PE04071 · PE
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM Investigation
THIS INVESTIGATION WAS OPENED AFTER ODI VISITED A TRANSIT FLEET FACILITY AND NOTICED A BUS THAT HAD EXPERIENCED AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE.FURTHER EXAMINATION OF OTHER BUSES INDICATED THAT THE EXHAUST SYSTEM THERMAL BLANKETS WERE DETERIORATING AND MAY HAVE BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR THE THERMAL EVENT.AS A RESULT OF ODI?S INVESTIGATION, ORION HAS AGREED TO CONDUCT A SAFETY RECALL TO REPLACE THE THERMAL BLANKETS WITH BLANKETS HAVING A HIGHER THERMAL RATING AND DESIGNED TO PROVIDE A SLIP-OVERLAP FIT BETWEEN THE THREE BLANKETS. THIS ALLOWS MAXIMUM COVERAGE OF THE EXHAUST SYSTEM BY THE THERMAL BLANKETS.A COPY OF THE RECALL IS ATTACHED.ORION'S PROPOSED ACTIONRESOLVES THE ISSUES RAISED BY THIS INVESTIGATION.ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.
PE03048 · PE
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE Investigation
ORION BUS IS UNAWARE OF ANYOTHER OWNER REPORTS OF EXHAUST SYSTEM FLEX PIPE FAILURES AND BELIEVES THAT THE REPORTED FAILUREIS A SINGLE, ISOLATED INCIDENT.THE MANUFACTURER OF THE FLEX PIPE STATED THAT THEY HAVE SOLD 250,OOO UNITSAND NO OTHERFAILURES HAVE BEEN REPORTED.THEY BELIEVE THE COMPLAINT VEHICLE WAS AN ISOLATED INCIDENT. BASED ON ORION'S DATA, ODI FIELD WORK,AND THE LACK OF ANY OTHER IDENTIFED FAILURES, A SAFETY RELATED DEFECT TREND DOES NOT EXIST AT THIS TIME AND FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES ARE UNWARRANTED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT NO SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT EXIST.THE AGENCY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO TAKE FURTHER ACTION ON THE VEHICLES IN THE FUTURE IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.ODI WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR FIELD REPORTS AND TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION IF INDICATED.