FL896 – Parking Brake Activation Switch Failure – 2021-2022 Thomas Built C2 Saf-T-Liner School Buses

SEOCONTENT-START
Defect Information Report
(Section 573.6)
FL-896
Date of Submission: July 20, 2021 (Amended September 2, 2021)
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: 2021 Model Yr. End: 2022
Make: Thomas Built Buses
Model: C2 Saf-T-liner School Bus
Production Dates: Begin: 11/27/2019 End: 07/02/2021
Descriptive Information: Certain vehicles equipped with the Bendix Intellipark system within the
suspect build range.
Number potentially involved: 267 Estimated percentage of involve with defect: 1%
Defect / Noncompliance Description
For this Defect/Noncompliance:
Describe the defect or noncompliance: In certain cases, the parking brake activation switch may fail
to set park brake.
Describe the safety risk: The driver may not be aware of this condition and fail to ensure that the
parking brake had activated before exiting the vehicle which could increase the risk of potential
unintended movement of the bus leading to injury.
Identify any warning which can precede or occur: Red LED in the switch would flash indicating a
fault in the park brake system is detected.
If applicable, identify the manufacture of the defective or noncompliant component:
Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC
901 Cleveland Street
Elyria, OH 44035
Thomas Weed
Product Owner, Electronic Parking Brake
thomas.weed@bendix.com
Phone: 440-329-9652
Involved Components
Component Name: Dash Electronic Control Unit (DECU)
Component Description: SWITCH-DASH ELEC CNTRL
Component Part Number: BW K183042R000
Chronology of Defect / Noncompliance Determination
Provide the chronology of events leading up to the defect decision or test data for the
noncompliance decision.: In or about May 2021, DTNA received notification that the parking brake on
school bus would not activate due to an active fault in the Intellipark system. DTNA began an
investigation to review related field complaints to understand the scope of the issue. In June 2021, the
supplier and DTNA conducted lab testing and continued investigation. On July 14, 2021 DTNA decided to
conduct a safety recall on certain vehicles equipped with the Bendix Intellipark system. On Sept. 1, 2021,
the supplier provides a final list of units they were actually able to update. There were 12 units that they
did not update, thus increasing the recall population by 12.
Identify the Remedy
Describe the defect/noncompliance remedy program, including the manufacture’s plan for
reimbursement. Repairs will be performed by Daimler Trucks North America authorized service
facilities. A parameter to the DECU software will be updated. 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: 09/17/2021
Planned Dealer Notification End Date: 09/17/2021
Planned Owner Notification Begin Date: 09/17/2021
Planned Owner Notification End Date: 09/17/2021
Manufacture’s identification code for this recall (if applicable): FL-896
DTNA Representative;
Larissa Stoffels
Executive Manager, Vehicle Safety
Compliance and Regulatory Affairs**************************************************************************************************************Daimler Trucks
North America LLC
September 2021
FL896A
NHTSA #21V-547 (School Bus)
IMPORTANT SAFETY RECALL
See enclosed VIN list
Subject: Bendix Intellipark Software Update
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, has decided that a defect which relates to motor vehicle safety exists on specific Model Year 2021-2022 FCCC B2 school bus chassis (Thomas Built Buses C2 and C2e Saf-T-Liner) manufactured November 27, 2019, through May 27, 2021, and equipped with a Bendix Intellipark System.
On certain vehicles, the parking brake activation switch may fail to set the park brake when requested, increasing the risk of potential unintended movement of the bus leading to injury and/or risk of a crash.
The Dash Electronic Control Unit (DECU) software parameter will be updated. 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
Daimler-TrucksNorthAmerica.com/Contact-us. Scroll down to “Locate a Dealer” and select the appropriate brand. The Recall will take approximately one half 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, 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
Daimler Trucks North America LLC
Warranty Campaigns Department
P.O. Box 4090
Portland, OR 97208-4090
800.547.0712 Phone
Daimler Trucks
North America LLC
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
Warranty Campaigns Department
P.O. Box 4090
Portland, OR 97208-4090
800.547.0712 Phone**************************************************************************************************************General Information
Daimler Trucks North America LLC (DTNA), on behalf of its wholly owned subsidiary, Freightliner Custom
Chassis Corporation, has decided that a defect which relates to motor vehicle safety exists on the vehicles
mentioned above.
On certain vehicles, the parking brake activation switch may fail to set the park brake when requested,
increasing the risk of potential unintended movement of the bus leading to the risk of an injury and/or crash.
The Dash Electronic Control Unit (DECU) software parameter will be updated. Repairs will be performed by
Daimler Trucks North America authorized service facilities
There are approximately 255 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.
Daimler Trucks
North America LLC Recall Campaign
September 2021
FL896A
NHTSA #21V-547 (School Bus)
Page 1
Subject: FCCC Bendix Intellipark Software Update
Models Affected: Specific Model Year 2021 to 2022 Freightliner
Custom Chassis B2 school bus chassis (Thomas Built Buses C2
and C2e Saf-T-Liner) manufactured November 27, 2019, through
May 27, 2021, and equipped with a Bendix Intellipark System.
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
No parts are required for the software parameter update.
If our records show your dealership has ordered any vehicle(s) involved in campaign number FL896, 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.
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 1 – Labor Allowance
Campaign
Number Procedure Time Allowed
(hours) SRT Code Corrective Action
FL896A
Update DECU Park Brake
Controller Parameter
0.3 996-R080A 12-Repair Recall/Campaign
Table 1
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 (FL896-A).
• In the Primary Failed Part Number field, enter 25-FL896-000.
• 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.
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. and Canadian vehicle owners is included for your reference.
Daimler Trucks
North America LLC Recall Campaign
September 2021
FL896A
NHTSA #21V-547 (School Bus)
Page 2
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.
Copy of Notice to Owners
For the Notice to U.S. Customers: This notice is sent to you in accordance with the National Traffic and Motor
Vehicle Safety Act. This is to inform you that your vehicle may contain a defect that could affect the safety of
a person.
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 2021-2022 FCCC B2 school bus chassis (Thomas Built Buses C2 and C2e Saf-T-Liner)
manufactured November 27, 2019, through May 27, 2021, and equipped with a Bendix Intellipark System.
On certain vehicles, the parking brake activation switch may fail to set the park brake when requested,
increasing the risk of potential unintended movement of the bus leading to an injury and/or crash.
The Dash Electronic Control Unit (DECU) software parameter will be updated. 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 half 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,
7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Pacific Time, Monday through Friday, e-mail address
[email protected]. For the Notice to U.S. Customers: 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.
For the Notice to Canadian Customers: If you wish to submit a complaint about this recall, you can contact
Transport Canada road safety, 80 rue Noel, Gatineau, Quebec J8Z 0A1 or call (800) 333-0510.
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
September 2021
FL896A
NHTSA #21V-547 (School Bus)
Page 3
Subject: FCCC Bendix Intellipark Software Update
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
September 2021
FL896A
NHTSA #21V-547 (School Bus)
Page 4
Work Instructions
Bendix Intellipark™ Update Tool Download and Installation
1. Inspect the base label (Form WAR259) for a campaign completion sticker for FL896 (Form WAR260). If a
sticker is present for FL896, no work is needed. If there is no sticker, proceed with the steps below.
2. On the laptop, go to DTNAConnect, and select the menu bar at the upper right-hand corner. See Fig. 1.
3. Select ‘Support,’ then select ‘Download Center.’ See Fig. 2.
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Fig. 1, Selecting the Menu Bar
Daimler Trucks
North America LLC Recall Campaign
September 2021
FL896A
NHTSA #21V-547 (School Bus)
Page 5
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Fig. 2, Link to Download Center
Subject: FCCC Bendix Intellipark Software Update
Models Affected: Specific Model Year 2021 to 2022 Freightliner
Custom Chassis B2 school bus chassis (Thomas Built Buses C2
and C2e Saf-T-Liner) manufactured November 27, 2019, through
May 27, 2021, and equipped with a Bendix Intellipark System.
4. Scroll down to the ‘FL896 Bendix Intellipark Software,’ then select ‘+’ symbol. See Fig. 3. Select the ‘FL896
Update Files’ link, then save the zip file.
5. Once the zip file download is complete, open and extract the file.
IMPORTANT:
• Administrative rights may be required to perform this operation. Contact the local system administrator for
assistance.
• Allow the systems default location for installation of the application.
6. In the extracted folder, run the ‘Setup.exe.’ file to install the Bendix Intellipark Update Tool. See Fig. 4.
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Fig. 3, FL896 Bendix Intellipark Software Container
Daimler Trucks
North America LLC Recall Campaign
September 2021
FL896A
NHTSA #21V-547 (School Bus)
Page 6
08/11/2021 f121038
Fig. 4, Bendix Intellipark Update Setup File
Bendix Intellipark Update
1. Park the vehicle on a level surface, shut down the engine, and set the parking brake. Chock the tires.
2. Connect the vehicle to the computer using an RP1210B compliant adaptor.
3. Turn the ignition key to the ON position, but make sure the engine is OFF.
4. Open the Bendix Intellipark update tool. A window will open with a message ‘Ensure the key is ON and the
engine is OFF.’ Select ‘OK.’ See Fig. 5.
5. In the Bendix Intellipark update application window, go to ‘Settings,’ then select the RP1210 device used for
communicating with the laptop. Select ‘J1939:Baud=Auto’ from the dropdown list, then select ‘Save.’ See
Fig. 6 and Fig. 7.
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Fig. 5, Selecting OK Message Window
Daimler Trucks
North America LLC Recall Campaign
September 2021
FL896A
NHTSA #21V-547 (School Bus)
Page 7
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Fig. 6, Selecting Settings
6. Once the correct settings are saved, select ‘Backup.’ See Fig. 8.
If the selected settings are correct, the message ‘Backup Complete. Perform Step 2’ will be displayed. See
Fig. 9. Go to the next step.
If the selected settings are incorrect, the message ‘RP1210 Error – ClientConnect Failed: 275’ will be displayed.
See Fig. 10. Verify the correct device settings, then repeat steps 5 and 6.
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A
B C
A. Select the RP1210 device.
B. Select ‘J1939:Baud=Auto.’
C. After selecting correct settings, select ‘Save.’
Fig. 7, Selecting and Saving Settings
Daimler Trucks
North America LLC Recall Campaign
September 2021
FL896A
NHTSA #21V-547 (School Bus)
Page 8
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Fig. 8, Selecting Backup
7. If the vehicle identification (VIN) is not detected automatically, a window will appear requesting to enter the
VIN. Enter the VIN, then select ‘OK.’ See Fig. 11.
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Fig. 11, VIN Input Window
Daimler Trucks
North America LLC Recall Campaign
September 2021
FL896A
NHTSA #21V-547 (School Bus)
Page 9
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Fig. 9, Successful Backup Message
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Fig. 10, Unsuccessful Backup Message
8. If the DECU is already updated, the message ‘Software Update Already Performed’ will be displayed. See
Fig. 12. No further work is required. Go to step 12.
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Fig. 12, Message Displayed if Software Update was
Already Performed
IMPORTANT: This update is applicable only for Intellipark software installed prior to July 14, 2021.
9. If the Intellipark system installed in the vehicle is not compatible with this update, the message ‘Software
Version Not Applicable’ will be displayed. Go to step 12.
10. If neither of the conditions from steps 8 and 9 exist, select ‘Update and Restore.’ See Fig. 13.
IMPORTANT: Do not disconnect the laptop from the vehicle until the update is complete.
11. Once the update is complete, the message ‘Flash Complete’ will be displayed. The laptop can be now disconnected
from the vehicle. See Fig. 14.
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Fig. 13, Selecting Update and Restore
Daimler Trucks
North America LLC Recall Campaign
September 2021
FL896A
NHTSA #21V-547 (School Bus)
Page 10
NOTE: A data log will be saved in the laptop’s local drive (C:\Users\Public\Public
Documents\Bendix\Bendix_Intellipark_Update) for reference. For questions regarding this update, call 1-800-
247-2725.
12. Clean a spot on the base label (Form WAR259) and attach a campaign completion sticker for FL896 (Form
WAR260), indicating this work has been completed.
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Fig. 14, Flash Complete Message Displayed
SEOCONTENT-END