FL867 – Battery Relay and Ground Cable May Be Damaged – 2019-2021 Freightliner EconicSD

SEOCONTENT-START

Defect Information Report
(Section 573.6)
FL-867
Date of Submission: November 5, 2020
Manufacturer: Daimler Trucks North America LLC
P.O. BOX 3849
Portland, Oregon 97208
Type of Report: X Safety Defect ⃝ Non-Compliance
Vehicle Information
Model Yr. Start: 2019 Model Yr. End: 2021
Make: Freightliner
Model: EconicSD
Production Dates: Begin: 06/24/2019 End: 10/29/2020
Descriptive Information: All Freightliner EconicSD manufactured within the above dates
Number potentially involved: 104 Estimated percentage of involve with defect: 100%
Defect / Noncompliance Description
For this Defect/Noncompliance:
Describe the defect or noncompliance: The routing and securement of certain electrical power cables at the battery relay and ground cable may become damaged.
Describe the safety risk: A damaged power cable wire coming into contact with the ground cable at the battery relay may increase the risk of a thermal event from overloading the ground connection. Additionally, a damaged ground connection may also result in an unexpected engine stall without warning and inability to restart.
Identify any warning which can precede or occur: Pre-trip inspections include inspection of the battery and cable connections
If applicable, identify the manufacture of the defective or noncompliant component: N/A
Involved Components
Component Name: Power Cables
Component Description: Power Cable Connection
Component Part Number: N/A
Chronology of Defect / Noncompliance Determination
Provide the chronology of events leading up to the defect decision or test data for the noncompliance decision: January – February 2020, DTNA received two complaints from the field of an engine shut down from a damaged ground connection. FCC began inspecting chassis’ in the plant, and reviewing warranty claims. Neither plant inspections nor warranty data indicated any systemic issues.
June– August 2020, DTNA received a warranty claim indicating a no start condition from a damaged ground connection. This warranty claim was reviewed with engineering to compare with similar models manufactured in Europe, no systemic problems were found at the time. September – October 2020, DTNA continued researching this issue and received an additional warranty claim of a no start condition. During this review, engineering became aware of battery cable routing concerns. October 30, 2020, DTNA, with an abundance of caution, decided to initiate a voluntary safety recall to campaign the identified Freightliner EconicSD chassis to address potentially damaged ground and battery cables.
Identify the Remedy
Describe the defect/noncompliance remedy program, including the manufacture’s plan for reimbursement. The left ground cable will be rerouted and receive a new connection joint. The battery cables will be reoriented and receive a new heat sleeve. Repairs will be performed by Daimler Trucks North America authorized service facilities. Details of the reimbursement plan will be included in the owner’s notification letter.
Identify the Recall Schedule
Describe the recall schedule for notifications: Customer notification will be made by first class mail using Daimler Trucks North America records to determine the customers affected.
Planned Dealer Notification Begin Date: 01/03/2021
Planned Dealer Notification End Date: 01/03/2021
Planned Owner Notification Begin Date: 01/03/2021
Planned Owner Notification End Date: 01/03/2021
Manufacture’s identification code for this recall (if applicable): FL-867
DTNA Representative;
Larissa Stoffels
Executive Manager, Vehicle Safety
Compliance and Regulatory Affairs

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Subject: Freightliner Econic SD Battery Cables
and Ground Ring Terminal
Models Affected: Specific Model Year 2019-2021 Freightliner
Econic SD model vehicles, manufactured June 24, 2019, through
October 29, 2020.
General Information
Daimler Trucks North America LLC (DTNA), on behalf of its Freightliner Trucks division, has decided that a
defect that relates to motor vehicle safety exists on the vehicles mentioned above.
On certain vehicles, the routing and securement of certain electrical power cables at the battery relay and
ground wires may become damaged. A damaged power cable coming into contact with the ground wires at
the battery relay may increase the risk of a thermal event from overloading the ground connection. Additionally,
a damaged ground connection may also result in an unexpected engine stall without warning and inability to
restart.
The left ground wires will be rerouted and receive a new connection joint. The battery cables will be reoriented
and receive new heat sleeves.
There are approximately 104 vehicles involved in this campaign.
Additional Repairs
Dealers must complete all outstanding Recall and Field Service campaigns prior to the sale or delivery of a
vehicle. A Dealer will be liable for any progressive damage that results from its failure to complete campaigns
before sale or delivery of a vehicle.
Owners may be liable for any progressive damage that results from failure to complete campaigns within a
reasonable time after receiving notification.
Work Instructions
Please refer to the attached work instructions. Prior to performing the campaign, check the vehicle for a
completion sticker (Form WAR260).
Replacement Parts
Replacement parts are now available and can be obtained by ordering the part numbers listed below from your
facing Parts Distribution Center.
If our records show your dealership has ordered any vehicle(s) involved in campaign number FL867, a list of
the customers and vehicle identification numbers will be available on DTNAConnect. Please refer to this list
when ordering parts for this recall.
Table 1 – Replacement Parts for FL867
Campaign
Number Part Number Part Description Qty.
FL867A
48-02461-050 TUBE-HTS,DW,12.7MM 1 ea
N046234 012007 TERMINAL CONN-12MMX16G 1 ea
WAR260 BLANK COMPLETION STICKER 1 ea
Table 1
Daimler Trucks
North America LLC Recall Campaign
December 2020
FL867A
NHTSA #20V-686
Page 1
Removed Parts
U.S. and Canadian Dealers, please follow Warranty Failed Parts Tracking shipping instructions for the
disposition of all removed parts. Export distributors, please destroy removed parts unless otherwise advised.
Labor Allowance
Table 2 – Labor Allowance
Campaign
Number Procedure Time Allowed
(hours) SRT Code Corrective Action
FL867A
ENGINE GROUND STUD EYELET, REMOVE
AND REPLACE
0.5 996-R118A 12-Repair Recall/Campaign
BATTERY CABLE GROMMETS, REMOVE
AND REPLACE
0.8 996-R118B 12-Repair Recall/Campaign
Table 2
IMPORTANT: When the Recall has been completed, locate the base completion label in the appropriate location
on the vehicle, and attach the red completion sticker provided in the recall kit (Form WAR260). If the vehicle
does not have a base completion label, clean a spot on the appropriate location of the vehicle and first
attach the base completion label (Form WAR259). If a recall kit is not required or there is no completion sticker
in the kit, write the recall number on a blank sticker and attach it to the base completion label.
Claims for Credit
You will be reimbursed for your parts, labor, and handling (landed cost for Export Distributors) by submitting
your claim through the Warranty system within 30 days of completing this campaign. Please reference the
following information in OWL:
• Claim type is Recall Campaign.
• In the Campaign field, enter the campaign number and appropriate condition code, FL867-A.
• In the Primary Failed Part Number field, enter 25-FL867-000.
• In the Parts field, enter the appropriate part number(s) as shown in the Replacement Parts Table.
• In the Labor field, first enter the appropriate SRT from the Labor Allowance Table. Administrative time will
be included automatically as SRT 939-6010A for 0.3 hours.
• The VMRS Component Code is F99-999-005 and the Cause Code is A1 – Campaign.
• U.S. and Canada — Reimbursement for Prior Repairs. When a customer asks about reimbursement,
please do the following:
• Accept the documentation of the previous repair.
• Make a brief check of the customer’s paperwork to see if the repair may be eligible for reimbursement.
(See the “Copy of Owner Letter” section of this bulletin for reimbursement guidelines.)
• Submit an OWL Recall Pre-Approval Request for a decision.
• Include the approved amount on your claim in the Other Charges section.
• Attach the documentation to the pre-approval request.
• If approved, submit a based on claim for the pre-approval.
• Reimburse the customer the appropriate amount.
IMPORTANT: OWL must be viewed prior to performing the recall to ensure the vehicle is involved and the
campaign has not been previously completed. Also, check for a completion sticker prior to beginning work.
Daimler Trucks
North America LLC Recall Campaign
December 2020
FL867A
NHTSA #20V-686
Page 2
U.S. and Canadian dealers, contact the Warranty Campaigns Department via Web inquiry at
DTNAConnect.com / WSC, if you have any questions or need additional information. Export distributors, submit
a Web inquiry or contact your International Service Manager.
U.S. and Canadian Dealers: To return excess kit inventory related to this campaign, U.S. dealers must submit a
Parts Authorization Return (PAR) to the Memphis PDC. Canadian dealers must submit a PAR to their facing
PDC. All kits must be in resalable condition. PAR requests must include the original purchase invoice number.
Export Distributors: Excess inventory is not returnable.
The letter notifying U.S. vehicle owners is included for your reference.
Please note that the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act, as amended (Title 49, United States Code,
Chapter 301), requires the owner’s vehicle(s) be corrected within a reasonable time after parts are available to
you. The Act states that failure to repair a vehicle within 60 days after tender for repair shall be prima facie
evidence of an unreasonable time. However, circumstances of a particular situation may reduce the 60 day
period. Failure to repair a vehicle within a reasonable time can result in either the obligation to (a) replace the
vehicle with an identical or reasonably equivalent vehicle, without charge, or (b) refund the purchase price in
full, less a reasonable allowance for depreciation. The Act further prohibits dealers from selling a vehicle unless
all outstanding recalls are performed. Any lessor is required to send a copy of the recall notification to the
lessee within 10 days. Any subsequent stage manufacturer is required to forward this notice to its distributors
and retail outlets within five working days.
Daimler Trucks
North America LLC Recall Campaign
December 2020
FL867A
NHTSA #20V-686
Page 3
Copy of Notice to Owners
Subject: Freightliner Econic SD Battery Cables
and Ground Ring Terminal
This notice is sent to you in accordance with the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act.
Daimler Trucks North America LLC (DTNA), on behalf of its Freightliner Trucks division, has decided that a
defect that relates to motor vehicle safety exists on specific Model Year 2019-2021 Freightliner Econic SD
model vehicles, manufactured June 24, 2019, through October 29, 2020.
On certain vehicles, the routing and securement of certain electrical power cables at the battery relay and
ground wires may become damaged. A damaged power cable coming into contact with the ground wires at the
battery relay may increase the risk of a thermal event from overloading the ground connection. Additionally, a
damaged ground connection may also result in an unexpected engine stall without warning and inability to
restart.
The left ground wires will be rerouted and receive a new connection joint. The battery cables will be reoriented
and receive new heat sleeves. 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, go to
Daimler-TrucksNorthAmerica.com/contact-us/. Scroll down to “Locate a Dealer,” and select the appropriate
brand. The Recall will take approximately one hour 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,
e-mail address DTNA.Warranty.Campaigns@Daimler.com. 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 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
Daimler Trucks
North America LLC Recall Campaign
December 2020
FL867A
NHTSA #20V-686
Page 4
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.
Daimler Trucks
North America LLC Recall Campaign
December 2020
FL867A
NHTSA #20V-686
Page 5
Work Instructions
Subject: Freightliner Econic SD Battery Cables
and Ground Ring Terminal
Models Affected: Specific Model Year 2019-2021 Freightliner
Econic SD model vehicles, manufactured June 24, 2019, through
October 29, 2020.
General Information
The battery wiring may have the following conditions:
The tie strap may pull the ground wire harness too tight, resulting in damage to the ring terminal over time. See
Fig. 1.
Rubber sleeves on the two relays behind the battery box and at the main battery switch may be damaged due
to a combination of the coated corrosion protection wax and high temperatures required during the paint
finishing process. See Fig. 2 and Fig. 3.
The positive cables may be tie-strapped to the thin negative ground wires of the relays. See Fig. 4.
The positive and negative cables may cross. See Fig. 5.
11/06/2020 f547402
1
2
The tie strap pulls the ground wire harness too tight,
resulting in damage to the ring terminal over time.
1. Ring Terminal 2. Tie Strap
Fig. 1, Ground Harness, Incorrect Installation
Daimler Trucks
North America LLC Recall Campaign
December 2020
FL867A
NHTSA #20V-686
Page 6
11/06/2020 f547404
1
1. Damaged Rubber Sleeve
Fig. 2, Damaged Sleeve at the Relays
11/05/2020 f547407
1
1. Damaged Rubber Sleeve
Fig. 3, Damaged Rubber Sleeve at the Back of the
Battery Disconnect Switch
11/09/2020 f547405
A
1
2
A. The positive cable and ground wires (negative)
should not cross each other or be tie-strapped
together.
1. Tie Strap
2. Ground Wire (negative)
Fig. 4, Positive and Negative Cables Incorrectly Tie-
Strapped Together
11/06/2020 f547406
1
2 1
1. Positive Cables
2. Ground (negative)
Fig. 5, Positive and Negative Cables Cross
Daimler Trucks
North America LLC Recall Campaign
December 2020
FL867A
NHTSA #20V-686
Page 7
Work Instructions
Replace Ground Ring Terminal and Rubber Sleeves at Left-Hand
Side of Engine Flywheel Housing
1. Check the base label (Form WAR259) for a completion sticker for FL867 (Form WAR260) indicating this
work has been done. The base label is usually located on the passenger-side door about 12 inches (30 cm)
below the door latch. If a sticker is present, no work is needed. If there is no sticker, proceed with the next
step.
2. Park the vehicle on a level surface, shut down the engine, and set the parking brake. Chock the tires.
3. Remove the ring terminal from the negative post and the ground wires.
4. Remove any rubber sleeves from the ground wires, even if undamaged.
5. Clean the ground wires and components, as needed, to remove any dust or debris.
6. Slide a new piece of heat shrink tubing (sleeve) on the ground wires (to be heat shrunk in place after the
new ring terminal is soldered).
7. Install a new ring terminal on the ground wires.
8. Solder the two ground wires to the ring terminal.
9. Apply heat to the shrink tubing, sealing it around the ground wires to prevent corrosion.
10. Install the ring terminal on the negative post; torque the M10 nuts to 13.28 lbf·ft (18 N·m).
IMPORTANT: Ensure that the ground wires have enough slack to compensate for engine movement and vibration.
11. Use a tie strap to attach the ground wires to the wiring harness convoluted tubing. See Fig. 6.
11/09/2020 f547403
1
2
3
1. Tie Strap
2. Wiring Harness
3. Ring Terminal
Fig. 6, Ground Wires, Correct Installation
Daimler Trucks
North America LLC Recall Campaign
December 2020
FL867A
NHTSA #20V-686
Page 8
Replace the Sleeves on Red and Yellow Cables at Relays
IMPORTANT: The rubber sleeves on the two brown ground wires at the relays do not have to be replaced.
1. Remove the left battery from the battery box.
2. Remove the red and yellow cables from the relays in the back of the battery box.
3. Remove any rubber sleeves from the cables, even if undamaged.
4. Clean the cables and components, as needed, to remove any dust or debris.
5. Apply heat shrink tubing (sleeve) around the cables and terminals and heat-seal them.
6. Install the cables on the relays. Align all ring terminals so that the positive and negative cables do not cross
and are not tied together. See Fig. 7.
Torque the M8 nuts on the red and yellow cables to 8.12 lbf·ft (11 N·m).
If loosened to reposition the brown ground wires, torque the M6 screws to 3.1 lbf·ft (4.2 N·m).
7. Apply corrosion protection wax to the relay threaded studs.
Replace the Sleeves on Red and Yellow Cables at Battery Disconnect
Switch
IMPORTANT: The heat shrink tubing on the two black main battery cables at the battery disconnect switch do
not have to be replaced.
1. Remove the protective housing from the battery disconnect switch.
2. Remove the red and yellow cables from battery disconnect switch.
3. Remove any rubber sleeves from the cables, even if undamaged. See Fig. 3.
4. Clean the cables and components, as needed, to remove any dust or debris.
5. Apply heat shrink tubing (sleeve) around the cables and terminals and heat-seal them.
6. Install the cables on battery disconnect switch; torque the M10 nuts to 13.28 lbf·ft (18 N·m).
11/05/2020 f547408
Fig. 7, Correct Installation Before Wax is Applied
(relays shown)
Daimler Trucks
North America LLC Recall Campaign
December 2020
FL867A
NHTSA #20V-686
Page 9
7. Apply corrosion protection wax to the battery disconnect switch threaded studs.
8. Install the protective housing on the battery disconnect switch.
9. Clean a spot on the base label (Form WAR259). Write the recall number, FL867, on a completion sticker
(Form WAR260), and attach it to the base label to indicate this recall has been completed.
Daimler Trucks
North America LLC Recall Campaign
December 2020
FL867A
NHTSA #20V-686
Page 10