NHTSA Investigation PE09043

STARTER CABLE CHAFING

IN AUGUST 2009, MOTOR COACH INDUSTRIES (MCI) SUBMITTED A SERVICE BULLETIN/PRODUCT IMPROVEMENT NOTICEDISCUSSING D-SERIES COACHES WITH PRE-2007 DETROIT S60 ENGINES IN WHICH THE STARTER CABLE MAY CHAFE AGAINST ENGINE BRACKETS AND/OR MOVEMENT WITHIN THE CABLE CLAMPS.THE STIPULATED CORRECTIVE ACTION IS TO REPLACE THE CABLE AND INSTALL ADDITIONAL CLAMPS.ODI PLACES A HIGH PRIORITY ON POTENTIAL THERMAL EVENTS FOR ANY REASON IN MOTOR COACHES. THEREFORE, AN INVESTIGATION WAS OPENED.WITH THE ADVENT OF THE EPA 2007 ENGINE DESIGN,MCI IMPROVED THE STARTER CABLE ASSEMBLY.MCI CHANGED TO A HIGHER LOAD FLEX CABLE TO REDUCE THE LOADING BOTH INTO THE STARTER CABLE TERMINAL AND THE CLAMPING.FOR COACHES WITH 2006 (PRE-2007 DETROIT S60) AND EARLIER ENGINE COMBINATIONS, MCI BECAME AWARE OF A FEW REPORTS INVOLVING CABLE CHAFING FROM FLEETS USING AFTERMARKET CLAMPS.MCI SUBSEQUENTLY DECIDED TO RELEASE A NEW INSTALLATION DESIGN FOR AFTER MARKET SERVICE ON THE PRE-2007 ENGINE. IN LIGHT OF OUR CONCERNS, MCI HAS DECIDED TO SEND OUT A NEW SERVICE BULLETIN MAKING OWNERS AWARE THAT THERE ARE SPECIFIC CLAMPS FOR USE ON THE STARTER CABLES AND INCORRECT AFTERMARKET CLAMPS SHOULD NOT BE USED. A COPY OF THE TSB WILL BE ATTACHED TO THIS RESUME UPON RECEIPT.BASED ON MCI'S DATA, ODI FIELD INSPECTIONS AND FURTHER REVIEW OF THIS ISSUE, A SAFETY RELATED DEFECT TREND DOES NOT EXIST AT THIS TIME AND FURTHER USE OF THE AGENCY RESOURCES ARE NOT CURRENTLY WARRANTED. THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT NO SAFETY-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 REPORTSAND 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.