Equipment adaptive/mobility
- Component
- Equipment adaptive/mobility
- Manufacturer
- MOTOR COACH INDUSTRIES, INC
- Vehicles affected
- 249
- Reported to NHTSA
- 2010-03-24
- Owners notified
- 2010-04-21
Defect description
MCI HAS NOTIFIED NHTSA OF A DEFECT IN CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2009 D4000 AND MODEL YEAR 2008-2010 D4500 AND D4505 MOTOR COACHES 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.
Safety risk
THE USER OF THE LIFT COULD BE INJURED SHOULD THE LIFT MOVE WITHOUT THE RESTRAINT BELT PROPERLY BUCKLED.
Manufacturer remedy
MCI IS WORKING WITH RICON AND RICON WILL BE HANDLING THE REMEDY FOR THIS CAMPAIGN. PLEASE SEE RICON'S DEFECT REPORT 09E-060. RICON WILL PROVIDE CUSTOMERS WITH A WARNING DECAL AND A DVD-BASED TRAINING AID. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING APRIL 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT RICON CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-800-322-2884, EMAILING AT [email protected].