NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Preliminary Evaluation PE20-001: Supply and return heater hose rupture
- Closed
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Preliminary Evaluation PE20-001 on March 13, 2020 and closed it on September 21, 2020. NHTSA's investigations file lists the 2017–2020 MCI J4500 for it and links recall 20V-526 to it.
Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file
Key facts
- NHTSA number
- PE20-001 (also written PE20001)
- 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 September 21, 2020
- Opened
- Closed
- Vehicle or equipment manufacturer
- Motor Coach Industries
- Components
- Engine and Engine Cooling — Cooling System; Engine and Engine Cooling — Cooling System — Hoses/Lines/Piping/Fittings; Engine and Engine Cooling — Cooling System — Radiator Assembly; Engine and Engine Cooling — Engine — Diesel
- Recall linked by NHTSA
- 20V-526: Coolant Hose May Fail, reported
- Vehicles and equipment
- 2017–2020 MCI J4500
NHTSA's summary
As NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation wrote it for Preliminary Evaluation PE20-001.
By letter dated August 31, 2020, Motor Coach Industries (MCI) notified the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) of a safety defect that may exist in certain model year (MY) 2017-2020 J4500 vehicles. An ODI review of Early Warning Reporting (EWR) submissions by MCI, on MY 2017-2019 J4500 buses, identified ruptured heater hoses on multiple motor coaches leading to the vehicles becoming disabled. ODI communications with fleets found that a low coolant level light with an audible warning would provide notice to the bus driver to pull off the roadway before the bus shut down to prevent catastrophic engine damage. According to the fleets interviewed, there is not sufficient time between the warning and the engine shutting down to allow the driver to pull to a safe location. Multiple reports/interviews describe buses requiring passenger transfer to a second bus at roadside. Analysis of data provided by MCI in response to an ODI Information Request (IR) letter showed an elevated frequency of heater hose ruptures. The heater hoses may fail, resulting in a low coolant warning followed by an engine shut down sequence, as well as the potential for engine coolant spilling on the roadway. Following discussions with ODI about the elevated failure rates on the heater hoses, MCI decided to conduct safety recall 20V-526.
With recall action 20V-526 taken by MCI, this investigation is closed. Further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted.
The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist on other model or MY vehicles outside of the recall scope. The agency reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstances.
The ODI report cited above can be reviewed at: http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchNHTSAID Using the following identification number: 10168841
Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation
NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Preliminary Evaluation PE20-001. 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.
MCI
All MCI recallsWhat 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 PE20-001
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.