February Recalls

Update, Wednesday Feb. 29:
One more recall added… scroll down.

The big item this month, as has been all over the trucking industry trade press, is the Bendix ATR-6 Traction Relay Valves. These valves are part of an air-braked vehicle’s braking system. As described in the Feb. 13 edition of Transport Topics, "The component, a newly designed ATR-6 traction relay valve is part of sophisticated vehicle safety and stability systems. In a few cases in subzero temperatures, the defective part has caused spontaneous braking, which in turn has led to vehicle fires."

The valves were produced from Dec. 2, 2010 through Jan. 18, 2012 and sold as aftermarket service parts or installed as original equipment by various vehicle manufacturers. They may have been installed on as many as 60.000 Navistar, Paccar (Kenworth and Peterbilt) and Volvo trucks.

The NHTSA recall number is 12E-001. Owners may contact Bendix at 440 329 9000 or their vehicle manufacturer. Paccar has issued its own recall (12V-026). They may be contacted at 425 828 5440 for Kenworth and 940 591 4196 for Peterbilt.

As I have said many times in the past with respect to aftermarket parts, Bendix may have no idea where a part that was sold over the counter at a parts store has wound up. So if you think you may have bought one (or more), you need to take it upon yourself to contact your supplier or Bendix, identify the part and see if, indeed, it is part of the recall. Note also that some vehicles may have more than one such valve.

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Meritor is recalling (11E-053) certain rear drive axles and front non-drive steer axles produced from July 25, 2011 through September 9, 2011 sold and installed as original equipment to Hino Manufacturing.

Certain suspect axles with wheel ends may have been improperly assembled fastening hardware or nut locking features.

Meritor is working with Hino Motors to identify and notify owners. Owners may contact Meritor at 800 535 5560, or Hino Motors (no phone number given). Meritor’s campaign number is C12AC.

This appears to be the same as Hino’s recall that was reported here last month.

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Daimler Trucks North America is recalling (11E-055) certain Detroit Diesel DD13 EPA 2010 engines manufactured between Jan. 1, 2010 and Dec. 15, 2011 and sold to Pierce Manufacturing.

The engine shutdown software normally provided to protect the engine and vehicle may not have been disabled for engines intended for emergency vehicle applications. If the vehicle operator receives and ignores multiple warnings indicating the need for operator intervention, the engine may shut down unexpectedly. Unexpected emergency vehicle shutdown under certain conditions could hamper rescue operations and place the public at risk.

DTNA will notify owners, and dealers will disable the engine shutdown software free of charge. The recall is expected to begin around Feb. 22. Owners may contact DTNA at 800 547 0712. DTNA’s recall campaign number is 11C-4 (FL-621).

DTNA has its own recall (11V-605) out for 2011 and 2012 Freightliner Business Class M2 and Western Star 4900s for the same thing. The same campaign number is being used.

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DTNA is recalling (11V-576) certain 2011 through 2013 Freightliner S2 106 CH and S2C 106 CAB chassis.

The grid heater ground wire may contact the relay power terminal and rub and chafe potentially resulting in a short circuit.

DTNA will notify owners, and dealers will inspect to ensure that the wire is correctly routed and modified as required to ensure adequate clearance with the power terminal.

The repairs will be performed by DTNA dealers free of charge. The campaign number is FL-619.

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Sutphen Corp. is recalling (11V-570) some 2010 SL75 ladder trucks and some 2010/2011 pumpers and rescue trucks. This has to do with Cummins engine exhaust system V-band clamp assemblies. The part numbers listed are the same ones that I reported on this past November from Daimler Benz North America and KME recalls.

There’s a bit of conflicting information on this one. I went in and looked at the actual documents. The NHTSA report says Cummins ISB and ISX engines are involved. But Sutphen’s submittal, which is a form that was filled out by hand shows ISC and ISL engines.

As it turns out, there was one SL75 and 11 engines or rescues involved. Hopefully, all owners have been notified by now. If not, Cummins can be reached at 812 377 5000 or Sutphen at 866 287 5549. Cummins campaign number is C1154.

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Ford is recalling (11V-582) certain 2011 and 2012 F250, F350, F450 and F550 heavy duty vehicles.

The transmission can be shifted out of the Park postion without depressing the brake pedal due to a brake shift interlock switch problem.

Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the brake shift interlock function and replace the switch if necessary, free of charge. Owners may contact the Ford Motor Co. Customer Relationship Center at 866 436 7332.

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Navistar is recalling (11V-589) certain 2012 International Duratar and IC Bus HC heavy trucks and buses that were equipped with a Meritor MFS08 series non-drive, front steer axle.

During the assembly process the steering attachment bolts may have been insufficiently torqued.

Navistar will notify owners and dealers will repair the vehicles free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a remedy schedule. Owners may contact Navistar at 800 448 7825. The campaign number is 11521.

I looked at the documentation submitted to NHTSA and see that there are a total of 10 trucks and one bus involved. No way of knowing if any of them are in the fire service.

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Add Navistar to the Meritor electronic stability control recall that I reported in December. Navistar’s NHTSA number is 11V-5990. Navistar’s campaign number is 11522.

Update, Feb. 29:  Add Spartan to the list of chassis builders who are involved in the Meritor Electronic Stability Control system recall (NHTSA #11V-500). Looking at the NHTSA documents I see that there are a total of 799 vehicles involved. They range from 2007 through 2012, and pretty much across the emergency vehicle product line. Spartan will notify owners (they may have done so already) and will make repairs free of charge. The recall began on December 19, 2011. Spartan's campaign number is 11026. They can be reached at 800 543 5008, Option 5.
 

………. That's it for this month. Sam.

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