The defect
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: CERTAIN SCHOOL AND TRANSIT BUSES WERE BUILT WITH A POOR QUALITY HEATER/DEFROSTER BLOWER SWITCH. IN SOME CASES THIS HAS CAUSED THE MELTING OF THE HEATER HARNESS CONNECTOR AT THE SWITCH TERMINALS OR THE HIGH-SPEED WIRE INSULATION AT THE CONNECTOR. ALSO, SOME OF THE UNITS HAD IMPROPER CIRCUIT PROTECTION SIZE INSTALLED IN THE HEATER DEFROSTER CIRCUIT.
The risk
IF AN OPERATOR DETECTS SMOKE OR THE SMELL OF MELTING WIRE INSULATION FROM THE BLOWER CONTROL PANEL, THE OPERATION OF THE HEATER/DEFROSTER AT HIGH SPEED SHOULD BE DISCONTINUED UNTIL THE REPAIR IS MADE.
The remedy
OWNERS WILL BE PROVIDED WITH INSTRUCTIONS AND PARTS TO REPLACE THE SWITCH AND SWITCH HARNESS WITH A NEW SWITCH, SWITCH HARNESS, RELAY AND RELAY HARNESS. FOR THE RE UNITS BUILT PRIOR TO JANUARY 1, 1999, THE KIT WILL ALSO INCLUDE A 20-AMPERE MANUAL CIRCUIT BREAKER. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN DECEMBER 15, 2001. OWNERS WHO DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT AMTRAN AT 800-843-5615.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by MFR
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Amtran FE | 1999, 2000, 2001 |
| Amtran RE | 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001 |
Components: VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:FAN/MOTOR
Model years in this recall
NHTSA complaints and the number of recall campaigns for each model year this recall covers.
| Model | Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amtran FE | 1999 | 0 | 13 |
| Amtran FE | 2000 | 0 | 9 |
| Amtran FE | 2001 | 0 | 12 |
| Amtran RE | 1996 | 2 | 6 |
| Amtran RE | 1997 | 0 | 6 |
| Amtran RE | 1998 | 0 | 7 |
| Amtran RE | 1999 | 0 | 8 |
| Amtran RE | 2000 | 0 | 5 |
| Amtran RE | 2001 | 1 | 8 |
Other visibility recalls in 2001
16 of the 461 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 2001 concerned the visibility; AMERICAN TRANSPORTATION CORP. filed 44 campaigns in all.
| 01V368000 5 Dec 2001 | FLEETWOOD FOLDING TRAILER |
| 01V358000 23 Nov 2001 | COUNTRY COACH INC |
| 01V305000 26 Sept 2001 | PACCAR, INCORPORATED |
| 01V261000 15 Aug 2001 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY |
| 01V258000 8 Aug 2001 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY |
| 01V202000 18 Jun 2001 | VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA,INC |
| 01V177000 29 May 2001 | AMERICAN TRANSPORTATION CORP. |
| 01V176000 25 May 2001 | VAN HOOL, N.V. |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 2001