Investigations
SIDE WHEELCHAIR DOOR AJAR
NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation PE09021 - closed, opened 2009-05-04.
NHTSA investigation PE09021 is a Preliminary Evaluation opened on 2009-05-04 and currently closed. The subject is tracked inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 2009-08-07 - NHTSA updates that field whenever an Information Request goes out, a supplement is filed, or a status change is recorded in the public docket.
A Preliminary Evaluation like PE09021 is the entry point of the federal defect-investigation process. NHTSA engineers scan complaint databases, field reports, and manufacturer data to decide whether an Engineering Analysis is warranted, whether a voluntary recall is already sufficient, or whether the pattern does not rise to a defect finding.
Investigators summarized the matter as follows: "THIS INVESTIGATION WAS OPENED AFTER ODI LEARNED THAT DURING "IN SERVICE" INSPECTIONS CONDUCTED BY THE NEW YORK DOT, THEY IDENTIFIED BUSES ON WHICH THE SIDE WHEELCHAIR DOOR WOULD BECOME AJAR DURING THE DRIVING PORTION OF..." 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 OPENED AFTER ODI LEARNED THAT DURING "IN SERVICE" INSPECTIONS CONDUCTED BY THE NEW YORK DOT, THEY IDENTIFIED BUSES ON WHICH THE SIDE WHEELCHAIR DOOR WOULD BECOME AJAR DURING THE DRIVING PORTION OF THE INSPECTION. ALLEGEDLY, UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, WHEN THE DOOR BECOMES AJAR, THE SERVICE BRAKES APPLY AND THE BUS CANNOT BE MOVED UNTIL THE DRIVER GETS OUT OF THE BUS AND SECURES THE DOOR. DAIMLER STATES THAT THE ISSUE STEMS FROM A MISADJUSTED DOOR LATCH SWITCH WHICH RESULTS IN AN OVERLY SENSITIVE AND FALSE LATCH SIGNAL. THIS CONDITION WOULD CAUSE THE BUZZER IN THE DRIVER'S COMPARTMENT TO SOUND, BUT WOULD NOT CAUSE THE VEHICLE'S BRAKES TO BE APPLIED WHILE THE BUS IS BEING OPERATED. FIELD WORK SHOWS THE DOOR IS NOT ACTUALLY OPEN, RATHER IT IS IN A POSITION THAT WOULD ACTIVATE THE SWITCH AND SEND A FALSE "DOOR AJAR" WARNING. THIS WAS THE RESULT OF AN IMPROPERLY ADJUSTED DOOR LATCH INTERLOCK SWITCH. FIELD WORK ALSO SHOWS THAT THE BRAKES WILL NOT APPLY UNLESS THE DRIVER SHIFTS THE VEHICLE OUT OF DRIVE INTO NEUTRAL AND IS GOING LESS THAN 5 MILES PER HOUR. DAIMLER REPORTED THAT ALL DOORS AND SWITCHES ON THE NEW YORK FLEET HAVE BEEN INSPECTED AND ADJUSTED AS NEEDED. BASED ON DAIMLER'S DATA AND FURTHER REVIEW INTO THIS ISSUE, A SAFETY RELATED DEFECT HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME AND FURTHER USE OF THE AGENCY RESOURCES ARE NOT CURRENTLY WARRANTED. THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT NO SAFETY DEFECT EXISTS. THE AGENCY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO TAKE FURTHER ACTION ON THE VEHICLES IF WARRANTED.
About This Investigation Type
A Preliminary Evaluation (PE) is the first phase of NHTSA's investigation process. It is opened when the agency identifies a potential safety defect pattern, usually triggered by consumer complaints, manufacturer reports, or field monitoring. During a PE, NHTSA gathers information to determine whether a formal engineering analysis is warranted.
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.