NHTSA Investigation PE06049

WHEELCHAIR LIFT MICRO-SWITCH DISABLED

THIS INVESTIGATION WAS OPENED AFTER ODI WAS CONTACTED BY A SCHOOL BUS FLEET ALLEGING THAT THEY HAD DISCOVERED NUMEROUS BUSES WITH ?ZIP-TIES? SECURING THE WHEELCHAIR DOOR MICRO-SWITCH IN THE CLOSED POSITION. THIS WOULD DEFEAT THE SAFETY INTERLOCK SYSTEM THAT PREVENTS THE BUS FROM BEING MOVED UNLESS THE WHEELCHAIR LIFT IS IN THE FULLY STOWED POSITION.ODI IS AWARE OF ONE ALLEGED CRASH RELATED TO THIS ISSUE. FREIGHTLINER STARTED USING THE PLASTIC ZIP-TIES ON THE 2006 MODEL CLASS A BUSES.THE ZIP-TIES WERE INSTALLED TO ENABLE THE BUS TO BE MOVED DOWN THE VEHICLE ASSEMBLY LINE WHILE THE LIFT WAS STILL IN THE DOWN POSITION.USE OF THE ZIP-TIES IS UNIQUE TO THE SUBJECT BUSES.FREIGHTLINER WILL CONDUCT A RECALL TO INSPECT ALL AFFECTED BUSES FOR ZIP-TIES THAT WERE NOT REMOVED BEFORE DELIVERY OF THE BUSES.ANY ZIP-TIES LOCATED DURING THE INSPECTION WILL BE REMOVED.THE RECALL ACTION TAKEN BY FREIGHTLINER RESOLVES THE ISSUES RAISED BY THIS INVESTIGATION.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.