Month: August 2022

Airstream is Recalling Certain 2021-2022 Basecamp, Bambi, Atlas, Interstate, and Interstate 19 Travel Trailers

NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V595000

Manufacturer Airstream, Inc.

Components EQUIPMENT

Potential Number of Units Affected 116

Summary

Airstream, Inc. (Airstream) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Basecamp, Bambi, Atlas, Interstate, and Interstate 19 travel trailers equipped with certain 2-burner cooktops. The burner control valves may become damaged, causing a gas leak.

Remedy

Dealers will inspect, and if necessary replace the cooktop, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed October 7, 2022. Owners may contact Airstream customer service at 1-877-596-6505 or 1-937-596-6111 ext. 7401 or 7411.

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.

Pleasure Way is recalling certain 2021-2022 Plateau TS Motorhomes

NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V585000

Manufacturer Pleasure Way Industries, Ltd.

Components ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Potential Number of Units Affected 225

Summary

Pleasure Way Industries, Ltd. (Pleasure Way) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Plateau TS motorhomes. The DCF 4 circuit board is labeled for 30 amps, while the pins for the fuse holder are only rated for 20 amps, which can overload the circuit board and cause the fuse or wiring to overheat or melt.

Remedy

Dealers will install a dedicated fused relay for the fridge and relabel the circuit board, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed August 15, 2022. Owners may contact Pleasure Way’s customer service at 1-800-364-0189.

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.

Blue Bird is Recalling Certain 2017-2023 Blue Bird Vision School Buses

NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V579000

Manufacturer Blue Bird Body Company

Components FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER

Potential Number of Units Affected 4,900

Summary

Blue Bird Body Company (Blue Bird) is recalling certain 2017-2023 Blue Bird Vision school buses equipped with Roush fuel return lines included in GEN 4 and GEN 5 LPG Conversion Systems that were installed on vehicles sold or registered in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington D.C., West Virginia, and Wisconsin. The zinc-plating on the fuel return line may break away when contacted by road debris, causing two dissimilar metals on the fuel line to contact each other and corrode.

Remedy

Dealers will replace the fuel return lines, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on September 28, 2022. Second letters will be mailed when the remedy is available. Owners may contact Blue Bird’s customer service at 1-478-822-2242. Blue Bird’s number for this recall is R22BX-SB.

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.

Blue Bird is Recalling Certain 2018-2023 Blue Bird Vision Transit Buses

NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V578000

Manufacturer Blue Bird Body Company

Components FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER

Potential Number of Units Affected 49

Summary

Blue Bird Body Company (Blue Bird) is recalling certain 2018-2023 Blue Bird Vision transit buses equipped with Roush fuel return lines included in GEN 4 and GEN 5 LPG Conversion Systems that were installed on vehicles sold or registered in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington D.C., West Virginia, and Wisconsin. The zinc-plating on the fuel return line may break away when contacted by road debris, causing two dissimilar metals on the fuel line to contact each other and corrode.

Remedy

Dealers will replace the fuel return lines, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on September 28, 2022. A second letter will be mailed when the remedy is available. Owners may contact Blue Bird’s customer service at 1-478-822-2242. Blue Bird’s number for this recall is R22BX-NSB.

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.

Gillig is Recalling Certain 2019-2022 Low Floor Vehicles

NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V548000

Manufacturer Gillig, LLC

Components ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Potential Number of Units Affected 184

Summary

Gillig, LLC (Gillig) is recalling certain 2019-2022 Low Floor vehicles equipped with Cummins BP74E battery packs. The battery packs may develop a coolant leak internally, causing the battery pack to short circuit.

Remedy

Gillig will tighten the coolant fittings and replace the coolant, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on September 27, 2022. A second letter will be mailed once a remedy is established. Owners may contact Gillig’s customer service at 1-510-264-5073 or 1-800-735-1500.

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.

Premises Liability Slip and Fall Evaluation

Basic Fact Pattern
  • Slip and fall on a recently mopped floor in a fast food restaurant.
  • The floor tile involved was allegedly improperly designed, constructed, inspected, and maintained for such a facility.
  • Specifically, the floor tile lacked adequate slip resistance, when tested wet with a BOT-3000e tribometer.
  • The incident was captured on high resolution video surveillance, along with time both before and after the incident.
  • It was also alleged that the plaintiff had not been adequately warned about the presence of a wet floor.
Investigative Actions Taken
  • The details of the incident were extracted from the deposition testimony and documentation of multiple parties.
  • The video surveillance footage was analyzed for:
    • The timing of the mopping and the subsequent drying of the floor.
    • The biomechanics involved in the fall event, as well as the plaintiff’s actions before and after the incident.
    • The actions of others undertaken at or near the incident location, both before and after the incident.
  • In the field, the position of the wet floor sign was re-created, after which analysis of the sight lines during all of the Plaintiff’s movements prior to the incident were analyzed. 
  • Measurements were also taken in the field, along with observations of the cleaning equipment and procedures.
  • Code and construction information was reviewed for the floor tile at issue.
  • Testing performed by others without our knowledge was reviewed against standards for the same.
  •  
Determinations Made
  • The incident location was mopped eight times less than five minutes prior to the incident, with the “greasy substance” felt by the Plaintiff created by her spilled French fries.
  • There was no scientifically credible evidence that any improper procedures had allowed the floor to remain “greasy” after it had just been mopped.
  • The floor tile complied with the applicable building codes and properly applied standards.
  • The tribometry testing performed by the opposing expert was scientifically invalid, due to a lack of adherence to the standards for the same.
  • The opposing expert had also performed improper analysis of alternative codes and standards which did not apply.
  • The Plaintiff had eight separate sight lines where the Wet Floor sign was unobstructed within her field of view, prior to falling reportedly with no knowledge that the floor was wet.
  • The Plaintiff’s slip event initiated as a result of ill-fitted footwear, combined with an accelerated gait pattern (i.e., hurried walking), resulting in a slip event that was not consistent with the 10 other people shown in the video surveillance footage walking over the same incident location successfully while the floor was still wet.

Construction Defect Evaluation on a Multi-Million Dollar Estate Home

Basic Fact Pattern
  • Multi-million dollar custom residence with alleged construction defects in the varying exterior claddings resulting in systemic moisture intrusion and widespread underlying structural damage.
  • Alleged violation of building codes and consumer protection (fraud) statutes.
  • Multiple exterior claddings types and custom doors and windows.
  • Extensive landscaping and post-construction modifications.
  • Full documentation from the builder of the construction process, materials, and methods.
  • Opposing expert cut 15 holes into the building during multi-party destructive testing.
Investigative Actions Taken
  • Available documentation was analyzed in detail with regard to each constructed component.
  • Historic online imagery of the home was used to create a timeline for the post-construction modifications made.
  • The destructive testing program was observed, with a complete interior and exterior inspection completed.
  • Observation was also provided during storm damage repair work performed after the destructive testing had been completed.
  •  
Determinations Made
  • Opposing expert did not properly understand how the construction and post-construction modifications were executed, leading to significant confusion amongst the parties.
  • Construction defects, to the extent they existed, were related to deficiencies in the code requirements and building science understandings of the potential performance of the installed materials within the local climate at the time of construction.
  • Subsequent building science research has proven that these materials cannot physically perform when constructed as they were required to be at the time of construction, leading to specific code changes made since then.
  • Both the moisture intrusion, and the underlying damage, were associated with localized and isolated causal factors, rather than widespread and systemic ones.
  • Re-cladding of the entire residence was not required, and this was already known from testing previously performed, without the need for the excessive destructive testing.

BMW is Recalling Certain 2022 X3 xDrive30i Vehicles

NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V513000

Manufacturer BMW of North America, LLC

Components FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

Potential Number of Units Affected 2

Summary

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2022 X3 xDrive30i vehicles. The high-pressure fuel rail may crack and result in a fuel leak within the engine compartment.

Remedy

Dealers will replace the high-pressure fuel rail, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed September 12, 2022. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov

Mercedes-Benz is Recalling Certain 2021-2023 AMG GT43, E450 Cabriolet, E450 Wagon, E450 Coupe, 2019-2023 AMG E53, E53 Coupe, E53 Cabriolet, AMG GT53, CLS450, and 2019-2021 AMG CLS53 Vehicles

NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V533000

Manufacturer Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC

Components ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Potential Number of Units Affected 27,330

Summary

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2021-2023 AMG GT43, E450 Cabriolet, E450 Wagon, E450 Coupe, 2019-2023 AMG E53, E53 Coupe, E53 Cabriolet, AMG GT53, CLS450, and 2019-2021 AMG CLS53 vehicles. The transmission wiring harness may be misrouted, which can expose the electrical connector to corrosion, and result in an electrical short-circuit.

Remedy

Dealers will inspect and repair the electrical connector, as necessary. Dealers will also reroute the harness and install an additional bracket. All repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed September 20, 2022. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372.

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.

Spartan Fire is Recalling Certain 2020-2021 Gladiator and MetroStar Fire Trucks

NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V539000

Manufacturer Spartan Fire, LLC

Components ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Potential Number of Units Affected 8

Summary

Spartan Fire, LLC (Spartan Fire) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Gladiator and MetroStar fire trucks. There may be a loose neutral screw connection within the QO Plug-On Neutral Load Center. If that connection is loose, the affected load center can overheat.

Remedy

Dealers will inspect, and if necessary replace or repair the neutral screw connection, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on August 29, 2022. Owners may contact Spartan Fire’s customer service at 1-517-543-6400. Spartan Fire’s number for this recall is 22003.

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov