Investigations
12 VOLT/24 VOLT BATTERY EQUALIZERS
NHTSA Engineering Analysis EA00016 - closed, opened 2000-05-31.
NHTSA investigation EA00016 is a Engineering Analysis opened on 2000-05-31 and currently closed. The subject is tracked inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 2000-09-05 - NHTSA updates that field whenever an Information Request goes out, a supplement is filed, or a status change is recorded in the public docket.
An Engineering Analysis like EA00016 is the deeper technical phase that follows a PE. NHTSA requests design, warranty, and field-failure data from the manufacturer, conducts its own testing when needed, and determines whether the evidence supports a safety defect finding that would compel a recall.
Investigators summarized the matter as follows: "THIS INVESTIGATION WAS UPGRADED FROM PE99-075, WHICH WAS OPENED ON ORION BUSES, A MANUFACTURER OF OVER-THE-ROAD BUSES. ORION HAD NOTIFIED ODI THAT EQUALIZER UNITS FURNISHED BY VANNER WERE FAILING, RESULTING IN THEIR OVER..." Investigations are the early-warning layer of the federal auto-safety system, sitting upstream of formal recalls and defect orders. Whether this one closes without action or escalates into an Engineering Analysis, the full history stays in the ODI archive so researchers, litigators, and buyers can pull the paper trail at any time.
Investigation Summary
THIS INVESTIGATION WAS UPGRADED FROM PE99-075, WHICH WAS OPENED ON ORION BUSES, A MANUFACTURER OF OVER-THE-ROAD BUSES. ORION HAD NOTIFIED ODI THAT EQUALIZER UNITS FURNISHED BY VANNER WERE FAILING, RESULTING IN THEIR OVERHEATING, CEASING TO FUNCTION, EMITTING BLACK SMOKE, MELTING AND SOMETIMES CATCHING FIRE. "EQUALIZERS" ARE ELECTRONIC DEVICES INSTALLED ON OVER-THE-ROAD PASSENGER BUSES TO MAINTAIN AN EVEN ELECTRICAL CHARGE BETWEEN THE TWO 12 VOLT BATTERIES WHICH ARE PART OF THE BUSES' ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. DURING ODI'S DISCUSSIONS WITH VANNAER AND THE VARIOUS BUS MANUFACTURERS INVOLVED, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT EQUALIZERS (60 SERIES) BUILT BETWEEN NOVEMBER 25, 1998 AND APRIL 30,. 1999 WERE FAILING. ON AUGUST 10, 2000, VANNER SUBMITTED A SAFETY DEFECT REPORT (OOE-046) WHICH SPECIFIES THE APPROPRIATE CORRECTIVE ACTION NECESSARY FOR THE OEMS AND BUS FLEETS IMPLEMENTING THIS RECALL. A COPY OF THE RECALL IS ATTACHED. THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.
About This Investigation Type
An Engineering Analysis (EA) is the in-depth phase following a Preliminary Evaluation. NHTSA engineers conduct testing, collect data from manufacturers, and perform detailed technical analysis to determine whether a safety defect exists. An EA may lead to a voluntary recall by the manufacturer or, in rare cases, a mandatory recall order.
Data from NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Cross-references: NHTSA recall campaign API and NHTSA FARS where fatality records overlap. PlainCars does not rate or recommend vehicles. about how PlainCars sources NHTSA data.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.