Oversized Breaker may Allow Wires to Melt – 2015-2019 Micro Bird T-Series School Buses

January 6, 2020 NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V005000

Oversized Breaker may Allow Wires to Melt

If the wires overheat, there is an increased risk of a fire.

 

NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V005

Manufacturer Corp. Micro Bird Inc.

Components ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Potential Number of Units Affected 1,863

 

Summary

Corp. Micro Bird Inc. (Micro Bird) is recalling certain 2015-2019 T-Series school buses. The 150A circuit breaker located under the driver’s seat may be oversized and may not open fast enough to power off the electrical panel supply, which can lead to overheating of the wires.

 

Remedy

Micro Bird will notify owners and dealers will replace the breaker, free of charge. The recall began February 10, 2020. Owners may contact Micro Bird customer service at 1-819-477-2012. Micro Bird’s number for this recall is 19-083-BUS.

 

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.

 

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Recall 19-083-BUS / NHTSA Recall # 20V005

(150A Breaker – Ford Transit)

 

IMPORTANT SAFETY RECALL NOTICE

This notice applies to your vehicle(s) appearing on the attached list

 

January 2020

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

 

What is being recalled?

Micro Bird has decided that a defect which relates to motor vehicle safety exists in certain T-Series models, built on Ford Transit chassis, year models 2015-2019 buses manufactured between September 11, 2014 and December 15, 2019 and equipped with a 150A Breaker.

 

Why is it being recalled?

Micro Bird has determined that the currently installed 150A breaker, located under the driver’s seat, is oversized in relation to the maximum ampacity of the secondary wires connecting the fuse boxes in the electrical panel over the driver’s seat.

 

What is the safety issue?

Under infrequent sustained overload conditions, the 150A breaker, located under the driver’s seat, may not open fast enough to power off the electrical panel supply. This situation might generate overheating of the secondary wires. If the wiresoverheat, there is an increased risk of a fire.

 

What are we asking you to do?

• Immediately locate the affected unit(s) in your fleet and contact Dave Caskenette by phone at 819 4772012 ext. 364, by fax at 819 475 9633 or by email at [email protected] to order your repair kit(s).
• For reimbursement, complete the reply sheet for each repaired vehicle and send it back to Micro Bird Corporation Inc. by fax at 819 475 9633 or by email at [email protected]. This will enable us to update our files

 

What Micro Bird Corporation will do?

Micro Bird Corporation will provide a replacement breaker as well as field modification instruction to mitigate this recall at no charge. It will be the responsibility of the bus owners to execute the mitigation.

 

How long will it take?

The time allotted by Micro Bird Inc. for the repair is thirty (30) minutes per vehicle Should Micro Bird Corporation Inc. fail or be unable to remedy the situation without charge, you may contact: 

Associate Administrator, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
1200 New Jersey Ave S.E., Washington, DC  20590
Phone: (888) 327-4236 (TTY:  1-800-424-9153); or go to
https://www.safercar.gov

 

We apologize for this situation and want to assure you that, with your assistance, we will correct this condition.

Best regards,

 

Changed address or sold the vehicle?

If you have changed address, or have sold the vehicle, please complete the form at the end of this letter, sign and date it, then send it to Micro Bird Corp. by fax at 819 475-9633 or by email at [email protected] so we can update our records. You can also contact us by phone at 819 4772012 extension 364. The information you provide will be used to notify the new owner about this recall. If you have leased this vehicle to another person or organization, you must forward this letter to the lessee within ten (10) days.

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DATE:	January 2020
TO:	Micro Bird Distributors
SUBJECT:	Recall # 19-083-BUS/NHTSA #20V005
FROM:	Marie Claude Gagnon, Product Certification and Specifications Specialist, Micro Bird Inc.

 

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

 

What is being recalled?

Micro Bird has decided that a defect which relates to motor vehicle safety exists in certain T-Series models, built on Ford Transit chassis, year models 2015-2019 buses manufactured between September 11, 2014 and December 15, 2019 and equipped with a 150A Breaker.

 

Why is it being recalled?

Micro Bird has determined that the currently installed 150A breaker, located under the driver’s seat, is oversized in relation to the maximum ampacity of the secondary wires connecting the fuse boxes in the electrical panel over the driver’s seat.

 

What is the safety issue?

Under infrequent sustained overload conditions, the 150A breaker, located under the driver’s seat, may not open fast enough to power off the electrical panel supply. This situation might generate overheating of the secondary wires. If the wires overheat, there is an increased risk of a fire.

 

What are we asking you to do?

• Immediately locate the affected unit(s) in your fleet and contact Dave Caskenette by phone at 819 477-2012 ext. 364, by fax at 819 475 9633 or by email at [email protected] to order your repair kit(s). 
• For reimbursement, complete the reply sheet for each repaired vehicle and send it back to Micro Bird Corporation Inc. by fax at 819 475 9633 or by email at [email protected]. This will enable us to update our files.

 

What Micro Bird will do?

Micro Bird Corporation will provide a replacement breaker as well as field modification instruction to mitigate this recall at no charge. It will be the responsibility of the bus owners to execute the mitigation.

 

We apologize for any inconvenience this action may have caused and we thank you for your cooperation.

Best regards,

 

Marie Claude Gagnon
Regulations and Standards Technician Micro Bird Corporation Inc.

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5 Affected Products

Vehicle

MAKE	MODEL	YEAR
MICRO BIRD	T-SERIES	2015-2019

 

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8 Associated Documents

ISSUED Owner Notification Letter(Part 577)

RCONL-20V005-1994.pdf 259.594KB

 

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ISSUED Owner Notification Letter(Part 577)

RCONL-20V005-1377.pdf 260.511KB

 

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Recall Acknowledgement

RCAK-20V005-5970.pdf 245.498KB

 

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Defect Notice 573 Report

RCLRPT-20V005-3528.PDF 212.544KB

 

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Manufacturer Notices(to Dealers,etc)

RCMN-20V005-4944.pdf 199.381KB

 

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Recall Quarterly Report #1, 2020-1

RCLQRT-20V005-3645.PDF 211.149KB

 

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Recall Quarterly Report #2, 2020-2

RCLQRT-20V005-5338.PDF 211.247KB

 

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Recall Quarterly Report #3, 2020-3

RCLQRT-20V005-7433.PDF 211.335KB

 

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Latest Recalls Documents

https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/acms/cs/documentList.xhtml?docId=20V005&docType=RCL

 

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