Thomas Built Buses and Thomas preliminary evaluation PE11031
Pass-Through Power Stud Corrosion. NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation opened this preliminary evaluation about the cables on 3 model years (2005–2007). Opened Sep 12, 2011, closed Feb 2, 2012 after 5 months. It led to safety recall 11V503000. became a recall
What NHTSA says
Source: Office of Defects Investigation, as filedODI received a complaint regarding a corroded battery post located behind a service panel near the driver's seat on a 2006 Thomas Built C2 school bus that resulted in a fire on the vehicle. It was determined that like buses built prior to a December 26, 2005 design change which added a flange to the lower edge of the panel were susceptible to water intrusion. The design change was meant to address concerns of loose panels but consequently prevented water ingress and the subject corrosion. Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) submitted a recall notice on October 18, 2011 involving 3,300 of the estimated 6,139 vehicles subject to this investigation. In subsequent communication with ODI, DTNA explained that nearly two thirds of 4,773 MY2007 vehicles were built with the December 26 design change and therefore do not contain the safety related defect. DTNA's announcement of a safety recall on this matter, and subsequent explanation of the scope of vehicles involved, addresses ODI's concerns. The 573 letter was received prior to the due date of the IR response, therefore DTNA has been relieved from having to submit an IR response. DTNA will inspect, clean, repair and protect power cables as needed. The subject vehicles have been recalled and this investigation is closed. The ODI report cited above can be reviewed at www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchNHTSAID under the following identification (ODI) number: 10395455
A Preliminary Evaluation is the first formal stage: NHTSA has decided the complaints and other information it screened are worth a closer look, and asks the manufacturer for its own data on the condition. The summary is the agency’s own text from its investigation file, unedited; the opening and closing resumes with the full reasoning are on NHTSA’s site under this number.
What this means for an owner
Source: and what happens nextAn investigation is not a finding that a defect exists, and it puts no duty on anyone. NHTSA opens a Preliminary Evaluation when complaints and other reports suggest a condition worth asking the manufacturer about; it upgrades to an Engineering Analysis when the answers warrant testing; it closes either when it recommends a recall, when the manufacturer recalls on its own, or when no defect trend is found. The agency’s own goals are about four months for a petition, eight for a Preliminary Evaluation or a Recall Query and eighteen for an Engineering Analysis; many run longer.
This one became a recall. The campaign page carries the manufacturer’s filed defect, risk and remedy, the build window and every model year covered; whether one specific vehicle is included is settled by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Model years it names
Source: as NHTSA filed themAlso named: 2005 Thomas C2; 2006 Thomas Built Buses C2; 2007 Thomas Built Buses C2.
A vehicle page’s investigation list carries the same action; a name here is the scope NHTSA opened, not a list of affected VINs.
Common questions
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects InvestigationIs PE11031 a recall?
No — it is the investigation that led to one. Recall 11V503000 is the campaign; its page carries the remedy.
Is PE11031 still open?
No. It closed on Feb 2, 2012 and led to recall 11V503000.
Which vehicles does PE11031 cover?
NHTSA opened it on 3 model years: 2005 Thomas C2, 2006 Thomas Built Buses C2, 2007 Thomas Built Buses C2. That is the scope of the inquiry, not a list of affected vehicles; a recall, if one follows, defines its own population by VIN.