24-105-CUS – Inoperative Defrosting System – 2019 Micro Bird G5 School Buses

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OMB Control No.: 2127-0004
Part 573 Safety Recall Report 24V-242
The information contained in this report was submitted pursuant to 49 CFR §573
Manufacturer Name : Submission Date :
Corp. Micro Bird, Inc. MAR 28, 2024 NHTSA Recall No. : 24V-242 Manufacturer Recall No. : 24-105-CUS Manufacturer Information :
Manufacturer Name : Corp. Micro Bird, Inc. Address : 3000, Rue Girardin
Drumondville, Quebec 00 J2E 0A1
Company phone : 819-477-2012
Population :
Number of potentially involved : 61 Estimated percentage with defect : 90 %
Vehicle Information : Vehicle 1 : 2019-2024 Micro Bird G5 Vehicle Type :
Body Style :
Power Train : NR
Descriptive Information : In certain Micro Bird electric school vehicles, due to the failure of a component of the heating system, it may not be possible to defrost the windshield of the vehicle before driving. In consequence, the vehicle would not be compliant to the defrosting requirements of Standard #103, “Windshield Defrosting and Defogging.”
Production Dates : JUN 20, 2019 – SEP 30, 2023
VIN Range 1 : Begin : NR End : NR Not sequential Description of Noncompliance : Description of the Noncompliance : In certain Micro Bird electric school vehicles, a LIN gateway module (Webasto Cronus) is used to control the high voltage heaters. Under certain circumstances, this gateway module may stop working, resulting in the heating system to not working. In consequence, it is not possible to defrost the windshield before driving. If it happens, the vehicle will no longer comply with the defrosting requirements of Standard #103, “Windshield Defrosting and Defogging.” FMVSS 1 : 103 – Windshield defrosting and defogging systems FMVSS 2 : NR
Description of the Safety Risk : If the vehicle is driven while the windshield has not been defrosted correctly, visibility may be reduced, increasing the risk of accident.
Description of the Cause : NR Identification of Any Warning NR
that can Occur : Part 573 Safety Recall Report 24V-242 Page 2 Involved Components : Component Name 1 : Heating system Component Description : NR
Component Part Number : NR Supplier Identification : Component Manufacturer
Name : NR Address : NR
NR
Country : NR Chronology :
In November 2023, while informing us that another vehicle manufacturer had recalled vehicles equipped with heating systems using Webasto high voltage coolant heaters (HVC), NHTSA inquired whether we would recall our own vehicles equipped with heating systems using the same Webasto components.
Discussions with Webasto led us to conclude that the Webasto components we install in our vehicles were not the root cause of the defect reported in this recall and in November 2023, we decided that we did not need to recall the vehicles equipped with those components, decision that was communicated to NHTSA on November 17, 2023.
In March 2024, NHTSA informed us that another vehicle manufacturer had recalled vehicles, also equipped with heating systems using Webasto components.
Further discussions and analysis led us to conclude that there was a risk that a different component of the heating system, the gateway module, may fail. This component was not part of the systems described in the recalls mentioned by NHTSA. This failure would cause the heating system not to work when activated. In consequence, the heating system would not defrost the windshield correctly before driving.
It is to be noted that the gateway module would not cause the heating system to stop working while in route, only not start when activated. Gateway modules programmed with software version 1.3 solve the issue.
On March 21, 2024, it was decided to recall the vehicles equipped with gateway modules programmed with a software versions 1.2 and earlier. The information contained in this report was submitted pursuant to 49 CFR §573 Part 573 Safety Recall Report 24V-242
Page 3
The information contained in this report was submitted pursuant to 49 CFR §573
Description of Remedy :
Description of Remedy Program : Micro Bird Corporation will provide field modification instructions and
material to mitigate this recall at no charge. It will be the responsibility of the bus owners to have their vehicle(s) corrected by a Micro Bird dealer.
Owners who have incurred costs to obtain a remedy for the defect addressed by this recall campaign within a reasonable time in advance of notification, may submit their claims to Micro Bird. Reimbursement, in part or in full, will be provided upon approval of the claim.
How Remedy Component Differs from Recalled Component : Identify How/When Recall Condition was Corrected in Production :
The recalled component is programmed with software version 1.2 or earlier. Remedy component will be programmed with software version 1.3 and later.
NR Recall Schedule :
Description of Recall Schedule : Notification will be sent to dealers between April 8 and April 19, 2024.
Written notification will be sent to dealers between May 13 and May 24, 20245.
Planned Dealer Notification Date : APR 08, 2024 – APR 19, 2024
Planned Owner Notification Date : MAY 13, 2024 – MAY 24, 2024
* NR – Not Reported

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