Orion Bus Industries, Inc.: Electrical System › Alternator/Generator/Regulator
Orion Bus Industries, Inc. reported this defect to federal regulators on Aug 10, 1998 and put the number of vehicles at risk at 45. The repair is free for as long as the recall stands.
The defect
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: TRANSIT BUSES EQUIPPED WITH CHALLENGER 2000 MODEL 170 SERIES ALTERNATORS. THE POSITIVE POWER STUD MAY NOT BE PROPERLY SEATED IN PLACE CAUSING A LOOSE CONNECTION. THIS LOOSE CONNECTION CAUSES AN OVER-HEAT CONDITION WHEN THE ALTERNATOR IS UNDER A LOAD. ALSO THE MATERIAL USED TO INSULATE THE POWER STUD FROM THE RECTIFIER CAN TEAR AND CAUSE THE POSITIVE POWER STUD TO GROUND TO THE ALTERNATOR CASE.
The risk
THE ALTERNATOR CAN GET HOT ENOUGH TO CATCH FIRE WHICH COULD SPREAD TO OTHER AREAS OF THE VEHICLE.
The remedy
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THESE ALTERNATORS.
2 model years covered
Newest first| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Fires | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 Orion II | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 1997 Orion II | 0 | 3 | 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 98V189000.
Full record for the 1998 Orion II → · Recalls carrying a do-not-drive advisory → · Where this data comes from →