The defect
ON CERTAIN BUSES EQUIPPED WITH VAPOR BUS CONNECTING RODS, WHEN THE CONNECTING ROD IS SUBJECTED TO CERTAIN LOAD COMBINATIONS AND CUMULATIVE CYCLING, INITIATION AND PROPAGATION OF FATIGUE CRACKS ARE SEEN AT THE EXTERNAL THREAD ROOTS. IF THE CRACK INITIATES AND PROPAGATES THROUGH THE CROSS SECTION OF THE CONNECTING ROD, IT MAY RESULT IN THE BENDING OR THE CONNECTING ROD ASSEMBLY AND MALFUNCTION OF THE DOOR ACTUATION ASSEMBLY.
The risk
IF THE CRACK PROPAGATES THROUGH THE ENTIRE CROSS SECTION OF THE CONNECTING ROD, THE CONNECTING ROD MAY BREAK AND THE ASSOCIATED DOOR PANEL MAY BE ABLE TO MOVE FREELY IN AN UNCONTROLLED MANNER, LEAVING PASSENGERS INSIDE THE BUS UNPROTECTED BY THE DOOR PANEL AND POSSIBLY ENABLING A PROTRUDING DOOR PANEL TO STRIKE PERSONS OR OBJECTS OUTSIDE THE BUS.
The remedy
VAPOR BUS IS CONDUCTING THIS RECALL (PLEASE SEE 05E-030). ALL BUSES INVOLVED IN THIS RECALL HAVE BEEN REPAIRED.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by ODI
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Champion Contender | 2000 |
Components: STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR
Model years in this recall
NHTSA complaints and the number of recall campaigns for each model year this recall covers.
| Model | Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Champion Contender | 2000 | 0 | 2 |
Other structure recalls in 2006
25 of the 490 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 2006 concerned the structure; CHAMPION BUS, INC. filed 35 campaigns in all.
| 06V489000 21 Dec 2006 | INTERNATIONAL TRUCK & ENGINE CORPORATION |
| 06V483000 15 Dec 2006 | HINO MOTORS SALES U.S.A., INC. |
| 06V468000 4 Dec 2006 | THOR CALIFORNIA INC. |
| 06V466000 4 Dec 2006 | THOR CALIFORNIA INC. |
| 06V433000 15 Nov 2006 | EARTHROAMER, LLC |
| 06V431000 15 Nov 2006 | DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORPORATION |
| 06V415000 27 Oct 2006 | ELGIN SWEEPER COMPANY |
| 06V406000 25 Oct 2006 | INTERNATIONAL TRUCK & ENGINE CORPORATION |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 2006