Battery Support Module Can Cause Fire

December 23, 2019 NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V916000

A short circuit in the uStart module can increase the risk of a fire.

NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V916

Manufacturer Daimler Trucks North America LLC

Components EQUIPMENT

Potential Number of Units Affected 2,941

Summary

Daimler Trucks North America LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2020 FCC MT45G vehicles equipped with Ioxus 12V uSTART MD battery support modules. The uSTART module electronics can short circuit internally, causing the vehicle’s battery to fully discharge into the uSTART module.

Remedy

DTNA will notify owners, and dealers remove the uSTART and replace it with an equivalent battery, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin February 17, 2020. Owners may contact DTNA customer service at 1-800-547-0712. DTNA’s number for this recall is FL-842.

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Check for Daimler Trucks North America Recalls

Daimler Trucks
North America LLC

February 2020
FL842AB
NHTSA #19V-916

IMPORTANT SAFETY RECALL

Subject: Ioxus uSTART Capacitor

See enclosed VIN list

This notice is sent to you in accordance with the requirements of the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act.

Daimler Trucks North America LLC (DTNA), on behalf of its wholly owned subsidiary, Freightliner Custom Chassis

Corporation (FCCC), has decided that a defect which relates to motor vehicle safety exists on specific Model Year 2020 FCCC MT45G and MT55G vehicles manufactured May 20, 2019, through November 15, 2019, and equipped with a specific Ioxus uSTART Capacitor.

A short circuit in the uSTART electronics can allow the vehicle battery to fully discharge into the uSTART, generating a large quantity of smoke with the possibility of a fire.

The uSTART module will be removed from the vehicle and replaced with an equivalent battery. Repairs will be performed by Daimler Trucks North America authorized service facilities.

Please contact an authorized Daimler Trucks North America dealer to arrange to have the Recall performed and to ensure that parts are available at the dealership. To locate an authorized dealer, search online at www.Daimler-TrucksNorthAmerica.com / Contact (scroll to the bottom) / Locate a Dealer (scroll to the bottom). The Recall will take approximately X hours and will be performed at no charge to you. You may also confirm your vehicle’s involvement in this recall at this URL: https://dtna-dlrinfo.prd.freightliner.com:48518/VinLookup/vin-module/getVinLookupPage.

You may be liable for any progressive damage that results from your failure to complete the Recall within a reasonable time after receiving notification.

If you do not own the vehicle that corresponds to the identification number(s) which appears on the Recall Notification, please return the notification to the Warranty Campaigns Department with any information you can furnish that will assist us in locating the present owner. If you have leased this vehicle, Federal law requires that you forward this notice to the lessee within 10 days. If you are a subsequent stage manufacturer, Federal law requires that you forward this notice to your distributors and retail outlets within five working days. If you have paid to have this recall condition corrected prior to this notice, you may be eligible to receive reimbursement. Please see the reverse side of this notice for details.

If you have questions about this Recall, please contact the Warranty Campaigns Department at (800) 547-0712, 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Pacific Time, Monday through Friday, e-mail address [email protected]. For other concerns, you may contact the Customer Assistance Center at (800) 385-4357. If you are not able to have the defect remedied without charge and within a reasonable time, you may wish to submit a complaint to the Administrator, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590; or call the Vehicle Safety Hotline at (888) 327-4236 (TTY: 800-424-9153); or go to https://www.safercar.gov.

We regret any inconvenience this action may cause but feel certain you understand our interest in motor vehicle safety.

WARRANTY CAMPAIGNS DEPARTMENT

Enclosure

Reimbursement to Customers for Repairs Performed Prior to Recall

If you have already paid to have this recall condition corrected you may be eligible to receive reimbursement.

Requests for reimbursement may include parts and labor. Reimbursement may be limited to the amount the repair would have cost if completed by an authorized Daimler Trucks North America LLC dealer. The following documentation must be presented to your dealer for consideration for reimbursement.

Please provide original or clear copies of all receipts, invoices, and repair orders that show:

The name and address of the person who paid for the repair.
The Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) of the vehicle that was repaired.
What problem occurred, what repair was done, when the repair was done.
Who repaired the vehicle.
The total cost of the repair expense that is being claimed.
Proof of payment for the repair (such as the front and back of a cancelled check or a credit card receipt).

Reimbursement will be made by check from your Daimler Trucks North America LLC dealer.

Please speak with your Daimler Trucks North America LLC authorized dealer concerning this matter

SEOCONTENT-START

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Defect Information Report
(Section 573.6)
FL-842
Date of Submission: December 20, 2019
Manufacturer: Daimler Trucks North America LLC
P.O. BOX 3849
Portland, Oregon 97208
Type of Report: X Safety Defect
Vehicle Information
Model Yr. Start: 2020
Make: Freightliner Custom Chassis
Model: MT45G and MT55G
Production Dates: Begin: 05/20/2019
Descriptive Information:
0 Non-Compliance
Model Yr. End: 2020
End: 11/15/2019
MTG chassis equipped with a certain loxus uSTART Capacitor identified in NHTSA recall 19E-078.
Number potentially involved: 2941 Estimated percentage of involve with defect: 100%
Defect/ Noncompliance Description
For this Defect/Noncompliance:
Describe the defect or noncompliance:
Per loxus NHTSA equipment recall filing 19E-078 “The uSTART module electronics can short internally,
allowing the vehicle battery to discharge into the uSTART electronics. 11
Describe the safety risk:
Per loxus NHTSA equipment recall filing 19E-078, “A short circuit in the uSTART electronics can allow the
vehicle battery to fully discharge into the uSTART, generating a large quantity of smoke with the
possibility of a thermal event Manufacturer is currently unaware of any personal injury resulting from
this possible defect.”
If applicable, identify the manufacture of the defective or noncompliant component.
loxus Corporation
18 Stadium Circle
Oneonta NY 13820
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Chronology of Defect/ Noncompliance Determination
Provide the chronology of events leading up to the defect decision or test data for the
noncompliance decision.:
November 2019, the supplier loxus notified DTNA of a reported incident that had occurred on a
competitor vehicle equipped with a uSTART capacitor. DTNA began an investigation to determine the
scope and identified the affected population. December 2019, the supplier informed DTNA of a NHTSA
equipment recall filing for 19£-078. December 16th, 2019 DTNA with an abundance of caution, decided
to conduct a voluntary safety recall campaign on certain MTG chassis equipped with the loxus uSTART
capacitor identified in NHTSA equipment recall 19£-078.
Identify the Remedy
Describe the defect/noncompliance remedy program, including the manufacture’s plan for
reimbursement.:
The uSTART module from the vehicle wif/ be removed and replaced with an equivalent battery Repairs
wifl be performed by Daimler Trucks North America authorized service facilities. Details of the
reimbursement plan wif/ be included in the owner’s notification fetter.
Identify the Recall Schedule
Describe the recall schedule for notifications.:
Customer notification wiff be made by first class mail using Daimler Trucks North America records to
determine the customers affected.
Planned Dealer Notification Begin Date:
Planned Dealer Notification End Date:
Planned Owner Notification Begin Date:
Planned Owner Notification End Date:
02/17/2020
02/17/2020
02/17/2020
02/17/2020
Manufacture’s identification code for this recall (if applicable): FL-842
DTNA Representative;
Andy Jones
Manager
Compliance and Regulatory Affairs