American Transportation Corp.: Parking Brake › Driveline › Air
American Transportation Corp. reported this defect to federal regulators on Nov 4, 1996 and put the number of vehicles at risk at 194. The repair is free for as long as the recall stands.
The defect
THE AIR/SPRING ACTUATED PARKING BRAKE CHAMBERS MANUFACTURED BY MIDLAND (DATE CODE 145B6K) WERE FILLED WITH THE WRONG LUBRICATION. THE IMPROPER LUBRICANT CAUSES THE SEALS WITHIN THE CHAMBER TO FAIL AND RESULTS IN LOSS OF AIR. IF AIR PRESSURE DROPS TO 55 PSI THE SPRING WITHIN THE CHAMBER WILL AUTOMATICALLY APPLY THE PARKING BRAKE.
The risk
IF AIR PRESSURE DROPS BELOW 55 PSI AND THE OPERATOR DOES NOT HEED THE LOW AIR PRESSURE WARNING AND CONTINUES TO DRIVE, THE PARKING BRAKE WILL APPLY. THIS CAN CAUSE THE PARKING BRAKE LINING TO OVERHEAT AND PREMATURELY WEAR. WHEN THE BUS IS PARKED AND THE BRAKE APPLIED, THE PARKING BRAKE WOULD NOT OPERATE PROPERLY.
The remedy
DEALERS (OR OWNERS) WILL INSPECT THE BRAKE CHAMBERS FOR THE SUSPECT DATE CODE. IF THE CHAMBER HAS THIS CODE, THE PARKING BRAKE CHAMBER WILL BE REPLACED.
6 model years covered
Newest first| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Fires | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 Amtran RS3302 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1997 Amtran RS3505 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1997 Amtran RS3708 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1996 Amtran RS3302 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 1996 Amtran RS3505 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 1996 Amtran RS3708 | 0 | 4 | 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 96V221000.
Full record for the 1997 Amtran RS3302 → · Recalls carrying a do-not-drive advisory → · Where this data comes from →