NEOPLAN AN460 ARTICULATED 2003: STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR

General Information

NHTSA Campaign ID Number: 05V321000

Make Model Year
NEOPLAN AN460 ARTICULATED 2003
Date Received by ODI Date Added to Database
2005-07-14 2005-07-14

Production Dates: 2000-03-01 - 2003-01-31

Manufacturers Involved: NEOPLAN USA CORPORATION

Component: STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR

Potential Number Of Units Affected: 311

Report Initiator: ODI ODI Report

Summary

ON CERTAIN TRANSIT BUSES EQUIPPED WITH VAPOR DOOR ASSEMBLIES, THE TWO PIECE CURVED CONNECTING RODS WHEN USED AS AN ELEMENT OF THE DOOR ACTUATION LINKAGE IN CONJUNCTION WITH A VAPOR MEDIUM PNEUMATIC DIFFERENTIAL ENGINE, MAY BE SUBJECT TO FATIGUE FAILURE RESULTING IN BENDING OR BREAKING OF THE CONNECTING ROD.

Consequence

A BROKEN CONNECTING ROD CAN ALLOW THE DOOR PANEL TO MOVE FREELY IN AN UNCONTROLLED MANNER, LEAVING PASSENGERS INSIDE THE VEHICLE UNPROTECTED BY THE DOOR PANEL AND ENABLING A PROTRUDING DOOR PANEL TO STRIKE PERSONS OR OBJECTS OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE.

Remedy

NEOPLAN IS WORKING WITH VAPOR BUS INTERNATIONAL TO NOTIFY OWNERS AND HAVE THE REPAIR PERFORMED ON THEIR VEHICLES. THE REMEDY CONSISTS OF REPLACING THE TWO PIECE CONNECTING ROD WITH A ONE PIECE CONNECTING ROD. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VAPOR AT 1-847-777-6400 OR NEOPLAN AT 1-719-336-3256.

Notes

CUSTOMERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S AUTO SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236; 'TTY: 1-800-424-9153'; OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV.