American Transportation Corp.: Visibility › Defroster/Defogger/Hvac System › Fan/Motor
American Transportation Corp. reported this defect to federal regulators on Nov 20, 2001 and put the number of vehicles at risk at 11,944. The repair is free for as long as the recall stands.
The defect
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: CERTAIN SCHOOL AND TRANSIT BUSES WERE BUILT WITH A POOR QUALITY HEATER/DEFROSTER BLOWER SWITCH. IN SOME CASES THIS HAS CAUSED THE MELTING OF THE HEATER HARNESS CONNECTOR AT THE SWITCH TERMINALS OR THE HIGH-SPEED WIRE INSULATION AT THE CONNECTOR. ALSO, SOME OF THE UNITS HAD IMPROPER CIRCUIT PROTECTION SIZE INSTALLED IN THE HEATER DEFROSTER CIRCUIT.
The risk
IF AN OPERATOR DETECTS SMOKE OR THE SMELL OF MELTING WIRE INSULATION FROM THE BLOWER CONTROL PANEL, THE OPERATION OF THE HEATER/DEFROSTER AT HIGH SPEED SHOULD BE DISCONTINUED UNTIL THE REPAIR IS MADE.
The remedy
OWNERS WILL BE PROVIDED WITH INSTRUCTIONS AND PARTS TO REPLACE THE SWITCH AND SWITCH HARNESS WITH A NEW SWITCH, SWITCH HARNESS, RELAY AND RELAY HARNESS. FOR THE RE UNITS BUILT PRIOR TO JANUARY 1, 1999, THE KIT WILL ALSO INCLUDE A 20-AMPERE MANUAL CIRCUIT BREAKER. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN DECEMBER 15, 2001. OWNERS WHO DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT AMTRAN AT 800-843-5615.
9 model years covered
Newest first| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Fires | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 Amtran FE | 0 | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| 2001 Amtran RE | 1 | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| 2000 Amtran FE | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| 2000 Amtran RE | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999 Amtran FE | 0 | 13 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999 Amtran RE | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| 1998 Amtran RE | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| 1997 Amtran RE | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| 1996 Amtran RE | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
What this page is, and what to do next
A recall is not an opinion. It is a Part 573 report a manufacturer is required by federal law to file once it decides a defect poses an unreasonable risk to safety, and it commits them to repairing the vehicle at no cost to the owner. The three passages above are the manufacturer’s own wording as published by NHTSA.
This page describes the campaign. It cannot tell you whether one particular car has already been through the shop — that is tracked by VIN, and only the manufacturer knows it. Check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with a franchised dealer, quoting campaign number 01V241000.
Full record for the 2001 Amtran FE → · Recalls carrying a do-not-drive advisory → · Where this data comes from →