2002 Neoplan AN440L

Defect. ON CERTAIN TRANSIT BUSES EQUIPPED WITH CUMMINS WESTPORT B GAS PLUS OR C GAS PLUS 6 CYLINDER ENGINES, THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE CALIBRATION MAY NOT CORRECTLY DETECT A THROTTLE PLATE ACTUATOR FAILURE THAT COULD RESULT IN AN UNCOMMANDED OPEN THROTTLE CONDITION.

Risk. IF THIS EVENT OCCURS, THE VEHICLE OPERATOR WILL NOT HAVE CONTROL OF THE ENGINE SPEED WHICH COULD POSSIBLY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE CALIBRATION FREE OF CHARGE. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT CUMMINS CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER AT 1-800-343-7357 OR NEOPLAN AT 1-719-336-3256.

COWLING - AIR INTAKE VENT IS EXPOSED AND MICE CAN GET IN. NEAR EACH FENDER WHERE IT MOUNTS TO YOUR FIREWALL MICE CAN EASILY GET IN THERE. THE SCREEN HAS A WIRE FOR WIPER MOTOR THAT ALLOWS MICE TO GET IN. WHERE THE WIRE GOES THROUGH THE SCREEN THE OPENING IS TO BIG AND MICE CAN GET IN. NEEDS SOME TYPE OF INSTALLATION. *NM

RFTA BELIEVES THE FIRE ON UNIT #326 WAS A RESULT OF AN IMPROPER BRAKE RELEASE TIED TO THE WABCO ATC SYSTEM. THE HEAT GENERATED FROM THE BRAKES RESULTED IN A TIRE FIRE THAT ENGULFED THE REAR OF THE COACH. IT APPEARS THAT THE PROBLEM MAY BE TIED TO SUB-ZERO TEMPERATURES AND BUS WASHING AND ITS EFFECT ON THE WABCO AUTOMATIC TRACTION CONTROL (ATC) SYSTEM. THERE HAVE BEEN VERY SIMILAR PROBLEMS REPORTED ON OTHER BUSES EQUIPPED WITH THE WABCO SYSTEM. THERE SEEMS TO BE A TENDENCY FOR THE ABS OR ATC VALVE EXHAUST PORT TO FREEZE UP DURING EXTREMELY COLD WEATHER CONDITIONS. DURING AN ABS OR AN ATC EVENT, AIR IS NOT ALLOWED TO ESCAPE IN A NORMAL MANNER RESULTING IS DRAGGING BRAKES. IN SEPTEMBER OF 2002 RFTA RECEIVED FSRP FROM NEOPLAN TO ADDRESS SLOW RELEASE TIMES OF BRAKES ON NAPOLEON ARTICULATED BUSES EQUIPPED WITH MULTI-RELAY AND ATC VALVES. THOSE MODIFICATIONS WERE DONE BY RFTA. GEORGE FISHER, A SERVICE TECHNICIAN WITH WABCO CONTACTED ME ABOUT THE PROBLEM WITH THESE UNITS. I EXPLAINED TO HIM HOW WE THOUGHT THAT WE ISOLATED THE PROBLEM TO THE EXHAUST MUFFLER ON THE ATC VALVE. I REVIEWED THE FSRP HIM. ACCORDING TO GEORGE, WABCO HAD USED THAT DESIGN SEVERAL YEARS AGO, BUT DISCONTINUED IT BECAUSE OF THE VERY PROBLEM RFTA WAS EXPERIENCING. WABCO DETERMINED WITH THAT DESIGN THAT THE CHECK VALVE WOULD SOMETIMES STICK AND CAUSE A NON- RELEASE THAT COULD OCCUR WITH A ATC EVENT OR A SERVICE BRAKE APPLICATION. WABCOS POSITION IS THAT NEOPLANS FSRP WAS THE CAUSE OF THE NON-RELEASE THAT RFTA BELIE

THE REAR BRAKES ON TWO NEOPLAN AN 460 ARTICULATED BUSES APPEARED TO APPLY FOR NO APPARENT REASON RESULTING IN TWO TIRE FIRES AND ONE FIRE THAT ENGULFED THE ENTIRE REAR OF ONE BUS. *NM