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NHTSA campaign 19V027000 · manufacturer recall SB 469

1997–2015 MCI 102EL3 and 2 other MCI models: steering recall

Loss of steering control may increase the risk of a crash.

high 2,089 vehicles affected 13% reported repaired

What was reported

Source: manufacturer filing, 49 CFR Part 573
Problem Motor Coach Industries (MCI) is recalling certain 2001-2015 J4500 and 1997-2013 102EL3/E4500 coaches equipped with a hydraulic rear axle (tag axle) steering system. The axle's alignment and low hydraulic pressure in the steering system may cause the steering system to lock, causing a loss of steering control at highway speeds. Risk Loss of steering control may increase the risk of a crash. Fix MCI will inspect and repair axle alignment, as necessary, free of charge. MCI issued owners an interim notification on March 26, 2019. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 14, 2021. Owners may contact MCI customer service at 1-800-241-2947. MCI's number for this recall is SB 469.

Reported to NHTSA Jan 7, 2019 by Motor Coach Industries, owners notified May 14, 2021.

Which vehicles are covered

Source: NHTSA campaign 19V027000

Vehicles built May 1, 1997 to May 13, 2014 — a VIN outside that window is not part of this campaign even if the year, make and model match.

Model yearOn WhichTrim
1997 MCI 102EL3
1998 MCI 102EL3
1999 MCI 102EL3
2000 MCI 102EL3
2001 MCI 102EL3
2002 MCI 102EL3
2003 MCI 102EL3
2004 MCI 102EL3
2005 MCI 102EL3
2006 MCI 102EL3
2007 MCI 102EL3
2008 MCI 102EL3
2009 MCI 102EL3
2010 MCI 102EL3
2011 MCI 102EL3
2012 MCI 102EL3
2013 MCI 102EL3
1997 MCI E4500
1998 MCI E4500
1999 MCI E4500
2000 MCI E4500
2001 MCI E4500
2002 MCI E4500
2003 MCI E4500
2004 MCI E4500
2005 MCI E4500
2006 MCI E4500
2007 MCI E4500
2008 MCI E4500
2009 MCI E4500
2010 MCI E4500
2011 MCI E4500
2012 MCI E4500
2013 MCI E4500
2001 MCI J4500
2002 MCI J4500
2003 MCI J4500
2004 MCI J4500
2005 MCI J4500
2006 MCI J4500
2007 MCI J4500
2008 MCI J4500
2009 MCI J4500
2010 MCI J4500
2011 MCI J4500
2012 MCI J4500
2013 MCI J4500
2014 MCI J4500
2015 MCI J4500

None of the vehicles this campaign names has a page on WhichTrim: every model year it names is older than the catalogue, which begins at 2016. The campaign record above is complete as filed, and whether one specific vehicle is included is settled by its VIN. Other campaigns on vehicles without a page here →

How much of it has been fixed

Source: manufacturer quarterly report, 49 CFR 573.7
Reported repaired 13%

of the campaign

The final figure: the six quarters of reporting that 49 cfr 573.7 requires have closed.

This is the manufacturer's own cumulative count of vehicles it has inspected and repaired, divided by the vehicles the campaign covers. It files that count with NHTSA every quarter for six consecutive quarters, starting from the quarter in which owners were told a remedy was ready, and then the obligation ends — so a figure on an older campaign is where the count stopped, not where it stands today.

It rarely reaches 100%, and not because the work was not done. The same report asks manufacturers to count vehicles they could not reach at all — exported, stolen, scrapped, or simply never located — and those stay in the denominator. A low number means a lot of these vehicles are still out there unrepaired; it does not tell you which ones.

The federal paperwork

Source: nhtsa.gov

Filed documents

Check one specific vehicle

A recall applies to a build range, so year, make and model cannot settle it. NHTSA checks a VIN against the manufacturer's own list and tells you whether the repair is still outstanding on that vehicle.

NHTSA VIN recall lookup →

Campaign 19V027000 · the manufacturer calls it SB 469

Own one, or run a fleet? Recall Watch checks each VIN against every new NHTSA campaign and emails you when one lands, this one's expansions included. Or take a free one-line alert by model year.

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Common questions

Source: NHTSA, 49 CFR Part 573

Is SB 469 the same recall as 19V027000?

Yes. SB 469 is the number Motor Coach Industries uses for this campaign in its own paperwork and in the letter it sends owners. 19V027000 is the number NHTSA files it under. One recall, two references — dealers and service departments generally quote the manufacturer's.

Does this recall repair cost anything?

No. Federal law requires the manufacturer to remedy a safety defect or a compliance failure at no charge, for vehicles up to 15 years old measured from the date of first sale. A dealer that asks you to pay for a recall repair is in the wrong.

How do I know whether my vehicle is included?

By VIN, not by model year. This campaign covers vehicles built May 1, 1997 to May 13, 2014. The manufacturer files a build range with NHTSA and only vehicles inside it are covered, so two identical-looking cars from the same year can differ. NHTSA's own lookup checks a VIN against the manufacturer's list.

What if the repair is not available yet?

It happens, and often. Manufacturers must notify owners when a defect is found even if the parts or the software are not ready, then notify them a second time once the remedy exists. The remedy filed for this campaign is described above.

What did the manufacturer say was wrong?

The problem, risk and fix quoted on this page are the manufacturer's own words as filed with NHTSA under 49 CFR Part 573. WhichTrim does not paraphrase them.

Who started this recall?

NHTSA's record credits the manufacturer. A recall can begin with the manufacturer's own testing, with a defect investigation, or with a compliance test against a Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard.