Equipment
- Component
- Equipment
- Manufacturer
- STARTRANS BUS CORPORATION
- Vehicles affected
- 2,393
- Reported to NHTSA
- 2010-11-15
- Owners notified
- 2011-01-11
Defect description
STARTRANS IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2006 AND 2007 CANDIDATE, CANDIDATE II, SENATOR HD, TROLLEY, PRESIDENT, SENATOR, AND SENATOR II TRANSIT BUSES EQUIPPED WITH TRANS/AIR TA73 EVAPORATORS. THE EVAPORATOR UTILIZES A POWER RESISTOR TO REGULATE BLOWER SPEED. SHOULD A SHORT OCCUR IN THE "LOW OR MEDIUM SPEED" CIRCUIT WHILE THE BLOWER IS IN HIGH SPEED, THE SHORT WILL CAUSE THE SUPPLY VOLTAGE TO FEEDBACK THROUGH THE RESISTOR TO GROUND, NOT DRAWING ENOUGH CURRENT TO TRIP THE FUSE.
Safety risk
THIS WOULD CAUSE THE RESISTOR TEMPERATURE TO RISE TO A POINT WHERE IT WILL MELT AND POSSIBLY IGNITE THE PLASTIC BLOWER HOUSING TO WHICH IT IS MOUNTED. THE OVERHEATING CAN RESULT IN A FIRE.
Manufacturer remedy
TRANS/AIR, IN COOPERATION WITH STARTRANS, WILL INSTALL A THERMAL SHUTDOWN DEVICE IN SERIES WITH THE SPEED RESISTORS. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JANUARY 11, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TRANS/AIR WARRANTY AND SERVICE CENTER AT 1-800-673-2446.