NHTSA Investigation PE08034

SCHOOL BUS STALLING

THIS PE WAS OPENED AFTER ODI BECAME AWARE OF 7 EVENTS ON SCHOOL BUSES WHERE THE FUSE FOR THE ECMOVERHEATED AND BURNED THE FUSE HOLDER AND/OR FUSE HOLDER TERMINALS.ONCE OVERHEATING OF THE FUSE HOLDER OCCURS, THE FUSE BLADES WOULD NO LONGERBE SECURED IN THE PLASTIC HOLDER, THUS INTERRUPTING THE ELECTRICAL FLOW.THE COMPLAINTS CENTERED AROUNDEITHER A NO-START, HARD START, ERRATIC ENGINE PERFORMANCE OR ENGINE STALLING. ODI WAS ALSO AWARE OF REPORTED BATTERY BOX FIRES. THEPE WAS OPENED TO EXAMINE THE SAFETY SIGNIFICANCE AND GAIN A TECHNICAL UNDERSTANDING OF THIS PROBLEM.AFTER DISCUSSIONS WITH ODI AND FURTHER REVIEW OF FIELD INCIDENTS, IC DECIDED THE PROPER WAY TO HANDLE THIS ISSUE WAS TO CONDUCT A SAFETY RECALL DURING WHICH THEY WILLREPLACE THE FUSE HOLDERS AND THE POWER ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR ON THE AFFECTED VEHICLES.THIS RECALL ACTION RESOLVES THE ISSUES RAISED BY THIS INVESTIGATION. THEREFORE, 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.