Improperly Welded Seat Frames – 2021-2023 Prevost X3-45 Commuter Buses

Recall Acknowledgement

RCAK-23V272-4311.pdf 645.162KB

Noncompliance Notice 573 Report

RCLRPT-23V272-2884.PDF 215.584KB

Safety Bulletin

RCSB-23V272-5122.pdf 655.347KB

SEOCONTENT-START

Writer: mg
SAFETY
RECALL
SR23-304
DATE :
June 2023
SECTION : 18 BODY
SUBJECT:
Missing Weld on Passenger Flip-Up Seat
First Release
06-08-2023
APPLICATION
NOTICE TO SERVICE CENTERS
Verify vehicle eligibility by checking warranty bulletin status with SAP or via ONLINE WARRANTY SYSTEM available on Service / Warranty tab of Prevost website.
Model
VIN
X3-45 Commuter
Model Year: 2020 – 2023
From
4RKJ33496L9737721 up to 4RKJ33496P9738096 incl.
This Safety Recall does not necessarily apply to all the above-mentioned vehicles. Some vehicles may also have been modified before delivery. The owners of the vehicles affected by this recall will be advised by a letter indicating the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) of each vehicle concerned.
DESCRIPTION
On the vehicles affected by this recall, some of the foldable passenger seat frames may have been improperly welded.
Therefore, all vehicles must have their folding seats inspected and their frames replaced as necessary following the inspection procedure provided below.
The work will be entirely performed by authorized AMSECO technicians at the customer facilities
0BSR23-304
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Writer: mg
SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
• Eye protection should always be worn when working in a shop.
• Rules for Personal Protection Equipment should always be respected. Wear your PPE including but not limited to the following:
Safety First!
DANGER
Park vehicle safely, apply parking brake, stop the engine. Prior to working on the vehicle, set the ignition switch to the OFF position and trip the main circuit breakers equipped with a trip button. On Commuter type vehicles, set the battery master switch (master cut-out) to the OFF position.
Lockout & Tag out (LOTO) must be performed during set-up, maintenance or repair activities. Refer to your local procedure for detailed information regarding the control of hazardous energy.
VEHICLE SEAT CONFIGURATION SHOWING FLIP-UP SEATS POSITION
0BSR23-304
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Writer: mg
FLIP-UP SEAT FRAME
1. The tubes, brackets, and center pivot are to be welded as shown below in blue. The weld will be on both sides of the recline bracket and center pivot.
0BSR23-304
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Writer: mg
2. The tubes and brackets are to be welded as shown below in green. The weld will be on both sides of the pedestal brackets.
OTHER
VBC Bulletin
N/A
Access all our Service Bulletins on http://techpub.prevostcar.com/en/
or scan the QR-Code with your smart phone.
E-mail us at technicalpublications_prev@volvo.com and type “ADD” in the subject to receive our warranty bulletins by e-mail.
Fail Code
18.03-2
Defect Code
09
Syst.Cond
R
Causal Part
868087
Writer: mg
VEHICLE SERIAL NUMBER:
PERFORMED BY
OWNER/OPERATOR
We hereby certify that Safety Recall Instructions with regard to Safety Recall 0BSR23-304 have been performed.
Name:
Name:
Addr:
Addr:
Phone:
Phone:
Fax:
Fax:
Signature :
Signature :
Date:
Date:
If the information mentioned above is incorrect or you are not the owner of this vehicle anymore, please fill this section and return to sender.
NEW OWNER:
BUSINESS:
ADDRESS (including County):
TELEPHONE:
FAX:
Please return this completed document with your A.F.A. form
Safety Recall
Certification Sheet
(Ref: 0BSR23-304 )

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US recall notif letter
PREVOST SAFETY RECALL SR23-304
NHTSA SAFETY RECALL #23V-272
JUNE 2023
«customer» SR23-304
«add» «po»
«city», «st» «zip»
USA
IMPORTANT SAFETY RECALL
This notice applies to your vehicle(s), see VIN list below.
Dear Customer,
This notice is sent to you in accordance with the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act.
Prevost Car US Inc. has decided that certain 2021 to 2023 X3-45 Commuters vehicles fail to conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 210 “Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages”.
DEFECT DESCRIPTION
On the concerned vehicles, certain foldable passenger seat frames may have been improperly welded. Considering that seat belts are integrated in the seats, the defective seats may not comply with FMVSS 210.
SAFETY RISK
If the vehicle is involved in a crash, an improperly welded seat frame could potentially fail to restrain the occupant, thus increasing the risk of injury.
IDENTIFICATION OF ANY WARNING THAT CAN PRECEDE
There is no warning with this issue.
US recall notif letter
REMEDY PROGRAM
Prevost has released a repair procedure to remedy the affected vehicle population and will inspect and replace the defectives seat base(s) found. Service and parts will be provided free of charge.
According to our records, you are the registered owner of the following vehicles involved in this safety recall SR23-304 :
«VIN1»
«VIN5»
«VIN9»
«VIN2»
«VIN6»
«VIN10»
«VIN3»
«VIN7»
«VIN11»
«VIN4»
«VIN8»
«VIN12»
WHAT YOU NEED TO DO
Please contact your Prevost Customer Support Manager and refer to Safety Recall SR23-304 to have the vehicle inspected and the seats repaired as required.
Optionally, you may have the work performed by qualified personnel of your choice, following Safety Recall SR23-304 available on Prevost Technical Publications web site at this address: http://techpub.prevostcar.com/en/
The time to inspect your vehicle is approximately 1/2 hour (0.5 h).
The time to replace each defective seat base possibly found during inspection is approximately 1 1/2 hour (1.5 h).
PART AND LABOR CLAIM
Prevost will reimburse you as described in SR23-304 procedure. Please file an online warranty claim following normal campaign procedures if you are a registered customer, otherwise, contact the Prevost Warranty Department at 1-866-870-2046 for reimbursement instructions.
NOTICE REGARDING LEASED VEHICLES
If you are a Lessor of vehicles subject to this Notice, you have an obligation under Federal Law to send a copy of this Notice to all Lessees within 10 days.
PRE-NOTIFICATION REMEDIES
If you have previously paid for repairs as a result of this issue, you may be entitled to recovery of those expenses. Prevost Car US will reimburse the claimant by check for the reasonable amount paid for repairs (i.e. the cost of parts, labor, disposal fees and taxes) that addressed the defect as stated in the safety recall notification. To qualify, repairs must have been completed no earlier than one year prior to the release of the recall and no later than 10 days after the release of the recall mailing of the initial customer notification letter pertaining to the recall. To get reimbursed, please file an online warranty claim following normal Campaign procedures if you are a registered customer, otherwise, contact the Prevost Warranty Department at 1-866-870-2046 for reimbursement instructions.
US recall notif letter
REIMBURSEMENT OF PRE-NOTIFICATION REMEDIES
When a Prevost vehicle is affected by a safety recall and the owner/purchaser (claimant) has the safety-related defect or FMVSS regulatory noncompliance remedied at their own expense prior to receiving the manufacturer notification of the safety recall, Prevost Car (US) Inc. will reimburse the owner/purchaser for the reasonable amount paid (i.e. the cost of parts, labor, disposal fees and taxes) that addressed the safety-related defect or FMVSS regulatory noncompliance as described in the safety recall notification. To qualify, repairs must have been completed no earlier than one year prior to the release of the safety recall (notification to the government) and no later than 10 days after the last mailing of the initial customer notification letter pertaining to the recall. To get reimbursed, please file an online warranty claim following normal campaign procedure if you are a registered customer, otherwise, please contact the Prevost Warranty Department at 1-866-870-2046 for reimbursement instructions.
CHANGE OF ADDRESS OR OWNERSHIP
If your address has changed, or you no longer own the vehicle(s), please help us update our records. Use the link below to access the Prevost Warranty Support web page https://prevostcar.com/contact/warranty
Click on the link ‘Change of address or ownership’, fill the form, save it and email the file to prevost.warranty@volvo.com
ASSISTANCE
If you need assistance, please contact your nearest Prevost Service Center. You will find the Prevost Parts & Service Centers location at this address:
https://prevostcar.com/contact/parts-service-center
COMPLAINTS
You may submit a complaint if you believe that Prevost Car US has failed or is unable to remedy the defect without charge or within a reasonable time.
You may submit the complaint to the Administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration located at 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590, USA or call the toll-free Vehicle Safety Hotline at: 1-888-327-4236, (TTY): 1-800-424-9153) or go to http://www.safercar.gov
We regret any inconvenience this may cause to your operations but hope you will appreciate our sincere efforts to demonstrate Prevost’s commitment to provide our customers with the best possible product.
Truly yours,
Prevost Service Team

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OMB Control No.: 2127-0004
Part 573 Safety Recall Report 23V-272
The information contained in this report was submitted pursuant to 49 CFR §573
Manufacturer Name : Submission Date :
Prevost Car (US) Inc. APR 17, 2023 NHTSA Recall No. : 23V-272 Manufacturer Recall No. : NR Manufacturer Information :
Manufacturer Name : Prevost Car (US) Inc.
Address : 201 South Avenue
South Plains NJ 07080 Company phone : 908-222-7211
Population :
Number of potentially involved : 280 Estimated percentage with defect : 1 %
Vehicle Information : Vehicle 1 : 2021-2023 Prevost X3-45 Commuter Vehicle Type :
Body Style :
Power Train : NR
Descriptive Information : The population was determined based on the production period and location as it is a production issue. The concerned vehicles are certain MY2021 to MY2023 Prevost
X3-45 Commuter buses manufactured during the indicated production dates. The recalled products are limited to these specific vehicles since they were the only ones equipped with the potentially defective passenger seats. It is to be noted that only seats equipped with a foldable seat cushion (“Flip-Up Seats”) are concerned by this recall (non-foldable seats have a different frame design).
A total of 123 MY2021 Prevost X3-45 Commuter, 88 MY2022 Prevost X3-45 Commuter, and 69 MY2023 Prevost X3-45 Commuter vehicles are affected by the recall.
Production Dates : AUG 19, 2020 – OCT 21, 2022 VIN Range 1 : Begin : NR End : NR Not sequential
Description of Noncompliance :
Description of the Noncompliance :
On the concerned vehicles, certain foldable passenger seat frames may have been improperly welded. Considering that seat belts are integrated in the seats, the defective seats may not comply with FMVSS 210 “Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages”. FMVSS 1 : 210 – Seat belt assembly anchorages FMVSS 2 : NR
Description of the Safety Risk : If the vehicle is involved in a crash, an improperly welded seat frame could
potentially fail to restrain the occupant, thus increasing the risk of injury. Part 573 Safety Recall Report 23V-272 Page 2 Prevost has not received any reports of death or injury associated with this defect. Therefore, we consider this as a proactive measure to protect the public from the potential risk associated with this defect.
Description of the Cause : The defect results from a supplier quality issue (inadequate seat frame welding from the supplier). Identification of Any Warning
that can Occur : There is no warning with this issue. Involved Components : Component Name 1 : SEAT 2 PASS CURBSIDE FLIP-UP
Component Description : Foldable Seat Component Part Number : 868087 Component Name 2 : SEAT 2 PASS CURBSIDE FLIP-UP
Component Description : Foldable Seat Component Part Number : 868089 Component Name 3 : SEAT 2 PASS CURBSIDE FLIP-UP
Component Description : Foldable Seat Component Part Number : 868088 Component Name 4 : SEAT 2 PASS STREET SIDE FLIP-UP
Component Description : Foldable Seat Component Part Number : 868092 Component Name 5 : SEAT 2 PASS STREET SIDE FLIP-UP
Component Description : Foldable Seat Component Part Number : 868094 The information contained in this report was submitted pursuant to 49 CFR §573 Part 573 Safety Recall Report 23V-272 Page 3 Component Name 6 : SEAT 2 PASS STREET SIDE FLIP-UP
Component Description : Foldable Seat Component Part Number : 868093 Supplier Identification : Component Manufacturer
Name : American Seating Company Address : 801 Broadway Ave. NW
Grand Rapids Michigan 49504
Country : United States Chronology :
2022-11-11 One field report involving one vehicle was received. The field report indicated that an inadequately welded foldable seat frame was identified. 2022-11-18 Internal Prevost investigation was opened to identify the root cause and to determine if the issue is safety related. December 2022 The seat supplier inspected a sample of 21 other vehicles to determine if the reported case was an isolated case. Out of the 21 vehicles inspected, no improperly welded seat frames were identified. 2023-03-01 The seat supplier confirmed that the improper weld identified in Prevost’s field report is important for the structural integrity of the seat. 2023-03-21 Case was presented on Volvo Product Safety Working Group (PSWG) to evaluate if there is a potential safety related issue. It was concluded that further investigation was required to complete the assessment. 2023-04-04 Case was presented on Volvo PSWG. Decision made to raise the potential safety issue to Volvo Product Safety Committee (PSC) for review and determination. 2023-04-13 Case was presented to Volvo Product Safety Committee (PSC). It was concluded that there was a safety related defect non-compliance and that a recall is needed. 2023-04-17 Safety Recall report submitted to authorities. No warranty claims related to this issue. No other field reports, incidents, accidents, injury, or fatality were The information contained in this report was submitted pursuant to 49 CFR §573 Part 573 Safety Recall Report 23V-272
Page 4
The information contained in this report was submitted pursuant to 49 CFR §573
reported.
Description of Remedy :
Description of Remedy Program : Prevost will inspect, and if required, replace the seat frames on all
concerned vehicles. Letters will be sent to customers to inform them on how to proceed. Prevost will execute this correction free of charge (parts and labor) for the customers. In case a customer has already inspected and corrected this defect before the safety recall has been launched, this customer will be reimbursed according to Prevost reimbursement plan. How Remedy Component Differs from Recalled Component :
Identify How/When Recall Condition was Corrected in Production : After the remedy, all concerned vehicles will be equipped with properly welded passenger seat frames.
The recall condition did not have to be corrected in production as the defective seats are no longer installed in vehicles currently being manufactured. Recall Schedule :
Description of Recall Schedule : Please note that Prevost does not have a dealer network and the dates
entered for the planned dealer notification begin/end date are only to avoid NHTSA Recall Portal error while submitting the recall report.
Planned Dealer Notification Date : JUN 06, 2023 – JUN 06, 2023
Planned Owner Notification Date : JUN 06, 2023 – JUN 06, 2023
* NR – Not Reported

SEOCONTENT-END