The defect
DAIMLER TRUCKS IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2010 THOMAS BUILT SCHOOL BUSES AND FREIGHTLINER BUSINESS CLASS M2 MEDIUM DUTY TRUCKS AND FREIGHTLINER CUSTOM CHASSIS S2 VEHICLES MANUFACTURED BETWEEN APRIL 21 AND JULY 2, 2009, EQUIPPED WITH TRW IGEN 3 INTERMEDIATE STEERING COLUMNS. THE WELD AROUND THE STEERING SHAFT TUBE THAT SECURES THE SPLINE TUBE TO THE INTERMEDIATE TUBE MAY BE MISLOCATED (I.E., NOT FULLY OVER THE SEAM CREATED WHEN THE TUBES ARE PRESSED TOGETHER.)
The risk
MISLOCATED WELDS MAY RESULT IN TORSIONAL AND AXIAL STRENGTH FALLING BELOW ACCEPTABLE LEVELS. THIS CONDITION COULD RESULT IN SEPARATION OF THE STEERING COLUMN, LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL AND A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
The remedy
DAIMLER TRUCKS WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND THE VEHICLES WILL BE REPAIRED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 6, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DAIMLER TRUCKS TOLL-FREE AT 1-800-547-0712.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by MFR
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Fccc Redundant Custom Chassis S2 | 2010 |
| Freightliner Business Class M2 | 2010 |
| Thomas Built Buses C2 | 2010 |
Components: STEERING:COLUMN
Model years in this recall
NHTSA complaints and the number of recall campaigns for each model year this recall covers.
| Model | Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fccc Redundant Custom Chassis S2 | 2010 | 0 | 1 |
| Freightliner Business Class M2 | 2010 | 0 | 10 |
| Thomas Built Buses C2 | 2010 | 1 | 2 |
Other steering recalls in 2009
17 of the 491 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 2009 concerned the steering; DAIMLER TRUCKS NORTH AMERICA filed 134 campaigns in all.
| 09V490000 23 Dec 2009 | PACCAR INCORPORATED |
| 09V411000 19 Oct 2009 | NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC. |
| 09V357000 16 Sept 2009 | DAIMLER TRUCKS NORTH AMERICA |
| 09V350000 9 Sept 2009 | MOTOR COACH INDUSTRIES, INC |
| 09V337000 27 Aug 2009 | NISSAN DIESEL AMERICA, INC |
| 09V291000 27 Jul 2009 | HME INCORPORATED |
| 09V284000 23 Jul 2009 | BLUE BIRD BODY COMPANY |
| 09V258000 8 Jul 2009 | PACCAR INCORPORATED |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 2009