2004 Mci D4500 problems

What is wrong

Motor Coach Industries (MCI) is recalling certain 102DL3, 102D3, MC12PTV, E4500, D4000, 102D3ISTV, D4500, J4500, D4000ISTV, D4005, D4505, and J3500 transit buses. Please refer to MCI's recall report for specific model year information. The front door lower curb view glazing material is incorrect. As such, these vehicles fail to conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 205, "Glazing Materials."

Risk

The incorrect window glazing material may reduce the driver's visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

MCI will replace the glass, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 4, 2026. Owners may contact MCI customer service at 1‑800‑241‑2947. MCI's number for this recall is 22-005.

Recall number 25V853000 · Recall details

What is wrong

Motor Coach Industries (MCI) is recalling certain model year 2000-2012 D, E, G and J series coaches manufactured January 2000 through June 2011 and equipped with Sure Power battery equalizers containing a particular epoxy sealing, aka 'potting', compound. The specific potting compound used in the subject products for insulation was found to be capable of conducting electricity after being exposed to heat.

Risk

Once electrically conductive, the material is capable of melting and burning, increasing the risk of a fire.

Remedy

MCI will notify owners, and Sure Power will replace the equalizers, free of charge. Owners may contact MCI at 1‑847‑285‑2000. This campaign is MCI service bulletin 401.

Recall number 13V498000 · Recall details

What is wrong

Mci is recalling certain model year 2000-2009 d4000, model year 2001-2010 d4500 and model year 2005-2007 d4505 coaches equipped with ricon wheelchair lift (wcl) and a cassette-type wcl compartment door. The wheelchair lift may become disengaged from a locked position and slide unrestrained on its rollers in the storage structure, potentially breaking through the cassette door and extending beyond the outside of the door when the coach is in motion, particularly when the coach is making a left turn.

Risk

If the coach is in motion, potential injury to persons and/or damage to other vehicles or property could occur.

Remedy

Mci will provide parts and labor to install free of charge to customers, a ricon designed retrofit kit that includes a spring loaded lock mechanism. The safety recall began on march 31, 2010. Owners may contact mci customer service line at 1‑800‑241‑2947.

Recall number 10V087000 · Recall details

What is wrong

Mci is recalling certain model year 2002-2009 d series coaches, equipped with luminator horizon LED side destination signs. The connector board can corrode due to an accumulation of moisture under the connector.

Risk

A short could occur, possibly causing smoke and fire.

Remedy

Mci will notify owners and luminator will repair the buses free of charge. Please see luminator's defect report 09e-054. The safety recall began on november 9, 2009. Owners may contact luminator at 1‑972‑516‑3033 or mci customer service at 1‑800‑241‑2947.

Recall number 09V432000 · Recall details

What is wrong

On certain motor coaches, the boost connector housing can fail over time, exposing the positive and negative terminals.

Risk

This could result in the grounding of an unprotected circuit and could lead to a thermal event if not corrected.

Remedy

Customers are being advised to remove the boost connector and discard it. Customers will be offered a new design boost connector as an alternative at no cost. The recall began on january 2, 2007. Owners may contact mci at 1‑800‑241‑2947.

Recall number 06V481000 · Recall details

What is wrong

On certain motor coaches equipped with a slide switch to control the defroster blower speed, there is a speed controller for each of the two defroster fan motors. The speed controller may fail causing the fan motor to operate continuously in the "high" speed mode, and the carrier slide switch may fail to reduce or otherwise control the fan motor speed.

Risk

The speed controller may overheat and result in a thermal even, such as smoking or possible fire.

Remedy

Dealers will replace the defroster speed controller free of charge. The recall began on july 20, 2006. Owners may contact motor coach at 1‑800‑241‑2947.

Recall number 06V241000 · Recall details

What is wrong

On certain motor coaches equipped with detroit diesel series 60 engines, the turbocharger compressors can fail.

Risk

A fire can result should the turbocharger fail.

Remedy

Detroit diesel is conducting this recall (please see 06e019000) and will remedy these motor coaches. The engines will be repaired free of charge. Owners may contact detroit diesel at 313‑592‑3708 or motor coach at 866‑624‑2622.

Recall number 06V140000 · Recall details

In the fall of 2011, network contacts made ODI aware of four (4) incidents of drive shaft failure on the subject buses involving a loss of vehicle control.Two of the incidents were relatively low speed non-crash events; and two resulted in motor coach rollovers.All four events showed signs of a common failure mode.The incidents and crashes studied during this investigation all resulted from a series of complex events that began with the the yoke journal ears on the drive shafts fracturing.Once the drive shaft failed. it was not adequately contained by a drive shaft safety loop or structure.The spinning and unrestrained drive shaft caused severe damage to components on the steerable tag axle at the rear of the vehicle and created a forced steering condition.Once the rear of the bus was being forcibly steered by the tag axle, the driver lost control of the vehicle.These conclusions are based on the forensics evidence and testing conducted by the Vehicle Research and Test Center (VRTC).The VRTC test report is attached to this closing resume that provides details on how the test center was able to conclusively identify the defective components on the buses and demonstrate the sequence of events that caused the buses to crash.Prior to the drive shaft failure events, there were no indications of improper maintenance or that maintenance was required that would have prevented the incidents.Additionally, the U-joints on the incident vehicles were found to be in good working condition at the time of the failure. Finally, records of driver interviews indicated a sudden onset of the failure with no warning.Following the VRTC testing, MCI issued recall 14V‑335 involving certain model year 1993-1995 102DL3 motor coaches manufactured November 1992 to January 1995, and 2006 and 2008 D4505 motor coaches manufactured June 2005 to April 2008.The affected buses are equipped with a drive shaft with a compressed length of 30 inches or less (allowing it to escape containment if it fails), a steerable trailing tag axle equipped with a system that changes the axle caster when the vehicle is in reverse travel and no electronic stability control (ESC).Recall 14V‑335 addresses the concerns of this investigation.The ODI report cited above can be viewed at www-odi.the federal safety agency.dot.gov/owners/Searchreference: ODI Number 10447575.

EA12007

ODI has identified certain MCI coaches with powertrain configurations that may allow a driveshaft separated at the rearward universal joint to escape the guardian structure of the steerable tag axle and damage steering and braking components.The damaged components may increase the risk of a loss of vehicle control. The subject coaches include 806 model year 1992 through 2012 MCI D and E series motor coaches with steerable tag axles.This Preliminary Evaluation is being upgraded to an Engineering Analysis (EA12-007) to further study the alleged defect and to determine if a safety defect exists. The ODI report cited above can be viewed at www-odi.the federal safety agency.dot.gov/owners/Searchreference: ODI Number 10447575.

PE12007