The defect
THE AIR/SPRING ACTUATED PARKING BRAKE CHAMBERS MANUFACTURED BY MIDLAND (DATE CODE 145B6K) WERE FILLED WITH THE WRONG LUBRICATION. THE IMPROPER LUBRICANT CAUSES THE SEALS WITHIN THE CHAMBER TO FAIL AND RESULTS IN LOSS OF AIR. IF AIR PRESSURE DROPS TO 55 PSI THE SPRING WITHIN THE CHAMBER WILL AUTOMATICALLY APPLY THE PARKING BRAKE.
The risk
IF AIR PRESSURE DROPS BELOW 55 PSI AND THE OPERATOR DOES NOT HEED THE LOW AIR PRESSURE WARNING AND CONTINUES TO DRIVE, THE PARKING BRAKE WILL APPLY. THIS CAN CAUSE THE PARKING BRAKE LINING TO OVERHEAT AND PREMATURELY WEAR. WHEN THE BUS IS PARKED AND THE BRAKE APPLIED, THE PARKING BRAKE WOULD NOT OPERATE PROPERLY.
The remedy
DEALERS (OR OWNERS) WILL INSPECT THE BRAKE CHAMBERS FOR THE SUSPECT DATE CODE. IF THE CHAMBER HAS THIS CODE, THE PARKING BRAKE CHAMBER WILL BE REPLACED.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by MFR
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Amtran RS3302 | 1996, 1997 |
| Amtran RS3505 | 1996, 1997 |
| Amtran RS3708 | 1996, 1997 |
Components: PARKING BRAKE:DRIVELINE:AIR
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 RS3302 | 1996 | 0 | 4 |
| Amtran RS3302 | 1997 | 0 | 2 |
| Amtran RS3505 | 1996 | 0 | 4 |
| Amtran RS3505 | 1997 | 0 | 2 |
| Amtran RS3708 | 1996 | 0 | 4 |
| Amtran RS3708 | 1997 | 0 | 2 |
Other parking brake recalls in 1996
6 of the 297 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 1996 concerned the parking brake; AMERICAN TRANSPORTATION CORP. filed 44 campaigns in all.
| 96V246000 9 Dec 1996 | FREIGHTLINER CORPORATION |
| 96V235000 14 Nov 1996 | MITSUBISHI FUSO TRK, AMER |
| 96V214000 28 Oct 1996 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY |
| 96V144000 26 Jul 1996 | PIERCE MANUFACTURING,INC. |
| 96V120000 1 Jul 1996 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 1996