The Recall Desk
HighNHTSA·12E054000·Announced 2012-11-29

Cummins Recalls Diesel Engines in School Buses Due to Fan Pulley Defect

Cummins is recalling specific ISB6.7 diesel engines installed in Thomas Built school buses because a fan pulley can fail, causing the engine to overheat and potentially disabling the vehicle.

What this means for you

Real risk of harm even if no illness or injury has been reported yet. Stop using the product and follow the agency's guidance.

Our severity reasoning: The recall involves a structural vehicle defect (fan pulley fatigue) that can disable a school bus, creating a risk of injury to occupants during an emergency exit, but no injuries or fatalities are reported in the source text.

Plain-English summary

Cummins Inc. is recalling certain model ISB6.7 diesel engines manufactured between February 16, 2010, and May 4, 2012. These engines are equipped with a specific fan pulley (Part Number 3914462) and are installed on certain Thomas Built Buses, Inc. school buses. The fan pulley is part of the accessory drive system on the front of the engine, which drives components such as the refrigerant compressors, radiator fan, and engine water pump.

The web of the pulley can fatigue over time, leading to failure. If the pulley fails, the fan belt may lose engagement with the water pump, allowing the cooling system to overheat. This can result in the engine exceeding temperature limits, potentially disabling the school bus. If the bus is occupied when it becomes disabled, occupants would need to exit the vehicle and be transferred to another vehicle, putting them at risk of injury.

Cummins will notify Thomas Built of the defect and work with them to identify and notify affected owners. Cummins will install a new fan drive pulley without charge through its service network. The recall began on November 27, 2012, and owner notifications began on January 4, 2013. Owners may contact Cummins at 1-812-377-5000 or the NHTSA Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236.

The recalled product

Product
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:DIESEL recall
Manufacturer
CUMMINS INC.
Category
Vehicle — School Bus Engine Component
Hazard
Affected units
7,040

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

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