2009 Mci D4505 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

Motor coach industries (mci) is recalling certain model year 2003, and 2007-2012 e and j models along with model year 2007-2012 d4000, d4005, d4500, d4505, d4000istv motor coaches equipped with meritor wabco electronic stability control (ESC) modules, manufactured from october 2002, through october 2011. Under certain road and driving conditions, vehicle body roll and road inclination characteristics may adversely affect the slip angle calculation of the electronic stability control (ESC) system. This might cause the ESC to perceive an over steering situation and therefore apply the outer wheel brake on the front axle until the vehicle is perceived to be stable.

Risk

If the driver is slow to react during this ESC intervention, the vehicle may deviate from the intended line of travel, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Mci will notify owners and replace the control module free of charge. The safety recall began on january 4, 2012. Owners may contact mci customer service at 1‑800‑241‑2947.

Recall number 11V524000 · Recall details

What is wrong

Mci is recalling certain model year 2009-2010 d4005 and d4505 motor coaches equipped with a national seating company driver's seat containing a stabilus bloc-o-lift shock. The driver's seat shock damper may break allowing the driver's seat to unexpectedly drop to the floor without warning.

Risk

In the event this should occur while the bus is in operation, the driver may lose control of the vehicle, possibly resulting in a crash.

Remedy

Mci will notify owners and replace the seat shock as necessary free of charge. The safety recall began on september 15, 2010. Owners may contact mci customer service at 1‑800‑241‑2947.

Recall number 10V409000 · Recall details

What is wrong

Mci has notified the federal safety agency of a defect in certain model year 2009 d4000 and model year 2008-2010 d4500 and d4505 motor coaches fitted with ricon public use lifts. The restraint belt on these lifts was designed to prevent the lift from moving, unless the tongue of the belt is fully engaged and latched in the buckle. Ricon has discovered, however, that it is possible for the operator to insert the belt tongue into the buckle without fully engaging the latching mechanism. In this case, the restraint belt would appear to be latched, and the operator could run the lift. If the restraint belt tongue is not fully engaged into the restraint belt buckle, and latched, the lift may operate with an occupant on the platform.

Risk

The user of the lift could be injured should the lift move without the restraint belt properly buckled.

Remedy

Mci is working with ricon and ricon will be handling the remedy for this campaign. Please see ricon's defect report 09e-060. Ricon will provide customers with a warning decal and a dvd-based training aid. The recall is expected to begin during april 2010. Owners may contact ricon customer service at 1‑800‑322‑2884, emailing at [email protected].

Recall number 10V114000 · Recall details

What is wrong

Mci is recalling certain model year 2005-2008 d4000, model year 2005-2009 d4500 and d4505 transit buses, equipped with caterpillar c13 engine and 50dn alternator. The alternator cable may become loose within the cable clamp, which could result in chafing of the alternator cable and possible arcing of the cable wires.

Risk

This could result in a fire.

Remedy

Mci will notify owners and replace the alternator cable clamp and related hardware free of charge. The safety recall began on november 30, 2009. Owners may contact mci customer service at 1‑800‑241‑2947.

Recall number 09V446000 · Recall details

What is wrong

Mci is recalling model year 2009 d4500/4505 coaches equipped with the meritor fh 946 14,000 lb rated steerable tag axle. Due to insufficient clamping force of the cylinder lock plate, it may move from its normal set position, which in turn could result in the tag axle not automatically locking, or locking with the wheels not in a straight ahead position.

Risk

If the tag axle does not lock above 20 MPH, there is a loss of lateral force control of the tag axle that can affect the steering of the vehicle. Also during a turn the rear of the vehicle will swing further out in the opposite direction of the turn and could result in the coach striking another vehicle increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Dealers will provide replacement clamps that do not have paint on the clamping surfaces. This service will be performed free of charge. The recall began on september 14, 2009. Owners may contact mci customer service line at 1‑800‑241‑2947.

Recall number 09V350000 · Recall details

What is wrong

Mci is recalling 29 model year 2009 d4505 motor coaches manufactured between february and april 2009, equipped with koni shock absorbers. When the coach is moving in rear-rise mode, the tag suspension air springs can generate force that exceeds the maximum allowable tensile strength of the shock absorbers exceeding their design rebound limit.

Risk

This failure could result in separation of the shock absorber from its mounting, causing interference between the upper portion of the suspension and the driveshaft, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash.

Remedy

Mci will notify owners and will repair the coaches free of charge. The safety recall began on july 10, 2009. Owners may contact mci at 1‑847‑285‑2000.

Recall number 09V200000 · Recall details

What is wrong

Mci is recalling certain model year 2008 and 2009 motor coaches, model j4500 manufactured between october 2007 and april 2009; 2009 motor coaches models d4000istv, d4005, d4500, and d4505 manufactured between january and july 2009; 2010 d4500 coaches manufactured between december 2008 and april 2009; 2009 e4500 coaches manufactured between january and april 2009; and one 2003 e4500 coach manufactured in october 2002. These vehicles may have been equipped with meritor wabco steering angle sensors (sas) which can develop internal friction between the sensor gears and the sensor housing as a result of external forces experienced on the vehicle including vibration. If developed friction is great enough, the driving tab of the sas can sheer as the driver turns the steering wheel.

Risk

With a broken sas driving tab, the electronic stability control (ESC) will not function properly, which could possibly result in a vehicle crash.

Remedy

Mci will notify owners and the vehicles will be repaired free of charge. The safety recall began on july 10, 2009. Owners may contact mci at 1‑800‑241‑2947.

Recall number 09V196000 · 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

ODI opened this investigation upon learning of two incidents where the wheel chair assembly broke through the side door while the motor coach was being operated. Both incidents resulted in property damage to parked vehicles.After further review, MCI decided to conduct a safety recall to resolve this issue. MCI will provide parts and labor to install a Ricon-designed retrofit kit that includes a spring-loaded lock mechanism. The additional lock mechanism will prevent unintended wheel chair lift deployment regardless of the cause. The population includes 1995 through 2009 D4000's, 1997 through 2010 D4500's, and 2005 through 2010 D4505 models. This resolves all issues concerning this investigation. This investigation is closed.

PE10001