1998 International Harvester Amtran Buses

Defect. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SCHOOL BUSES BUILT WITH BENDIX AIR ABS WITH AN EC-17 1030R ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT (ECU). THERE HAVE BEEN REPORTS OF UNWANTED ABS ACTIVATION AT LOW SPEEDS CAUSED BY 1) CHAFED ABS WHEEL SPEED SENSOR WIRES ON ROTATING PARTS OR 2) A DAMAGED COMPONENT AT THE WHEEL END THAT GENERATES A CERTAIN TYPE OF ERRATIC SENSOR SIGNAL.

Risk. THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE THE ABS ECU TO EXHAUST THE AIR AT THE AIR BRAKE MODULATORS FOR ONE OR MORE OF THE WHEELS. THIS COULD RESULT IN EXTENDED BRAKING DISTANCES AND A POSSIBLE CRASH.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE ABS ECU.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 INTERNATIONAL HARVESTER AMTRAN SCHOOL BUS. WHILE MAKING A ROUTINE STOP, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE EXTERIOR STOP LIGHTS WERE NOT FLASHING. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT A FUSE HAD BLOWN AND A WIRE WAS MELTED. THE CONTACT REPLACED THE FUSE. THE FAILURE CONTINUED AFTER THE FUSE REPLACEMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL BUS MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTICS. THE MECHANIC ADVISED THAT THE FUSE AND WIRE HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE FAILURE CONTINUED AFTER THE REPAIR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FURTHER REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 126,000.