRICAL FAILURES.FREIGHTLINER WILL ISSUE A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN TO ALL DEALERS AND FLEETS ADDRESSING PROPER SECUREMENT OF THE SUBJECT PANEL.BASED ON FREIGHTLINER?S DATA, AN EWR REVIEW AND FURTHER FIELD REVIEWS INTO THIS ISSUE, A SAFETY RELATED DEFECT TREND HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME AND FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES ARE CURRENTLY UNWARRANTED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT NO SAFTEY-RELATED DEFECT EXISTS.THE AGENCY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO TAKE FURTHER ACTION ON THE VEHICLES IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES. ODI WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR FIELD REPORTS AND TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION IF INDICATED.

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.