1979 Flxible TRANSIT COACH: complaints, problems and recalls

Reported: 1979-11-02 (November 2, 1979)

FOREIGN MATERIAL MAY COLLECT UNDER THE BALANCE BEAM OF THE TREADLE VALVE. IF DEBRIS IS ALLOWED TO COLLECT AND REMAIN UNDER THE BALANCE BEAM, COMPLETE ACTUATION OF THE TREADLE VALVE MAY BE IMPAIRED. THIS COULD LEAD TO BRAKE FAILURE.

Remedy: THE TREADLE VALVE SHOULD BE INSPECTED AT REGULAR INTERVALS FOR ANY FOREIGN MATERIAL THAT MAY HAVE COLLECTED. ALSO, DEALER WILL INSTALL A DEBRIS DISPLACER UNDER THE TREADLE VALVE BALANCE BEAM AT NO COST TO OWNER.

Reported: 1979-11-06 (November 6, 1979)

IT HAS BEEN DETERMINED THAT THE UNDERFLOOR WIRE CONDUIT ATTACHING HANGER ASSEMBLY MAY FATIGUE AND BREAK UNDER CERTAIN OPERATING ROAD CONDITIONS. BREAKING OF THIS ASSEMBLY ALLOWS THE WIRING CONDUIT TO MOVE FREELY AT THE UNSUPPORTED END. THIS MOVEMENT COULD CAUSE CHAFING OF THE MAIN POWER CABLES, CREATING THE POTENTIAL FOR AN ELECTRICAL SHORT CIRCUIT. THE WIRE CONDUIT MAY ALSO IMPACT ON THE REAR SUSPENSION "U" BOLT ATTACHMENT.

Remedy: DEALER WILL INSTALL A MORE RIGID CONDUIT SUPPORT BRACKET AND WILL RECONFIGURE THE WIRING AND ADD A POSITIONING CLAMP WHICH WILL ELIMINATE THE POTENTIAL FOR IMPACT WITH THE SUSPENSION "U" BOLT ATTACHMENT ASSEMBLY. DEALER WILL ALSO ADD A NEW CONDUIT SUPPORT BRACKET WHICH WILL ELIMINATE POTENTIAL FOR FATIGUE OR BREAKAGE OF THE ATTACHING HANGER ASSEMBLY.

Reported: 1979-11-19 (November 19, 1979)

THE NYLON HOSE THAT CONNECTS THE QUICK RELEASE VALVE AND THE ANCHOR COUPLING AT THE REAR OF THE FRONT AXLE WAS FOUND TO BE EXCESSIVELY LONG. WHEN THE BUS EXECUTES EXTREME RIGHT AND LEFT TURNS, THE CURBSIDE NYLON BRAKE HOSE INTERFERES WITH THE TIRE. THIS INTERMITTENT INTERFERENCE WILL CAUSE THE NYLON HOSE TO CHAFE AND ULTIMATELY FAIL.

Remedy: DEALER WILL INSPECT THE NYLON HOSE FOR CHAFING OR INTERFERENCE AND, IF NECESSARY, REROUTE THE BRAKE HOSE. THIS WILL BE DONE AT NO COST TO OWNER.

Reported: 1979-12-14 (December 14, 1979)

THE ALTERNATING CURRENT POWER WIRE, WHICH SUPPLIES POWER TO THE CONDENSER FAN MOTORS, MAY HAVE BEEN GROUNDED BY CHAFING OF THE INSULATION AGAINST THE CABLE CLAMP AND CLAMP CONTACT OF THE TRANSMISSION OIL FILTER FLEXLINE. THIS COULD CAUSE THE CONDENSER FAN MOTOR WIRE TO OVERHEAT.

Remedy: THE HARNESS AND POWER FEED WIRING WILL BE REROUTED AND THE CABLE CLAMPS WILL BE RELOCATED.

Reported: 1979-11-20 (November 20, 1979)

THE INVOLVED VEHICLES DO NOT CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 206, "DOOR LOCKS AND DOOR RETENSION COMPONENTS". THE EXTENSION SPRING THAT ATTACHES THE SPRING BRACKET TO THE VALVE ARM AT THE FRONT DOOR ENTRANCE ENGINE ASSEMBLY MAY NOT MAINTAIN THE DOOR IN AN OPEN POSITION WHEN THE EMERGENCY "T" HANDLE IS PULLED. THIS ALLOWS THE EXTENSION SPRING TO RETRACT AND THE DOOR TO CLOSE WHEN THE "T" HANDLE IS RELEASED.

Remedy: DEALER WILL INSTALL A NEW EMERGENCY RELEASE MECHANISM AT NO COST TO OWNER.

Reported: 1979-11-14 (November 14, 1979)

THE INVOLVED VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT". THE STEPWELL LIGHTS LOCATED AT THE CURBSIDE FRONT ENTRANCE DOOR AND THE REAR EXIT DOOR MAY GENERATE EXCESSIVE HEAT. THIS HEAT MAY BE TRANSMITTED TO THE PROTRUDING SHIELD LOCATED IN THE PASSENGER ENTRANCE AND EXIT AREA.

Remedy: DEALER WILL INSTALL AN ADDITIONAL PLASTIC COVERSHIELD OVER THE EXISTING SHIELD TO ELIMINATE THE PROBLEM.

Reported: 1980-04-09 (April 9, 1980)

THE CHAIN DRIVE WELDMENT MAY FAIL UNDER A LIFT LOAD ALLOWING THE WHEELCHAIR PLATFORM TO FALL TO THE GROUND. ALSO, THE TOP KNUCKLE JOINT WELDMENT MAY CONTAIN DEFECTIVE WELDS.

Remedy: MANUFACTURER WILL PROVIDE THE PARTS NECESSARY TO REPAIR WHEELCHAIR LIFTS AND WILL REIMBURSE FOR LABOR COSTS.

Reported: 1980-08-07 (August 7, 1980)

THE POWER CABLES LEADING FROM THE BATTERIES OF THE INVOLVED VEHICLES ARE SUBJECT TO A CHAFING CONDITION, WHICH, IF UNDETECTED OR NOT CORRECTED CAN CAUSE WEAR TO THE CABLE INSULATION.

Remedy: TO PREVENT CHAFING OF THE BATTERY CABLES, THE DEALER WILL INSTALL FOUR BATTERY CLAMPS, TWO EACH ON THE BATTERY HOLD DOWN BAR AND THE FUEL BOLSTER BRACKET, AND INSTALL PIECES OF RUBBER HOSE INSULATION ONTO THE LARGER POWER CABLES. THIS WILL BE DONE AT NO EXPENSE TO OWNER.

Reported: 1980-08-07 (August 7, 1980)

ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, THE DRIVER"S BARRIER GLAZING WAS NOT MARKED AS SAFETY GLAZING MATERIAL. THIS DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 205, "GLAZING MATERIALS".

Remedy: FIELD SERVICE REPRESENTATIVES WILL INSTALL THE CORRECT DECALS AT NO CHARGE TO OWNERS.

Reported: 1981-01-30 (January 30, 1981)

CRACKS MAY DEVELOP IN THE TRUNNION TO WHICH THE APEX OF THE "A-FRAME" IS ATTACHED. THESE CRACKS MAY PROGRESS TO THE POINT THAT THE TRUNNION COULD FAIL AND THE A-FRAME COULD SEPARATE FROM IT. IF THIS OCCURS, THE A-FRAME COULD COME INTO CONTACT WITH THE CONDUIT CARRYING AIR, AS WELL AS THE ELECTRICAL AND FUEL LINES.

Remedy: TRUNNION WILL BE INSPECTED FOR CRACKS AND, IF POSSIBLE, CRACKS WILL BE REPAIRED AS AN INTERIM MEASURE. ALL TRUNNIONS WILL BE REINFORCED BY GRUMMAN; ANY DEFORMED TRUNNIONS WILL BE REPLACED WITH A REINFORCED PART. REPAIRS WILL BE PERFORMED AT NO CHARGE.

Reported: 1981-06-01 (June 1, 1981)

UNDER CERTAIN OPERATING ROAD CONDITIONS, THE POWER CABLES CONTAINED IN A TUBE BETWEEN THE BATTERIES AND THE ENGINE CAN MOVE FREELY. THIS MOVEMENT COULD CAUSE THE MAIN POWER CABLE TO CHAFE, LEADING TO AN ELECTRICAL SHORT.

Remedy: THE PRESENT WIRING CHANNEL WILL BE REPLACED AND INSULATING TYPE SUPPORTING BLOCKS WILL BE ADDED WITHOUT CHARGE TO OWNER.

Reported: 1981-12-01 (December 1, 1981)

THE SET-SCREW MAY NOT BE POSITIONED CORRECTLY, ALLOWING THE DRIVE KEY TO SLIDE OUT OF THE HUB AND THE HUB AND SPROCKET TO DISENGAGE. THIS WOULD CAUSE THE WHEELCHAIR PLATFORM TO FALL TO THE GROUND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.

Remedy: WHEELCHAIR LIFT WILL BE INSPECTED FOR THE CORRECT POSITIONING OF THE SET-SCREW. IF NECESSARY, THE DRIVE KEY WILL BE TACK WELDED INTO THE DRIVE HEX WITHOUT CHARGE.

Reported: 1982-06-25 (June 25, 1982)

THE SECTION THAT CARRIES THE POWER CABLES FROM THE BATTERIES TO THE ENGINE (CALLED THE "HAT" SECTION) COULD FRACTURE CAUSING THE MAIN POWER CABLE TO CHAFE.

Remedy: THE END SUPPORT WILL BE REMOVED FROM THE "HAT" SECTION AND A COMPONENT CALLED A STIFFENER WILL BE ADDED. ALSO, THE CABLES WILL BE REPOSITIONED, WITHOUT CHARGE TO OWNER.