The defect
ON CERTAIN TRANSIT BUSES EQUIPPED WITH ARVIN-MERITOR AND TRW 20-EDL BALL SOCKET ASSEMBLIES HAVE A LESS ROBUST BEARING DESIGN, WHICH LEADS TO HIGHER WEAR RATES AND MORE RAPID WEAR-OUT THAN PREVIOUS DESIGNS.
The risk
THIS PREMATURE WEAR-OUT OF THE BALL SOCKET ASSEMBLIES MAY RESULT IN THE SEPARATION OF THE TIE-ROD ASSEMBLY WHICH, IN TURN, COULD LEAD TO A LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE BUS AND POSSIBLE INJURY OF DEATH TO THE OCCUPANTS OF THE BUS IN THE EVENT OF SUCH CRASH.
The remedy
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE BALL SOCKET ASSEMBLIES FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 28, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT ELDORADO AT 909-591-9557.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by MFR
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Eldorado Escort RE | 2000, 2001 |
| Eldorado Transmark RE | 2000, 2001 |
Components: STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY
Model years in this recall
NHTSA complaints and the number of recall campaigns for each model year this recall covers.
| Model | Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eldorado Escort RE | 2000 | 0 | 1 |
| Eldorado Escort RE | 2001 | 0 | 1 |
| Eldorado Transmark RE | 2000 | 0 | 1 |
| Eldorado Transmark RE | 2001 | 0 | 1 |
Other steering recalls in 2005
47 of the 562 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 2005 concerned the steering; ELDORADO NATIONAL - CALIFORNIA, INC. filed 21 campaigns in all.
| 05V574000 30 Dec 2005 | MASERATI NORTH AMERICA, INC. |
| 05V540000 30 Nov 2005 | VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA, INC |
| 05V543000 29 Nov 2005 | PACCAR INCORPORATED |
| 05V541000 22 Nov 2005 | FREIGHTLINER LLC |
| 05V507000 3 Nov 2005 | AMERICAN SUZUKI MOTOR CORP. |
| 05V496000 1 Nov 2005 | WINNEBAGO INDUSTRIES, INC. |
| 05V455000 5 Oct 2005 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. |
| 05V408000 13 Sept 2005 | FREIGHTLINER LLC |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 2005