MCI recall query RQ17007
Exhaust Bellows Pipe Fracture Recall. NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation opened this recall query about the engine on 30 model years (2011–2016). Opened Sep 18, 2017, closed Jul 31, 2018 after 10 months. It concerns recall 18V309000. closed
What NHTSA says
Source: Office of Defects Investigation, as filedBy letter dated April 15, 2013, Motor Coach Industries (MCI) notified the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) of a safety defect that may exist in certain model year (MY) 2012 and 2013 MCI D-model coaches built from December 22, 2011 to May 19, 2012 equipped with the Cummins 2010 EPA ISX 12 Liter engine. These vehicles may have had an incorrect installation of the exhaust pipe. If installed incorrectly, the elbow pipe may prematurely fail and if a Diesel Particulate Filter regeneration event occurs, the hot exhaust gases could cause a fire, resulting in injury to persons and/or damage to property. MCI conducted an inspect and repair if necessary recall campaign identified by NHTSA Recall No: 13V-142. At the time MCI believed that 13V-142 covered all the vehicles potentially having the safety defect. However, ODI review of EWR data indicated that other vehicles outside the scope of 13V-142 also experienced the same defect condition. Subsequently, in May 2017, MCI expanded the scope of the previous recall to include certain MY 2011-2012 MCI D-model coaches manufactured from January 31, 2011 to May 19, 2012, identified by NHTSA Recall No: 17V-337. In April 2013 when MCI conducted recall 13V-142 to remedy incorrectly installed bellows pipes on certain MCI model year 2012 and 2013 D model vehicles they also changed the bellows pipe assembly process in then current production. With recall 17V-337 MCI expanded the first recall by an additional 178 vehicles they felt also had not had the bellows pipe properly installed. Following the receipt of complaints and EWR data alleging bellows pipe failures on vehicles built after the implementation of the improved assembly process, NHTSA opened this Recall Query to assess the scope and adequacy of these two safety recalls and MCI's recall decision making process. Analysis of the failure data provided by MCI to this investigation found that the improved assembly process reduced the failure rate but did not eliminate the defect all together. In response to this investigation, MCI agreed to conduct recall 18V-309. This latest recall includes and expands upon the vehicle population of the prior recalls, and implements a new remedy that adds a mesh component to the bellows assembly to reduce vibration. This remedy was also implemented in production in 2015. Vehicles built after this date do not have an elevated failure rate even with a significant amount of time in service. With recall action 18V-309 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.
A Recall Query is a look at a recall that already exists — whether its remedy works, whether it reached every vehicle it should have, whether the manufacturer met its obligations. 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 is closed. A recall query ends with NHTSA’s finding on the recall it examined — the remedy stands, is widened, or a new campaign follows; the file names the recall it concerned and NHTSA’s closing resume carries the reasoning.
Model years it names
Source: as NHTSA filed themAlso named: 2011 MCI D4000; 2012 MCI D4000; 2013 MCI D4000; 2014 MCI D4000; 2015 MCI D4000; 2016 MCI D4000; 2011 MCI D4000ISTV; 2012 MCI D4000ISTV; 2013 MCI D4000ISTV; 2014 MCI D4000ISTV; 2015 MCI D4000ISTV; 2016 MCI D4000ISTV; 2011 MCI D4005; 2012 MCI D4005; 2013 MCI D4005; 2014 MCI D4005; 2015 MCI D4005; 2016 MCI D4005; 2011 MCI D4500; 2012 MCI D4500; 2013 MCI D4500; 2014 MCI D4500; 2015 MCI D4500; 2016 MCI D4500; 2011 MCI D4505; 2012 MCI D4505; 2013 MCI D4505; 2014 MCI D4505; 2015 MCI D4505; 2016 MCI D4505.
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 RQ17007 a recall?
No — it is NHTSA’s examination of recall 18V309000, which has its own page and remedy.
Is RQ17007 still open?
No. It closed on Jul 31, 2018 with its finding on recall 18V309000.
Which vehicles does RQ17007 cover?
NHTSA opened it on 30 model years: 2011 MCI D4000, 2012 MCI D4000, 2013 MCI D4000, 2014 MCI D4000, 2015 MCI D4000, 2016 MCI D4000 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.