The defect
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SCHOOL BUSES. SOME HEATER/DEFROSTER UNITS WERE BUILT WITH THE BLOWER MOTOR WIRED IMPROPERLY. WHEN WIRED IMPROPERLY THE BLOWER MOTOR RUNS BACKWARD AND AIRFLOW FOR HEATING AND DEFROSTING IS VERY LIMITED. THIS DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 103, "WINDSHIELD DEFROSTING AND DEFOGGING SYSTEMS."
The risk
DEFROSTING NEEDS MAY NOT BE ACHIEVED AND COULD RESTRICT DRIVER VISIBILITY, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
The remedy
OWNERS WILL BE INSTRUCTED ON HOW TO INSPECT AND REPAIR THE DEFECT BY SWITCHING THE CONNECTION OF TWO WIRES.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by MFR
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Amtran FE | 1999 |
Components: VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:FAN/MOTOR
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 FE | 1999 | 0 | 13 |
Other visibility recalls in 1999
12 of the 392 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 1999 concerned the visibility; AMERICAN TRANSPORTATION CORP. filed 44 campaigns in all.
| 99V348000 16 Dec 1999 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. |
| 99V305001 1 Nov 1999 | MITSUBISHI AMERICA |
| 99V284000 15 Oct 1999 | PREVOST CAR, INCORPORATED |
| 99V271000 6 Oct 1999 | KIA MOTORS AMERICA, INC. |
| 99V264000 20 Sept 1999 | INTERNATIONAL TRUCK AND ENGINE |
| 99V225000 18 Aug 1999 | VOLVO TRUCKS NORTH AMERICA INC |
| 99V189000 16 Jul 1999 | DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORPORATION |
| 99V168000 30 Jun 1999 | FERRARI NORTH AMERICA |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 1999