Daimler Buses North America: Safety Recalls in 2010

DAIMLER BUS IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 1995 THROUGH 2000 TRANSIT BUSES MANUFACTURED FROM JANUARY 1996 THROUGH DECEMBER 2000. THESE BUSES ARE CONFIGURED WITH A TAPPED FITTING FOR THE HYDRAULIC WHEELCHAIR RAMP. IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT CONNECTED TO THE HYDRAULIC PUMP IS A FITTING WITH AN ADAPTER FOR THE WHEELCHAIR RAMP OPERATION. THE FITTING CAN CRACK AND CAUSE HYDRAULIC FLUID TO LEAK INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT.

DAIMLER BUS NORTH CAROLINA (DBNC) IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2007 THROUGH 2009 SPRINTER BUS TRANSIT BUSES MANUFACTURED BETWEEN MARCH 2008 AND JULY 2009 FITTED WITH RICON PUBLIC USE LIFTS. THE RESTRAINT BELT ON THESE LIFTS WAS DESIGNED TO PREVENT THE LIFT FROM MOVING, UNLESS THE TONGUE OF THE BELT IS FULLY ENGAGED AND LATCHED IN THE BUCKLE. RICON HAS DISCOVERED, HOWEVER, THAT IT IS POSSIBLE FOR THE OPERATOR TO INSERT THE BELT TONGUE INTO THE BUCKLE WITHOUT FULLY ENGAGING THE LATCHING MECHANISM. IN THIS CASE, THE RESTRAINT BELT WOULD APPEAR TO BE LATCHED, AND THE OPERATOR COULD RUN THE LIFT. IF THE RESTRAINT BELT TONGUE IS NOT FULLY ENGAGED INTO THE RESTRAINT BELT BUCKLE, AND LATCHED, THE LIFT MAY OPERATE WITH AN OCCUPANT ON THE PLATFORM.

DAIMLER BUS NORTH CAROLINA (DBNC) IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2008 AND 2009 SPRINTER BUS TRANSIT BUSES MANUFACTURED BETWEEN JUNE AND DECEMBER 2009 FITTED WITH CERTAIN RICON S SERIES AND K SERIES L-MODEL WHEELCHAIR LIFTS. DUE TO A PROBLEM IN THE SOFTWARE THAT CONTROLS THE LIFT'S "UP" FUNCTION, SHOULD THE "UP" BUTTON BE RELEASED BEFORE THE FLOOR LEVEL LIMIT SWITCH IS ACTIVATED, THE LIFT MAY CONTINUE ITS UPWARD TRAVEL AND MAY OVERRUN THE FLOOR LEVEL CUT OFF POINT.

DAIMLER BUSES IS RECALLING CERTAIN ORION TRANSIT BUSES EQUIPPED WITH THE MORSE REMOTE THROTTLE CONTROL. THE MORSE REMOTE THROTTLE CONTROL PANEL IS LOCATED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND A SWITCH ON IT IS LABELED, "THROTTLE"; "OFF" OR "FRONT" AND "ON" OR "REAR" SELECTING THE ACTIVE ENGINE CONTROL STATION. IF A PERSON OPERATING THE ENGINE FROM THE "REAR" POSITION (AT THE ENGINE) FAILS TO PLACE THE SWITCH IN THE "OFF" OR "FRONT" POSITION AND THE ENGINE RPM WAS SET TO ABOVE IDLE DURING MAINTENANCE FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN THE BUS IS STARTED FROM THE DRIVER'S STATION THE ENGINE COULD CHANGE TO THE HIGHER RPM RESULTING IN UNWANTED ENGINE POWER.