The Recall Desk
SevereNHTSA·14V066000·Announced 2014-02-10

Elkhart Transit Bus Recall for Alternator Harness Pinch Hazard

Elkhart Coach is recalling 2010-2013 ECI and ECII transit buses because a pinched alternator harness could cause vehicle stalling or a fire.

What this means for you

Illness, injury, or structural failure has been reported. Stop using the product immediately and contact the manufacturer for a refund or repair.

Our severity reasoning: The recall involves a structural vehicle defect where a pinched harness can cause a short circuit resulting in a fire, and vehicle stalling which increases the risk of a crash. This aligns with the rubric criterion for 'structural vehicle defect' or 'significant injury/property-damage reports' (fire risk).

Plain-English summary

Elkhart Coach is recalling certain model year 2010-2013 ECI and ECII transit buses built on Ford cutaway chassis. These vehicles are equipped with Ford 5.4L or 6.8L engines and Trans/Air-brand air compressors. The recall involves 336 affected units.

In the affected vehicles, the alternator harness may be pinched between a heater hose spring clamp and the air conditioner compressor mounting bracket, depending on the harness routing and clamp orientation. This pinch can cause the charging system to fail, leading to the vehicle stalling while driving and increasing the risk of a crash. Additionally, the spring clamp could pierce the positive and negative wires of the alternator harness, creating a short circuit that could result in a fire.

Elkhart Coach will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicles, correct the clamp installation, and repair and reroute the alternator harness as needed, free of charge. The recall began on March 14, 2014. Customers may contact Elkhart at 1-866-478-7652 or the NHTSA Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236.

The recalled product

Product
ELKHART ECI, ECII
Brand
ELKHART
Manufacturer
Elkhart Coach
Category
Vehicle — Transit Bus
Hazard
Affected units
336

Is your product affected?

Check your packaging against the codes below. If any of them match, the product is part of this recall.

Model numbers (2)

  • ECI
  • ECII

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

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