The defect
NEW FLYER IS RECALLING 1,001 MY 2004-2007 D40LF, MY 2005 D40LFR, AND MY 2007-2008 D60LFR TRANSIT BUSES EQUIPPED WITH CE NIEHOFF C701A OR C703A ALTERNATORS. FAILURE OF THE FORWARD ALTERNATOR BEARING MAY RESULT IN A DROP AND SEIZURE OF THE ROTATING ALTERNATOR SHAFT AND PULLEY. ONCE THE PULLEY IS STATIONARY, THE ALTERNATOR DRIVE BELT CONTINUES TO PASS OVER THE PULLEY CREATING HIGH QUANTITIES OF BELT DUST.
The risk
DUE TO THE VERY HIGH INTERNAL TEMPERATURES CREATED AT THE BEARING DURING SHAFT SEIZURE, THE BELT DUST MAY IGNITE, RESULTING IN AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE.
The remedy
TO INCREASE THE POTENTIAL LONGEVITY OF THE ALTERNATOR BEARINGS, DEALERS WILL INCORPORATE A LOWER TENSION BELT TENSIONER AND A NARROWER BELT. TO PREVENT THERMAL IGNITION IN THE EVENT OF A BEARING FAILURE, A LIGHTER DUTY, NARROWER BELT WILL SHRED RATHER THAN CONTINUE TO RUN OVER THE STATIONARY PULLEY. THE RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 17, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NEW FLYER AT 1-204-934-4803.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by MFR
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| NEW Flyer D40LF | 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 |
| NEW Flyer D40LFR | 2005 |
| NEW Flyer D60LFR | 2007, 2008 |
Components: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR
Model years in this recall
NHTSA complaints and the number of recall campaigns for each model year this recall covers.
| Model | Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| NEW Flyer D40LF | 2004 | 0 | 9 |
| NEW Flyer D40LF | 2005 | 0 | 8 |
| NEW Flyer D40LF | 2006 | 0 | 8 |
| NEW Flyer D40LF | 2007 | 0 | 8 |
| NEW Flyer D40LFR | 2005 | 0 | 1 |
| NEW Flyer D60LFR | 2007 | 0 | 4 |
| NEW Flyer D60LFR | 2008 | 1 | 3 |
Other electrical system recalls in 2008
29 of the 683 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 2008 concerned the electrical system; NEW FLYER INDUSTRIES LTD filed 34 campaigns in all.
| 08V638000 3 Dec 2008 | DUCATI NORTH AMERICA |
| 08V622000 26 Nov 2008 | DAIMLER TRUCKS NORTH AMERICA |
| 08V607000 24 Nov 2008 | JAGUAR CARS LTD |
| 08V549000 15 Oct 2008 | JAYCO, INC. |
| 08V521000 7 Oct 2008 | NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC. |
| 08V508000 2 Oct 2008 | GIRARDIN MINIBUS INC. |
| 08V483000 22 Sept 2008 | SUNDOWNER TRAILERS, INC. |
| 08V446000 3 Sept 2008 | POLARIS INDUSTRIES, INC. |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 2008