FL987 – Loss of Drive Power from Unsecured Inverter Cable – 2023-2024 Thomas Built SAF-T-LINER C2 Jouley Electric School Buses

SEOCONTENT-START

OMB Control No.: 2127-0004
Part 573 Safety Recall Report 23V-846
The information contained in this report was submitted pursuant to 49 CFR §573
Manufacturer Name : Submission Date :
Daimler Trucks North America, LLC DEC 14, 2023 NHTSA Recall No. : 23V-846 Manufacturer Recall No. : FL987 Manufacturer Information :
Manufacturer Name : Daimler Trucks North America, LLC Address : 4747 N. Channel Avenue
Portland OR 97217-3849
Company phone : 800-745-8000 Population :
Number of potentially involved : 456 Estimated percentage with defect : 68 % Vehicle Information : Vehicle 1 : 2023-2024 THOMAS BUILT BUSES SAF-T-LINER C2 JOULEY Vehicle Type : BUSES, MEDIUM & HEAVY VEHICLES Body Style : OTHER Power Train : HYBRID ELECTRIC
Descriptive Information : In certain Saf-T-Liner C2 Jouley electric school buses equipped with a specific high voltage junction box, fasteners at the joint connecting the high voltage inverter cable to the associated hardware may have been under torqued. Vehicles outside the recall population are equipped with a different type of high voltage junction box.
Production Dates : FEB 28, 2022 – AUG 28, 2023
VIN Range 1 : Begin : NR End : NR Not sequential Description of Defect :
Description of the Defect : In certain model year 2023 and 2024 Saf-T-Liner C2 Jouley electric school buses equipped with a specific high voltage junction box, fasteners at the joint connecting the high voltage inverter cable to the associated hardware may have been under torqued.
FMVSS 1 : NR FMVSS 2 : NR
Description of the Safety Risk : On the affected vehicles, if the joint is under torqued, when power is sent to the high voltage inverter cable, this may result in electrical arcing between the high voltage inverter cable and hardware. If arcing is detected, the high voltage system is designed to shut down power to the vehicle which in this case could lead to loss of motive power without prior warning, increasing the risk of crash.
Description of the Cause : During the production process, fasteners on an inverter cable in the high
voltage junction box were under torqued. Part 573 Safety Recall Report 23V-846 Page 2 Identification of Any Warning
that can Occur : No warning or detectability. Involved Components : Component Name 1 : High Voltage Junction Box
Component Description : Power Distribution Unit (High Voltage) Component Part Number : 66-28043-000 Supplier Identification : Component Manufacturer
Name : Daimler Truck North America Address : 4555 N Channel Ave.
Portland Oregon 97217
Country : United States Chronology :
On or about November 22, 2023, DTNA was notified through plant quality reporting processes of a report from the field submitted the prior week of a vehicle with a no start condition. An Electric Vehicle technician inspected the vehicle and found a loose fastener in the high voltage junction box. DTNA immediately began investigating this finding to understand whether the issue was an isolated one or a potentially broader issue.
As a result, DTNA placed all units on hold at the plants and began a thorough inspection of the fastener hardware in the high voltage junction box joints. DTNA also initiated a review of torque values on the fasteners for vehicles at its facility. At the same time, DTNA reviewed its records and identified a field report submitted in June 2023 involving a loss of motive power which now appeared to be potentially related to the same issue. On or around December 07, 2023, DTNA received the final report on torque values for units onsite at the plants which indicated the presence of additional vehicles with under torqued fasteners in the high voltage junction box. On December 07, 2023, DTNA decided to initiate a safety recall for this issue. DTNA is aware of two field reports involving the same failure mode as the condition described above. Although the risk of arcing exists, DTNA is not aware of any occurrence of thermal propagation related to this issue. The information contained in this report was submitted pursuant to 49 CFR §573 Part 573 Safety Recall Report 23V-846
Page 3
The information contained in this report was submitted pursuant to 49 CFR §573
Description of Remedy :
Description of Remedy Program : TBB is preparing the remedy which is currently under development.
Repairs will be performed free of charge by Daimler Truck North America authorized service facilities. Details of the reimbursement plan will be included in the owner’s notification letter. Owners are directed to seek reimbursement through authorized dealers. How Remedy Component Differs from Recalled Component :
Identify How/When Recall Condition was Corrected in Production : Vehicles that receive the recall remedy will have sufficiently torqued fasteners in the high voltage junction box.
A digital torque tool was implemented in production to record and verify the torque on this joint as of November 20, 2023. Recall Schedule :
Description of Recall Schedule : Customer notification will be made by first class mail using Daimler
Trucks North America records to determine the customers affected.
Planned Dealer Notification Date : FEB 12, 2024 – FEB 12, 2024
Planned Owner Notification Date : FEB 12, 2024 – FEB 12, 2024
* NR – Not Reported

**************************************************************************************************************

OMB Control No.: 2127-0004
Part 573 Safety Recall Report 23V-846
The information contained in this report was submitted pursuant to 49 CFR §573
Manufacturer Name : Submission Date :
Daimler Trucks North America, LLC DEC 21, 2023 NHTSA Recall No. : 23V-846 Manufacturer Recall No. : FL987 Manufacturer Information :
Manufacturer Name : Daimler Trucks North America, LLC Address : 4747 N. Channel Avenue
Portland OR 97217-3849
Company phone : 800-745-8000 Population :
Number of potentially involved : 608 Estimated percentage with defect : 100 % Vehicle Information : Vehicle 1 : 2023-2025 THOMAS BUILT BUSES SAF-T-LINER C2 JOULEY Vehicle Type : BUSES, MEDIUM & HEAVY VEHICLES Body Style : OTHER Power Train : HYBRID ELECTRIC
Descriptive Information : In certain Saf-T-Liner C2 Jouley electric school buses equipped with a specific high voltage junction box, fasteners at the joint connecting the high voltage inverter cable to the associated hardware may have been under torqued. Vehicles outside the recall population are equipped with a different type of high voltage junction box.
Production Dates : FEB 28, 2022 – OCT 18, 2023
VIN Range 1 : Begin : NR End : NR Not sequential Description of Defect :
Description of the Defect : In certain model year 2023 through 2025 Saf-T-Liner C2 Jouley electric school buses equipped with a specific high voltage junction box, fasteners at the joint connecting the high voltage inverter cable to the associated hardware may have been under torqued.
FMVSS 1 : NR FMVSS 2 : NR
Description of the Safety Risk : On the affected vehicles, if the joint is under torqued, when power is sent to the high voltage inverter cable, this may result in electrical arcing between the high voltage inverter cable and hardware. If arcing is detected, the high voltage system is designed to shut down power to the vehicle which in this case could lead to loss of motive power without prior warning, increasing the risk of crash.
Description of the Cause : During the production process, fasteners on an inverter cable in the high
voltage junction box were under torqued. Part 573 Safety Recall Report 23V-846 Page 2 Identification of Any Warning
that can Occur : No warning or detectability. Involved Components : Component Name 1 : High Voltage Junction Box
Component Description : Power Distribution Unit (High Voltage) Component Part Number : 66-28043-000 Supplier Identification : Component Manufacturer
Name : Daimler Truck North America Address : 4555 N Channel Ave.
Portland Oregon 97217
Country : United States Chronology :
Refer attached chronology document. Description of Remedy :
Description of Remedy Program : DTNA is preparing the remedy which is currently under development.
Repairs will be performed free of charge by Daimler Truck North America authorized service facilities. Details of the reimbursement plan will be included in the owner’s notification letter. Owners are directed to seek reimbursement through authorized dealers. How Remedy Component Differs from Recalled Component :
Identify How/When Recall Condition was Corrected in Production : Vehicles that receive the recall remedy will have sufficiently torqued fasteners in the high voltage junction box.
A digital torque tool was implemented in production to record and verify the torque on this joint as of November 20, 2023. Recall Schedule : The information contained in this report was submitted pursuant to 49 CFR §573 Part 573 Safety Recall Report 23V-846
Page 3
The information contained in this report was submitted pursuant to 49 CFR §573
Description of Recall Schedule : Customer notification will be made by first class mail using Daimler
Trucks North America records to determine the customers affected.
Planned Dealer Notification Date : FEB 12, 2024 – FEB 12, 2024
Planned Owner Notification Date : FEB 12, 2024 – FEB 12, 2024
* NR – Not Reported

**************************************************************************************************************

**************************************************************************************************************

**************************************************************************************************************

SEOCONTENT-END