23E017 – Lower Control Arm May Fail – SAF-Holland ADZ-123-9 Truck Suspensions

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OMB Control No.: 2127-0004 Part 573 Safety Recall Report 23E-017 The information contained in this report was submitted pursuant to 49 CFR §573 Manufacturer Name : SAF-Holland Submission Date : MAR 07, 2023 NHTSA Recall No. : 23E-017 Manufacturer Recall No. : T B D Manufacturer Information : Manufacturer Name : SAF-Holland Address : 1950 Industrial Blvd Muskegon MI 49443 Company phone : 888 396-6501 Population : Number of potentially involved : 349 Estimated percentage with defect : 100 % Equipment Information : Brand / Trade 1 : SAF-HOLLAND Model : ADZ Truck Suspensions, ADZ-123-9 Part No. : 33100396 Size : n/a Function : Vehicle suspens Descriptive Information : Fatigue failure of the rear suspension control arm. The vehicle population being recalled consists of GILLIG 29-foot low-floor transit buses equipped with a CNG powertrain and with the subject rear suspension lower control arm as either original equipment or a replacement part. Buses equipped with powertrain types other than CNG are not susceptible to the condition. Production Dates : FEB 28, 2011 – NOV 19, 2021 Description of Defect : Description of the Defect : Our customer, GILLIG, has determined that the rear suspension lower control arm in 29 foot transit buses, configured with a CNG powertrain, may experience high levels of cumulative strain damage in some duty cycles and that over time and with increased mileage, the lower control arm may fail. As a result of the above, SAF-HOLLAND has decided to voluntarily initiate a safety recall campaign for the equipment population that may be affected by the issue. FMVSS 1 : NR FMVSS 2 : NR Description of the Safety Risk : If the LCA fails, this could lead to unintended rear axle movement which could lead to degraded or loss of vehicle control and increase the risk of a crash. Description of the Cause : The specific use of our ADZ-123-9 truck suspension by GILLIG on their CNG bus application, resulted in increased stresses to the lower control arm (LCA) of our ADZ-123-9 truck suspension, resulting in the fatigue failure of the lower Part 573 Safety Recall Report 23E-017 Page 2 The information contained in this report was submitted pursuant to 49 CFR §573 control arm in this specific application. SAF-Holland has determined that the ADZ-123-9 truck suspension were produced to specification, but their use on GILLIG CNG bus applications applies strain to the LCA which is beyond its design parameters, resulting in a reduction of the LCAs durability. Identification of Any Warning that can Occur : SAF-Holland is not aware of any driver warning prior to component failure. Involved Components : Component Name : Lower Control Arm Component Description : The trailing arm beam of our ADZ-123-9 Suspension Component Part Number : 90517307 Supplier Identification : Component Manufacturer Name : SAF-HOLLAND, Inc. Address : 1950 Industrial Boulevard Muskegon Michigan 49442 Country : United States Chronology : The chronology is provided in a separate document. Description of Remedy : Description of Remedy Program : SAF-Holland is developing a permanent remedy for this condition. As an interim remedy, the LCA will be replaced with a new LCA arm of the existing design. Design and validation efforts are underway for a permanent remedy. GILLIG will be notified when the permanent remedy is available. The permanent remedy will be made available to GILLIG, for distribution to customers that received an interim remedy. Both interim and permanent remedies will be provided free of charge. Pursuant to 49 CFR Sec. 573.13, GILLIG will reimburse owners for costs incurred for remedies in advance of the manufacturer’s notification of the safetyrelated defect. Part 573 Safety Recall Report 23E-017 Page 3 The information contained in this report was submitted pursuant to 49 CFR §573 How Remedy Component Differs from Recalled Component : The interim remedy, which is expected to last a minimum of 100,000 miles, is the same design as that originally installed at the OEM. When the permanent remedy is complete, the LCA will be a different design with a different part number that meets the durability requirements specific for this application. Identify How/When Recall Condition was Corrected in Production : The recall condition is not present in current production GILLIG bus production. The last bus using the part at issue were produced by Gillig in November 2021. The ADZ-123-9 truck suspension is no longer offered on a GILLIG bus. Recall Schedule : Description of Recall Schedule : SAF-Holland plans to send out the customer notification letter to GILLIG by the end of the 60-day period from the date this recall is filed. Planned Dealer Notification Date : NR – NR Planned Owner Notification Date : MAR 14, 2023 – MAR 14, 2023 Purchaser Information : The following manufacturers purchased this defective/noncompliant equipment for possible use or installation in new motor vehicles or new items of motor vehicle equipment: Name : NR Address : NR NR Country : NR Company Phone : NR * NR – Not Reported

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