NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Preliminary Evaluation PE10-001: Wheel Chair Lift Separates From Bus
- Closed
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Preliminary Evaluation PE10-001 on January 14, 2010 and closed it on April 9, 2010. NHTSA's investigations file lists 5 MCI models for it and links recall 10V-087 to it.
Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file
Key facts
- NHTSA number
- PE10-001 (also written PE10001)
- Investigation type
- Preliminary Evaluation The first stage of most defect investigations: NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation gathers basic information about a possible safety defect, including from the manufacturer.
- Status
- Closed April 9, 2010
- Opened
- Closed
- Vehicle or equipment manufacturer
- Motor Coach Industries
- Component
- Structure — Body — Door
- Recall linked by NHTSA
- 10V-087: WHEELCHAIR LIFT, reported
- Vehicles and equipment
- 5 MCI models, including the D4500/102DL3 and D4000
NHTSA's summary
As NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation wrote it for Preliminary Evaluation PE10-001.
ODI opened this investigation upon learning of two incidents where the wheel chair assembly broke through the side door while the motor coach was being operated. Both incidents resulted in property damage to parked vehicles.
After further review, MCI decided to conduct a safety recall to resolve this issue. MCI will provide parts and labor to install a Ricon-designed retrofit kit that includes a spring-loaded lock mechanism. The additional lock mechanism will prevent unintended wheel chair lift deployment regardless of the cause. The population includes 1995 through 2009 D4000's, 1997 through 2010 D4500's, and 2005 through 2010 D4505 models. This resolves all issues concerning this investigation. This investigation is closed.
Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation
NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Preliminary Evaluation PE10-001. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. Model years with a try.vin recall page link to that page's NHTSA investigations section.
What an NHTSA investigation is
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) looks into possible safety defects in vehicles and equipment, often after owner complaints. An investigation usually starts as a Preliminary Evaluation, or as a Recall Query when it concerns whether an existing recall covers the right vehicles or fixes the problem, and ODI can upgrade it to a more detailed Engineering Analysis. A Defect Petition asks NHTSA to open an investigation, and Audit and Equipment Queries are administrative investigations into whether companies complied with federal vehicle safety requirements, such as reporting, recall and certification rules.
An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.
To see whether a specific vehicle has an open recall, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Free VIN check: decode a VIN to see its year, make and model.
Sources
NHTSA's investigation record for PE10-001
Investigation details come from NHTSA's investigations file, which try.vin imports once a day. The investigation types are described from the U.S. Department of Transportation Inspector General's May 2023 report on NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation, NHTSA's petition rules (49 CFR Parts 552 and 557) and NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation procedures. How try.vin reads NHTSA investigations.