December 16, 2020 NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V787000
Parking Brake May Release Unexpectedly/FMVSS 121
An unexpected disengagement of the parking brake without continual application of the service brake may allow the vehicle to roll freely, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V787
Manufacturer Daimler Trucks
North America, LLC
Components SERVICE BRAKES, AIR, PARKING BRAKE
Potential Number of Units Affected 28
Summary
Daimler Trucks North America, LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2021 Thomas Built Saf-T-Liner C2 Jouley electric school buses. If the service brake pedal is pressed and then released while the parking brake is engaged, the parking brake may release unexpectedly. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 121, “Air Brake Systems.”
Remedy
DTNA will notify owners, and dealers will update the electronic control unit (ECU) software, free of charge. The recall began January 22, 2021. Owners may contact DTNA customer service at 1-800-745-8000. DTNA’s number for this recall is FL-870.
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.
| REF #: | ICI20-043 |
| Effective: | 12/23/20 |
| Release: | 12/23/20 |
| SUBJECT: | FL870 Pre-Release Repair Notice |
This letter is to inform you that recall FL870 ~ eB2 Hill Start Assist Update, has been filed on vehicles ordered by your dealership. Official recall documentation is being prepared. In the meantime, you may use the software update instructions found on page 2 of ICI20-043. You can also find FL870 software update and instructions on DTNAConnect.
We are asking Dealers for immediate follow-up with vehicle owners to schedule the repair for recall FL870.
File a Policy claim on any vehicles repaired prior to the release of this campaign. Please reference Recall FL870 in the comments section of the claim.
If you have questions or need further information, contact the Warranty Campaigns Department by submitting an inquiry through the WSC Link on DTNAConnect.
Work Instructions
FL870 eB2 Hill Start Assist Update
Follow the instructions listed below to update Hill Start Aid ECU parameter. Be sure that the laptop used to conduct this update has Wabco Toolbox on it. This will not work if WABCo Toolbox is not installed.
- Check the base label (Form WAR259) for a completion sticker for FL870 (Form WAR260) indicating this work has been completed. The base label is usually located on the front wall under the dash. If a sticker is present for FL870, no work is needed. If there is no sticker, proceed with the steps below.
- Park the vehicle on a level surface, shut down the engine, and set the parking brake. Chock the tires.
- On the laptop, go to DTNAConnect and select the three menu bars in the upper right-hand corner. See Fig. 1.
- Select ’Support,’ then select ’Download Center.’ See Fig. 2.
- Scroll down to the “FL870 Hill Assist Update” and select the “+” symbol, then select the ToolWrench 2.45HiSA Update FCCC.exe link. See Fig. 3.
- Select ’Save As.’ See Fig. 4.
- A window will open, asking where to save the file; select ’Desktop,’ as shown in Fig. 5.
- Click Save.
- Turn on Ignition, connect a Nexiq 2 to the J1939 Data Link connector under the dash.
- Double click the ToolWrench2.45HiSA Update application saved on the desktop in step 8.
- Then click Adapter Selection. See Fig. 6.
- Then select the correct options for each menu field, then click ok. See Fig. 7.
IMPORTANT: Confirm that the ECU Information Fields populate (red box), and that the part number shown is 400 862 902 0. This ToolWrench only works for this part number. See Fig 8.
- Select Start Configuration. Fig. 8.
- After the configuration is complete select Close.
- Disconnect Laptop.
- Clean a spot on the base label (Form WAR259). Write the recall number, FL856, on a completion sticker (Form WAR260), and attach it to the base label to indicate this recall has been completed.
SEOCONTENT-START
Defect Information Report
(Section 573.6)
FL-870
Date of Submission: December 16, 2020
Manufacturer: Daimler Trucks North America LLC
P.O. BOX 3849
Portland, Oregon 97208
Type of Report: ⃝ Safety Defect X Non-Compliance
Vehicle Information
Model Yr. Start: 2021 Model Yr. End: 2021
Make: Thomas Built Buses
Model: Saf-T-Liner C2 Jouley
Production Dates: Begin: 12/11/2019 End: 08/04/2020
Type: Buses, Medium & Heavy Duty Vehicles
Descriptive Information:
Electric School Buses equipped with a suspect Electronic Control Unit (ECU) configured with Hill Start
Assist.
Number potentially involved: 28 Estimated percentage of involve with defect: 100%
Defect / Noncompliance Description
For this Defect/Noncompliance:
Describe the defect or noncompliance:
On the affected vehicles, if the service brake pedal is pressed and then released while the park brake is
engaged, the Hill Start Assist function of the service brake in combination with the anti-compounding
function of the vehicle may release the parking brake for up to 3 seconds
If a noncompliance, provide the applicable FMVSS:
121 – Air Brake Systems
Describe the safety risk:
FMVSS 121 S5.6.4 requires the park brake controls be separate from service brake controls, but in this
situation, the non-compounding brake feature of the vehicle in combination with Hill Start Assist will
disengage the park brakes when the service brake pedal is pressed and released. This disengagement of
the park brakes may be unexpected with a low level of service brake engagement. An unexpected
disengagement of the parking brake without continual application of the service brake may allow the
vehicle to roll freely, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
Identify any warning which can precede or occur: NA
If applicable, identify the manufacture of the defective or noncompliant component: ZF WABCo
Involved Components
Component Name: Electronic Control Unit (ECU)
Component Description: ECU-ESC,4S4M,E4.9,PRGRM,HSA
Component Part Number: WAB400 862 902 0
Chronology of Defect / Noncompliance Determination
Provide the chronology of events leading up to the defect decision or test data for the
noncompliance decision.:
December 2020, potential disengagement of the parking brake after service brake application was
identified, when DTNA Engineering was performing a vehicle test. DTNA notified the supplier of the
findings. The supplier provided feedback of current parameters and activation sequence of Hill Start
Assist. DTNA began an investigation of the issue, including the population, warranty, and regulation
review and failure mode replication. Further review indicated a potential non-compliance to FMVSS 121
S.5.6.4 of park brake and service brake isolation. December 10, 2020, DTNA decided to conduct a
voluntary non-compliance recall on certain school buses equipped with certain ECU and software
versions.
Identify the Remedy
Describe the defect/noncompliance remedy program, including the manufacture’s plan for
reimbursement.
Vehicles will receive an updated software version onto the ECU. 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: 02/13/2021
Planned Dealer Notification End Date: 02/13/2021
Planned Owner Notification Begin Date: 02/13/2021
Planned Owner Notification End Date: 02/13/2021
Manufacture’s identification code for this recall (if applicable): FL-870
DTNA Representative;
Larissa Stoffels
Executive Manager, Vehicle Safety
Compliance and Regulatory Affairs
********************************************************************************************************************
Daimler Trucks North America, LLC
4747 N. Channel Avenue
Portland OR 97217-7699
Phone: 503-745-8000
March 15, 2021
Michelle Rice
Recall Analyst
Department of Transportation
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590
Office: 202-366-1060
Subject: EB2 Hill Start Aid
NHTSA NS No: 20V-787
Manufacturer number: FL-870
Ms. Rice,
On the subject recall, 20V-787, no owner notification publications were released.
All vehicles within this recall campaign were repaired prior to the required timeline of owner letters (due February 13, 2021). An ICI letter was published to the dealers with repair instructions to update the WABCO ECU. All repairs were completed by DTNA, at an authorized dealer location, between December 2020 through January 22, 2021.
Please contact me if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Larissa Stoffels
Daimler Trucks North America
Larissa Stoffels
Executive Manager, Vehicle Safety
Compliance and Regulatory Affairs
1 Affected Product
Vehicle
| MAKE | MODEL | YEAR |
| THOMAS BUILT BUSES | SAF-T-LINER C2 | 2021 |
9 Associated Documents
Recall Quarterly Report #2, 2021-2
RCLQRT-20V787-3271.PDF 211.243KB
Miscellaneous Document
RMISC-20V787-3495.pdf 252.883KB
Recall 573 Report- Amendment 1
RCLRPT-20V787-1912.PDF 213.746KB
Miscellaneous Document- Defect Information Report
RMISC-20V787-7208.pdf 444.186KB
Recall Acknowledgement
RCAK-20V787-1960.pdf 245.129KB
Manufacturer Notices(to Dealers,etc)
RCMN-20V787-2978.pdf 291.601KB
Noncompliance Notice 573 Report
RCLRPT-20V787-2547.PDF 213.733KB
Recall Quarterly Report #1, 2021-1
RCLQRT-20V787-0463.PDF 211.143KB
Recall Quarterly Report #3, 2021-3
RCLQRT-20V787-0500.PDF 211.323KB
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Heavy Duty Truck Reprogramming
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