Unintended Conveyor Movement/Crushing Hazard – 2012-2020 Schwarze Avalanche Street Sweepers

October 18, 2021 NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 21V816000

Unintended Conveyor Movement/Crushing Hazard

Unintentional activation of the switch box can advance the conveyor, presenting a crushing hazard between the conveyor and hopper, and increasing the risk of injury or death.

 

NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V816

Manufacturer Schwarze Industries, Inc.

Components EQUIPMENT

Potential Number of Units Affected 547

 

Summary

Schwarze Industries, Inc. (Schwarze) is recalling certain 2012-2020 Avalanche M6TE, M6SE, and M6SE CNG street sweepers. The outside switch box that controls the position of the conveyor may activate unintentionally while the vehicle is running.

 

Remedy

Dealers will install a kit containing an outside switch guard and two crushing hazard warning decals, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on November 23, 2021. Owners may contact Schwarze’s customer service at 1-800-879-7934.

 

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.nhtsa.gov.

 


2020 Schwarze Avalanche
2020 Schwarze Avalanche

 


Recall Remedy Service Bulletin

October 2021

 

M6 Avalanche Outside Switch Guard & Warning Decals

Safety Recall

21V-816

 

Avalanche M6TE, M6SE & M6SE CNG Models

This Switch Guard/DANGER/WARNING decal kit has been developed to prevent unintended activation of the outside controls and to warn all persons to remain clear of the area between the hopper and conveyor of energized sweepers.

 

Note: Always shut off all engines, deactivate equipment, and remove keys anytime inspecting or servicing the sweeper. Never step on the switch control box or switch guard under any circumstances.

 

Updates to Outside Controls: Kit (204Z16)

  • Addition of Switch Guard (651326) to the face of Switch Control Box as described on page 2 of this bulletin.
  • Addition of WARNING decal with part number (68916) to the top of Switch Control Box as shown on page 2 of this bulletin.

 

Updates to Each Side of Conveyor Opening on Hopper:

  • Addition of two (2) DANGER decals with part number (68915), one (1) decal on each side of conveyor opening on hopper as shown on pages 3 and 4 of this bulletin.

 

Switch Guard Installation and WARNING Decal Placement

  • Remove (4) four plastic fasteners from front of Switch Control Boxโ€™s (4) corner holes.

 

  • Using a 3/16โ€ drill bit, open up pass through holes in (4) corner holes, from the back.

 

  • Insert (4) 10-24 x 3-1/2โ€ socket cap screws into the (4) corner holes, from the back.

 

  • Place Switch Guard (651326) in place over (4) bolts with flat washers, add hex lock nuts and tighten using a 3/8โ€ socket and 5/32โ€ Allen and 5/32โ€ Allen wrench.

 

  • Clean top surface of Switch Control Clean top surface of Switch Control Box.

 

  • Place WARNING decal with part number (68916) on top of Switch Control Box as shown Box as shown below.

 

Place WARNING Decal Part Number 68916 Here on top of Switch Control Box

 

Switch Guard 651326

 

DANGER Decal Placement

  • Clean area where decals will be placed.

 

  • Place (2) two DANGER decals with part number 68915, (1) one decal on each side of conveyor opening on hopper as shown.

 

  • Left hand side of hopper

 

Decal Placement

  • Right hand side of hopper

 


November 2021

To: All Schwarze-affiliated Dealers

Subject: Notification of Safety Recall 21V-816, New Vehicle Hold
MYs 2012 – 2020 Avalanche M6TE, M6SE, and M6SE CNG
Outside Switch Box

 

REASON FOR THIS SAFETY RECALL:

On October 1 8, Schwarze Industries, Inc., filed a Defect Information Report with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) informing the agency that in certain Avalanche M6 sweepers, the outside switch box, from which the operator can control the position of the conveyor, can be activated unintentionally when the vehicle is running. If the vehicle operator has not completed lock out/tag out procedures and not installed the conveyor safety pins to keep the retracted conveyor in place, but enters the area between the hopper and the conveyor, the operator can unintentionally activate the switch that advances the conveyor, thereby pinning the operator between the hopper and the conveyor. This presents a crushing hazard, increasing the risk of serious injury or death.

 

AFFECTED VEHICLES:

Make and ModelModel YearsNumber of vehiclesProduction Period
Avalanche M6TE, M6SE, and M6SE CNG2012 – 2020547October 26, 2012 – December 11, 2020

 

REMEDY:

Remedy parts are available. Dealers will install an Outside Switch Guard and two crushing hazard Warning Decals. This service must be performed on all affected vehicles at no charge to the vehicle owner. Attached please find the service procedure for completing this repair. The repair takes about 30 minutes to complete.

 

REIMBURSENT:

Schwarze will provide the remedy kit to dealers at no charge and will reimburse dealers directly for performing this remedy.

 

OWNER LETTER MAILING DATE:

Schwarze will notify owners of this safety recall by December 17, 2021.

 

CUSTOMER CONTACTS:

Dealers should repair any Avalanche M6 sweeper covered by this safety recall that arrives at their dealerships, whether or not the owner has received a safety recall letter. The Schwarze Warranty Department (at 800-879-7934 or [email protected]) is available to support you in executing a customer-friendly process for remedying these vehicles.

 

NEW VEHICLES IN DEALER NVENTORY:

Schwarze does not believe there are any covered vehicles in dealers’ inventory. However, it is a violation of Federal law for a dealer to deliver a new motor vehicle or any new or used item of motor vehicle equipment (including a tire) covered by this notification under a sale or lease until the defect is remedied. Violation of this requirement by a dealer could result in a civil penalty against the dealer of up to $22,723 per vehicle. Accordingly, you must remedy covered vehicles in your new vehicle inventory before delivery.

In addition, we request that you remedy before delivery into commerce under a sale or lease any covered pre-owned vehicles in your inventory

 

QUESTIONS & ASSISTANCE:

For questions and assistance, including help in identifying whether any vehicles in your inventory are covered by this safety recall, please contact the Schwarze Warranty Department at 800-879-7934 or [email protected].

 

Thank you for your attention to this important matter.

Sincerely,

 

Vice President of Sales, Marketing, and Customer
Service
Schwarze Industries, Inc.

 

Attachment: Service Procedure

 


Chronology :

On September 7, 2017, Schwarze learned of a fatality involving an M6 sweeper. A Schwarze employeeโ€™s initial inspection that day and Schwarzeโ€™s further investigation did not identify any malfunction in the vehicle.

On August 10, 2020, Schwarze learned of a fatality involving an M6 sweeper.

On August 20, 2020, Schwarze attended an inspection of the vehicle.

On September 22, 2020, Schwarze produced an initial design of a switch box guard.

On November 3, 2020, Schwarz produced the final design of the switch box guard.

On November 10, 2020, Schwarze participated in a follow-up vehicle inspection.

On December 15, 2020, Schwarze began installing the new switch box guard and crushing hazard warning decals on all M6 sweepers and began retrofitting existing units (manufactured in 2012 and thereafter) with the switch guard box and crushing hazard warning decals.

On September 10 and October 8, 2021, Schwarze met with NHTSA on the 2017 and 2020 sweeper incidents.

On October 8, 2021, Schwarze decided to conduct a voluntary safety recall to install the switch guard box and crushing hazard warning decals on the remainder of the affected M6 sweeper population. As of October 8, 2021, Schwarze is aware of no warranty claims, no field or service reports, and no injuries related to this issue.

 


18 Affected Products

Vehicles

MAKEMODELYEAR
SCHWARZEM6 AVALANCHE CNG2012-2020
SCHWARZEM6 AVALANCHE STREET SWEEP2012-2020

 


12 Associated Documents

Defect Notice 573 Report

RCLRPT-21V816-8112.PDF 216.004KB

 


Recall Acknowledgement

RCAK-21V816-2137.pdf 646.089KB

 


ISSUED Owner Notification Letter(Part 577)

RCONL-21V816-5090.pdf 795.026KB

 


Remedy Instructions and TSB

RCRIT-21V816-4287.pdf 788.021KB

 


ISSUED Owner Notification Letter(Part 577)

RCONL-21V816-5063.pdf 118.406KB

 


Manufacturer Reimbursement Plan

RMRP-21V816-9814.pdf 125.848KB

 


Manufacturer Notices(to Dealers,etc)

RCMN-21V816-5940.pdf 94.629KB

 


Recall Quarterly Report #1, 2021-4

RCLQRT-21V816-2263.PDF 211.141KB

 


Recall 573 Report – February 8, 2022

RCLRPT-21V816-7757.PDF 216.029KB

 


Recall Quarterly Report #2, 2022-1

RCLQRT-21V816-8449.PDF 211.237KB

 


Recall Quarterly Report #3, 2022-2

RCLQRT-21V816-1541.PDF 211.323KB

 


Recall Quarterly Report #4, 2022-3

RCLQRT-21V816-9993.PDF 211.426KB

 


Latest Recalls Documents

https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/acms/cs/documentList.xhtml?docId=21V816&docType=RCL

 


 

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