Prevost and Volvo BUS preliminary evaluation PE21011
Alternator Front Bearing Failure. NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation opened this preliminary evaluation about the alternator/generator/regulator on 150 model years (2010–2023). Opened May 13, 2021, closed Oct 3, 2022 after 17 months. It led to safety recall 22E030000, 22V221000, 22V222000. became a recall
What NHTSA says
Source: Office of Defects Investigation, as filedNHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a Preliminary Evaluation after reviewing field reports concerning alternator front bearing failures that cause elevated temperatures within the engine compartment, resulting in the fire suppression system (FSS) activating, immediately shutting the engine down, and rendering the bus inoperable. Analysis of the data provided by Prevost Car (US) Inc. showed high failure frequency and thermal events. An immediate shutdown of the bus can increase the risk of a crash or injury of bus occupants. In response to this investigation, Prevost Car (US) Inc. and Volvo Bus Corporation decided to conduct recalls 22V-221 and 22V-222. By submitting Part 573 Defect Information Reports on April 6, 2022, Prevost Car (US) Inc. and Volvo Bus Corporation notified ODI of a safety defect in certain model year (MY) 2010-2023 Prevost H3-45; X3-45; X3-45 Com; H3-45 VIP: X3-45 VIP and 2020 Volvo 9700 vehicles; some of these buses may have experienced thermal events after failure of the alternator front bearing, because the alternator belt continues to turn the alternator after the bearing failure. These recall actions address the safety concern that led to the opening of this investigation. Therefore, with these recall actions, this investigation is closed. The recalls encompass all model and MY vehicles addressed by the investigation. However, the closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist in other model or MY vehicles outside of the recall scope. The agency reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstances.
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: 2010 Prevost H3; 2011 Prevost H3; 2012 Prevost H3; 2013 Prevost H3; 2019 Prevost H3; 2020 Prevost H3; 2010 Prevost H3 VIP; 2010 Prevost H3-40; 2011 Prevost H3-40; 2012 Prevost H3-40; 2013 Prevost H3-40; 2010 Prevost H3-41; 2011 Prevost H3-41; 2012 Prevost H3-41; 2013 Prevost H3-41; 2014 Prevost H3-41; 2015 Prevost H3-41; 2016 Prevost H3-41; 2017 Prevost H3-41; 2018 Prevost H3-41; 2019 Prevost H3-41; 2021 Prevost H3-41; 2022 Prevost H3-41; 2010 Prevost H3-45; 2011 Prevost H3-45; 2012 Prevost H3-45; 2013 Prevost H3-45; 2014 Prevost H3-45; 2015 Prevost H3-45; 2016 Prevost H3-45; 2017 Prevost H3-45; 2018 Prevost H3-45; 2019 Prevost H3-45; 2020 Prevost H3-45; 2021 Prevost H3-45; 2022 Prevost H3-45; 2023 Prevost H3-45; 2010 Prevost H3-45 VIP; 2011 Prevost H3-45 VIP; 2012 Prevost H3-45 VIP; 2013 Prevost H3-45 VIP; 2014 Prevost H3-45 VIP; 2015 Prevost H3-45 VIP; 2016 Prevost H3-45 VIP; 2017 Prevost H3-45 VIP; 2018 Prevost H3-45 VIP; 2019 Prevost H3-45 VIP; 2020 Prevost H3-45 VIP; 2021 Prevost H3-45 VIP; 2022 Prevost H3-45 VIP; 2023 Prevost H3-45 VIP; 2010 Prevost H3-VIP; 2011 Prevost H3-VIP; 2012 Prevost H3-VIP; 2013 Prevost H3-VIP; 2014 Prevost H3-VIP; 2015 Prevost H3-VIP; 2016 Prevost H3-VIP; 2017 Prevost H3-VIP; 2018 Prevost H3-VIP and 90 more.
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 PE21011 a recall?
No — it is the investigation that led to one. Recall 22E030000, 22V221000, 22V222000 is the campaign; its page carries the remedy.
Is PE21011 still open?
No. It closed on Oct 3, 2022 and led to recall 22E030000, 22V221000, 22V222000.
Which vehicles does PE21011 cover?
NHTSA opened it on 150 model years: 2010 Prevost H3, 2011 Prevost H3, 2012 Prevost H3, 2013 Prevost H3, 2019 Prevost H3, 2020 Prevost H3 and more. That is the scope of the inquiry, not a list of affected vehicles; a recall, if one follows, defines its own population by VIN.