Check Valve Retainer Not Properly Seated/FMVSS 121 – Bendix SC-3 Single Check Valves

February 18, 2021 NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 21E015000

Check Valve Retainer Not Properly Seated/FMVSS 121

An air leak in the brake system can affect braking ability and increase the risk of a crash.

 

NHTSA Campaign Number: 21E015

Manufacturer Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems, LLC

Components EQUIPMENT, SERVICE BRAKES, AIR

Potential Number of Units Affected 2,090

 

Summary

Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems, LLC (Bendix) is recalling certain SC-3 Single Check Valves, part number K094964. The retainer may not be properly seated in the retainer groove, causing an air leak within the brake system. As such, these check valves fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 121, “Air Brake Systems.”

 

Remedy

Bendix will notify the manufacturers who purchased the SC-3 Single Check Valves. The remedy is currently under development. The recall is expected to begin April 19, 2021. Owners may contact Bendix customer service at 1-877-345-9526.

 

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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Action Required For Identifying the Recalled  Bendix^® SC-3^™ Single Check Valve

Identifying Bendix^® SC-3^™ Single Check Valves Covered in this Field Action

Blue Bird Vehicles

A potentially defective SC-3 single check valve on a Blue Bird vehicle has no date code identifier. Blue Bird purchased SC-3 single check valves from Bendix as standalone parts and not as part of an assembly. To identify a potentially defective SC-3 single check valve on a Blue Bird vehicle, perform the following steps:

1. Remove the SC-3 single check valve from the Bendix^® SR-7^® spring brake modulating valve.

2. See Figures 1 and 2. Inspect the SC-3 single check valve retainer. If the retainer is fully seated, it is correctly installed and not affected by this recall campaign. If the retainer is not fully seated, or is missing, damaged, or the shuttle or retainer are missing or fractured, the SC-3 single check valve falls within the recall parameters. The SC-3 single check valve needs to be replaced. If the shuttle or the retainer are missing (not located in the SC-3 fitting nor in the supply port of the SR-7 spring brake modulating valve) or fractured, the SR-7 spring brake modulating valve will need to be replaced as well.

 

Navistar^®, New Flyer, and Oshkosh Vehicles

NOTE: Any publication from the OEM supersedes the below information.

A potentially defective SC-3 single check valve on a Navistar, New Flyer, or Oshkosh vehicle was purchased from Bendix as an assembly including the SC-3 single check valve and the SR-7 spring brake modulating valve. To identify a potentially defective SC-3 single check valve on a Navistar, New Flyer, or Oshkosh vehicle, perform the following steps:

1. Remove the SC-3 single check valve from the SR-7 spring brake modulating valve.

2. See Figures 1 and 2. Inspect the Bendix^® SC-3^™ single check valve retainer. If the retainer is fully seated, it is correctly installed and not affected by this recall campaign. If the retainer is not fully seated, or is missing, damaged, or the shuttle or the retainer are missing or fractured, the SC-3 single check valve falls within the recall parameters. The SC-3 single check valve needs to be replaced. If the shuttle or the retainer are missing (not located in the SC-3 fitting nor in the supply port of the Bendix^® SR-7^® spring brake modulating valve) or fractured, the SR-7 spring brake modulating valve will need to be replaced as well.

OR

1.  See Figure 3. A potentially defective SC-3 single check valve that was purchased as part of an assembly with an SR-7 spring brake modulating valve can be identified by the date code on the SR-7 spring brake modulating valve. If the SR-7 spring brake modulating valve has a date code that is any date between, and inclusive of, 7/27/20 and 9/29/20, the SC-3 single check valve falls within the recall parameters. The SC-3 single check valve needs to be replaced.

 

Interpreting the Date Code

See Figure 3. A date code is stamped (not cast) on the SR-7 spring brake modulating valve body housing. Locate the date code – removing the paint coating if necessary – to read the code. Disregard the codes shown in gray in Figure 3. The portion of the date code that determines the date of manufacture is highlighted and can be interpreted as follows:

• The first field is the month (A = January, B = February, etc. – excluding the letter I – so that J = September, and so on),
• The next two fields are the day of the month (e.g. 01 = 1st); and
• The next two fields are the year (e.g. 20 = 2020)

 

For technical support, call the Bendix Tech Team at 1-800-AIR-BRAKE (1-800-247-2725), option 2,  Monday through Thursday, 8:00 a.m. –  6:00 p.m., and Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. ET.

 

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Date, 2021

 

Via UPS Overnight Delivery

 

Address

 

Dear :

 

IMPORTANT RECALL INFORMATION – RESPOND IMMEDIATELY

This is to inform you that Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC (Bendix) notified the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) of the start of a voluntary safety recall campaign involving the Bendix^® SC-3^™ single check valve. The recall has been assigned number 21E015.

A copy of our February 17, 2021, Defect and Noncompliance Information Report submission to NHTSA can be found on the NHTSA website (https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls) under recall number 21E015. As required by law, Bendix provided NHTSA a list of all vehicle manufacturer customers to whom Bendix sold the affected products. (Company name) is one of the customers who may be affected by this recall.

 

IMPACTED PRODUCT

This recall includes all Bendix SC-3 single check valves assembled to a Bendix^® SR-7™ spring brake control valve – part number K096210 – manufactured between July 27, 2020 and September 29, 2020.

Affected SC-3 valves – those pre-assembled to a Bendix SR-7 – can be identified by the presence of a date code stamped onto the SR-7 valve body. The date code features a Work Team Number (optional), Shift of Manufacture (optional), Month-Day-Year code, plus a Manufacturing Plant and Shift Serial Number codes (optional). The portion of the date code that determines the date of manufacture is a letter indicating month, along with a twodigit date and two-digit year.

This action does not affect SC-3 single check valves manufactured prior to or after the stated dates. Please refer to the Bendix SC-3 Check Valve Identification Guideline (BW8136) enclosed with this document for complete details.

 

PROBLEM DESCRIPTION

Bendix has determined that a component manufactured at a Bendix sub-supplier was not within specification limits and has led to the potential defect – a retainer, not properly seated within the part during assembly, means that when air pressure is applied, it may no longer provide source air isolation as defined and required by FMVSS 121. Because the SC-3 valve’s retainer was not fully assembled, and may become disassembled when air pressure is applied, an unparked vehicle may apply its spring brakes without warning if a secondary circuit failure occurs,

increasing the risk of a crash. The degree of the brake application is dependent on the vehicle and the secondary circuit failure. A secondary circuit failure may trigger a low-pressure warning indicator on the vehicle dash.

 

WHAT WE WILL DO

Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC (Bendix) will voluntarily remedy the defect of the impacted Bendix^® SC-3^™ single check valve, with parts from a later build range that do not have the potential defect.

The part(s) – that enable you and your customer to complete the recall remedy – are available as of the date of this notification via your standard parts ordering process. As a reminder, the part(s) will be provided to you free of charge and the installation labor charge to complete the remedy will be covered by Bendix.

 

WHAT YOU NEED TO DO

First, we are providing you with this information to enable your business to determine whether there is a safety-related defect on your vehicles where the affected Bendix SC-3 single check valve is part of a Bendix^® SC-3^™ / Bendix^® SR-7^™ assembly.

Based on your determination, you may need to file a Defect and Noncompliance Report to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) with respect to new motor vehicles with an affected Bendix SC-3 single check valve sold in the United States. A similar notification is required to Transport Canada for all impacted vehicles sold in Canada.

Our records indicate that (Company Name) purchased the following quantity of affected Bendix SC-3 / Bendix SR-7 assemblies from Bendix:

Bendix OE Part Number	Quantity
K052254	X
K090988	X

 

For your convenience, the following is provided to help you in this recall process:

• A count of the affected Bendix SC-3/SR-7 assemblies purchased by your company; and
• A Bendix SC-3 Check Valve Identification Guideline (BW8136) to assist you in properly identifying impacted parts.

 

We value our business relationship with you. We regret the inconvenience that may result from these circumstances, and we sincerely appreciate your understanding and cooperation in this matter. If you have any questions or require more information, please do not hesitate to reach out to your Bendix Account Manager directly. You may also contact us via email at SC-3campaign21@bendix.com, or by telephone – toll-free – at  1-800-AIR-BRAKE (1-800-247-2725), option 2. Bendix Tech Team representatives are ready to assist you Monday-Thursday, 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. ET, and Friday 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. ET.

 

William P. Amato

Director – Product Safety, Warranty, and Advanced Quality

 

Encl.

 

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Bendix SC-3 Recall Chronology

Date  Mach 1, 2021

 

7/9/20 Supplier manufacturing cell setup error, leading to the creation of a lot of material with defects.

 

7/24/20 Bendix first receipt of defective parts from supplier; however, the defects were unknown to Bendix at that time.

 

7/27/20 First transfer of defective parts from inventory to Bendix production

 

9/29/20 Navistar Springfield Assembly Plant rejected Bendix SR7 assembly which uses SC-3 Check valve as a component because brake system leak was detected at the end of line tests.  Containment and Sort begins this day at Bendix and Navistar.

 

9/29/20 At Bendix’s request, supplier containment and root cause analysis begin.

 

10/15/20 Bendix began testing defective products on baseline bench testing to understand effect of defect; preliminary conclusion that defective product still functions as specified though it does not have retainer in retainer groove.

 

10/15/20 – 11/16/20 Bendix continued testing

• Environmental Chamber Test of Defective SC-3 + SR-7 is conducted to begin to understand “defect lifetime” (nature and ability to function) and durability
• Ambient Life / Durability Test of Defective SC-3 + SR-7 is conducted to begin to understand “defect lifetime” (nature and ability to function) and durability

Conclusion of testing is that defective product internal components will become loose from SC-3 but can still function acceptably in these tests.

 

11/10/20 Bendix confirmed supplier setup process corrective actions to eliminate potential for producing this defect in the future.

 

11/16/20 – 1/22/21

Detectability of Failure and Probability of (SR-7) Failure Testing

• Trial and simulation testing of many different scenarios of different SC-3 components and brake system components.
• Testing under X-ray to determine nature and ability to function of loose SC-3 components

 

1/22/21 Vehicle Rack: Failure Effects Simulation Testing

• Vehicle Test Rack (Lab simulated vehicle schematic test rack) testing for nature and ability-to function of loose SC-3 components with complete pneumatic brake system.
• Successive trial testing of defective SC-3 with simulated failed secondary circuit

Conclusion that defective SC-3 could not reliably perform function as required to maintain circuit isolation in the event of secondary circuit failure.

 

2/10/21 Bendix PIC met and determined that the condition is a safety related defect requiring a safety recall.

 

2/18/21 Bendix filed a Part 573 Defect Information Report.

 

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1 Affected Product

Equipment

BRAND	PART NO.	PRODUCTION DATES
BENDIX	SC-3 CHECK VALVE

 

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7 Associated Documents

Defect Notice 573 Report

RCLRPT-21E015-5468.PDF 213.941KB

 

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Miscellaneous Document – Chronology

RMISC-21E015-1230.pdf 122.827KB

 

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Recall Acknowledgement

RCAK-21E015-6338.pdf 705.179KB

 

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Recall 573 Report – Amendment 1

RCLRPT-21E015-7034.PDF 214.094KB

 

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Recall 573 Report – Amendment 2

RCLRPT-21E015-5237.PDF 214.121KB

 

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Manufacturer Notices(to Dealers,etc)

RCMN-21E015-5422.pdf 509.198KB

 

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Manufacturer Notices(to Dealers,etc)

RCMN-21E015-9373.pdf 608.659KB

 

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Recalls Documents

https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/acms/cs/documentList.xhtml?docId=21E015&docType=RCL

 

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Last update on 2026-05-23 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

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