1995 Amtran Genesis

Defect. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SCHOOL BUSES EQUIPPED WITH FLIP SEATS AT THE EMERGENCY EXITS. THE SEAT CUSHION HINGE ON THE COMBINATION FLIP SEAT IS LOCATED IN SUCH A MANNER THAT IT IS WITHIN EASY REACH OF THE PASSENGER SITTING IN THE SEAT LOCATED BEHIND THE COMBO FLIP SEAT.

Risk. THE HINGES ON THE COMBO FLIP SEAT CAN CAUSE A PINCHING CONDITION, RESULTING IN PERSONAL INJURY.

Remedy. OWNERS WILL BE NOTIFIED AND SENT KITS TO REMEDY THESE SEATS.

Defect. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SCHOOL BUSES. THE EMERGENCY DOOR HINGES THAT CONSIST OF STEEL PIN FITTINGS AND/OR LACKLUBRICATION CAN BIND FROM RUST AND/OR CORROSION.

Risk. THIS COULD CAUSE DIFFICULTY IN OPENING THE DOORS IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY.

Remedy. OWNERS WILL BE PROVIDED WITH A REPAIR KIT AND INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS. THE OWNERS CAN CONTACT AN AMTRAN DEALER FOR ASSISTANCE IF THEY SO DESIRE.

Defect. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SCHOOL BUSES. THESE VEHICLES WERE BUILT WITH INADEQUATE CIRCUIT PROTECTION DEVICES (FUSES OR CIRCUIT BREAKERS) ALLOWING THE HEADLAMPS, DURING HIGH BEAM OPERATION, TO IMPOSE TOO MUCH LOAD CAUSING THE PROTECTION DEVICE TO OPEN THE CIRCUIT.

Risk. THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE THE LOSS OF THE HEAD LIGHTS, INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy. OWNERS WILL BE PROVIDED WITH A FREE REPAIR KIT AND INSTRUCTIONS TO REMEDY THIS CONDITION. IF AN OWNER SO DESIRES, THEIR DEALER CAN PERFORM THE REMEDY FOR THEM.

Defect. THESE BUSES HAVE A REARVIEW MIRROR SYSTEM THAT DOES NOT MEET THE VIEWING REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 111, "REARVIEW MIRRORS."

Risk. CONSEQUENCE OF NON-COMPLIANCE: REDUCED REFLECTIVE AREA ON THE OUTSIDE REARVIEW MIRROR REDUCES THE DRIVERS APPARENT AREA OF VISIBILITY TO THE REAR OF THE BUS INCREASING THE POTENTIAL FOR A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.

Remedy. TWO ADD-ON CONVEX MIRRORS WILL BE PROVIDED TO THE VEHICLE OWNER WITH INSTRUCTIONS FOR MOUNTING. IF THE OWNER PREFERS, HE MAY TAKE THE BUS TO AN AMTRAN DEALER WHO WILL INSTALL THE MIRRORS.

Defect. THE HYDRAULIC BRAKE SYSTEM ON THESE BUSES USES TWO HYDRAULIC PRESSURE SWITCHES TO OPERATE THE BRAKE LIGHTS AND THE BRAKE BOOSTER PUMP. THE BRAKE PRESSURE WARNING LIGHT CAN ACTIVATE WHEN ACTUAL SYSTEM FAILURE HAS NOT OCCURRED.

Risk. A FALSE WARNING OF THE BRAKE PRESSURE WARNING LIGHT CAN CAUSE THE DRIVER TO IGNORE A WARNING WHEN AN ACTUAL PROBLEM EXISTS WHICH COULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE TWO HYDRAULIC PRESSURE SWITCHES WITH ONE MECHANICAL SWITCH THAT IS ACTIVATED BY BRAKE PEDAL STROKE.

Defect. THE REAR AXLE BEARING LOCKING WASHER WAS NOT ASSEMBLED WITH A TAB BENT OVER THE JAM NUT. THE JAM NUT CAN LOOSEN ALLOWING THE BEARING ADJUSTING NUT TO LOOSEN.

Risk. BEARING AND AXLE DAMAGE CAN OCCUR AND THE VEHICLE CAN BECOME UNSTABLE, WHICH CAN RESULT IN LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL AND AN ACCIDENT.

Remedy. DEALER WILL INSPECT THE REAR AXLE BEARING LOCK NUT ASSEMBLY AND CHECK BEARING ADJUSTMENT. CORRECTIONS WILL BE MADE AS NECESSARY.

Defect. AN INCOMPLETE TIRE SIZE WAS LISTED ON THE CERTIFICATION LABEL. ALSO, THE RIM SIZE LISTED ON THE CERTIFICATION LABEL INCLUDED ONLY THE WIDTH AND NOT THE WIDTH AND DIAMETER AS REQUIRED. THESE VEHICLES DO NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 120, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS FOR MOTOR VEHICLES OTHER THAN PASSENGER CARS."

Risk. CONSEQUENCE OF NON-COMPLIANCE: INCOMLETE CERTIFICATION LABELS CAN RESULT IN INCOREECT TIRES BEING MOUNTED ON THE VEHICLE, AND POSSIBLE INJURY TO PERSONS ATTEMPTING TO MOUNT INCORRECT TIRES.

Remedy. NEW CERTIFICATION LABELS WILL BE SENT TO THE OWNERS OF THESE BUSES.

OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS FOUR 1995 AMTRAN/INTERNATIONAL BUSES WITH BROKEN ROOF BOW WELDS. (THE SAME TYPE OF PROBLEM AS THE CARPENTER BUSES.) THIS PROBLEM FIRST APPEARED IN THE SPRING OF 2001. THESE DEFECTS WERE BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF INTERNATIONAL, AND THROUGH THE IC BODY DIVISION, INTERNATIONAL SENT UP A REPAIRMAN IN THE SUMMER OF 2001 WHO REPAIRED EACH OF THESE BODIES IN THE FIELD. NOW 2.5 YEARS LATER THESE BODIES ARE COMING APART IN THE IDENTICAL PLACES WHERE THEY WERE REPAIRED. OUR LOCAL INTERNATIONAL DEALER, SKUBIC BROS. INT'L, HAS BEEN TRYING TO WORK WITH INTERNATIONAL DIRECTLY ON THIS ISSUE SINCE WE DISCOVERED IN DECEMBER 2003 THAT THESE REPAIRS DID NOT WORK AND THE WELDS WERE ONCE AGAIN BREAKING. INTERNATIONAL CONTENDS THAT THE BODIES ARE TOO OLD TO BE COVERED UNDER ANY KIND OF WARRANTY, OR EVEN THEIR "FIELD FIX" ANY LONGER. MR. CARL THOMASON AT THE IC PLANT (1-800-993-7686) SAYS THAT THEY HAVE NO RECORDS REGARDING THIS REPAIR. MR. THOMASON DID SAY THAT THE REPAIRS BACK IN 2001 WERE COVERED UNDER A "FIELD FIX" FOR THIS VERY PROBLEM, BUT IT WAS DONE ONLY ON AN "AS NEEDED" BASIS. IN OTHER WORDS, THEY WERE ONLY FIXING THE BODIES THAT CUSTOMERS COMPLAINED ABOUT. THEY APPARENTLY WERE DOING NOTHING WITH THE UNSAFE BODIES THAT CUSTOMERS WERE NOT COMPLAINING ABOUT, OR AWARE OF. WE FEEL THAT THE BODIES WERE NOT PROPERLY REPAIRED BY INTERNATIONAL'S "FIELD FIX" PERSONNEL AND THE LIABILITY AND COST TO PROPERLY REPAIR THESE BUSES SHOULD FALL ON INTERNATIONAL. OUR SCHOOL DISTRI

DRIVER STOPPED VEHICLE WHEN A STRONG ODOR OF DIESEL FUEL AND A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER WAS DETECTED. WHEN THE ENGINE COVER WAS OPENED SMOKE AND DIESEL FUEL SPRAY BLEW INTO THE FACES OF THE DRIVER AND OTHERS. FUEL CONTINUED TO SPRAY INTO THE OCCUPIED PASSENGER AREA UNTIL THE ENGINE WAS SHUT OFF. A COATING OF FUEL COATED THE UNDERCARRIAGE, EXTERIOR SIDES AND BACK OF VEHICLE BODY. A FAULTY FUEL INJECTOR PUMP ON A REPLACEMENT UNIT PROVIDED UNDER WARRANTY DUE TO PREVIOUS PUMP MALFUNCTIONS WAS SPEWING OIL. APPROXIMATELY 25-30 GALLONS OF FUEL CONTAMINATED THE EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR OF VEHICLE.