GIRARDIN G5 2009: EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY

General Information

NHTSA Campaign ID Number: 10V123000

Make Model Year
GIRARDIN G5 2009
Date Owners Notified Date Received by ODI Date Added to Database
2010-04-01 2010-03-25 2010-03-25

Production Dates: 2007-10-01 - 2010-03-22

Manufacturers Involved: Corp. Micro Bird, Inc.

Manufacturer Campaign Number: 10-037-RIU

Component: EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY

Potential Number Of Units Affected: 49

Report Initiator: MFR MFR Report

Summary

CORP. MICRO BIRD HAS NOTIFIED NHTSA ABOUT A DEFECT IN CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2009 AND 2010 SCHOOL BUSES MANUFACTURED BETWEEN OCTOBER 2008 AND MARCH 2010 FITTED WITH RICON PUBLIC USE S AND K SERIES WHEELCHAIR LIFTS. DUE TO A PROBLEM IN THE SOFTWARE THAT CONTROLS THE LIFTS UP FUNCTION, IF THE SWITCH IS RELEASED BEFORE THE FLOOR LEVEL LIMIT SWITCH IS ACTIVATED, THE LIFT MAY CONTINUE ITS UPWARD TRAVEL FOR APPROXIMATELY 1 SECOND BEFORE STOPPING. THE CONTINUED UPWARD TRAVEL MAY OVERRUN THE FLOOR LEVEL CUT OFF POINT.

Consequence

WHEN THE PLATFORM OVERRUNS THE VEHICLE FLOOR LEVEL AND STOPS AT AN ANGLE FROM 15-20 DEGREES, IT IS POSSIBLE FOR A PERSON IN A WHEELCHAIR TO TIP OVER AND FOR SOMEONE STANDING ON THE PLATFORM TO FALL, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN INJURIES.

Remedy

CORP. MICRO BIRD WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND THE REPAIRS WILL BE PERFORMED BY AUTHORIZED RICON DEALERS FREE OF CHARGE. CURRENTLY RICON IS DEVELOPING A SOFTWARE SOLUTION AND IS NOT AVAILABLE. UNTIL THE SOFTWARE SOLUTION IS AVAILABLE, RICON WILL PROVIDE OWNERS WITH A BULLETIN OUTLINING PROPER WHEELCHAIR LIFT OPERATION AND WILL SHIP OWNERS A DVD-BASED TRAINING AID TO PROMOTE PROPER LIFT OPERATION AT NO COST. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 1, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT RICON AT 1-818-267-3000 OR MICRO BIRD AT 1-819-477-2012.

Notes

MICRO BIRD'S CAMPAIGN NUMBER IS 10-037-RIU.OWNERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 'TTY 1-800-424-9153', OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV .