← NHTSA ODI investigations

NHTSA Engineering Analysis EA04001

Engineering Analysis · AMBULANCE ALTERNATOR FAILURES · Opened 2003-12-23 · Closed 2004-02-27

Investigation

Action number
EA04001
Type
Engineering Analysis
Open date
2003-12-23
Close date
2004-02-27
Manufacturer
HORTON EMERGENCY VEHICLES
Affected makes
HORTON
Affected components
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR
Affected model years
9999
Affected (make, year) variants
1

Summary

ODI INVESTIGATED THIS PROBLEM WHEN NOTIFIED OF MULTIPLE ALTERNATOR FANFAILURES BY A WESTERN AMBULANCE FLEET THAT TRAVELLED LONG DISTANCES DURING THEIR CALLS. ODI'S CONCERN WAS THAT WHEN AN ALTERNATOR FANDISENTEGRATED,IT WOULD RESULT IN A DISABLED AMBULANCE, WHICH PLACED THE PASSENGERS AT AN INCREASED RISK, SINCE TIMELY MEDICAL ASSISTANCE WOULD BE DELAYED. ODI, WORKING WITH HORTON AND LEECE-NEVILLE, (THE ALTERNATOR MFR) FOUND THAT THE FAN'S COOLING BLADES WERE NOT DESIGNED TO WITHSTAND THE RPMS INHERENT TO THE OPERATING CONDITIONS OF THIS APPLICATION.HORTON IS WORKING WITH THE ALTERNATOR MANUFACTURER PRESTOLITE (LEECE-NEVILLE) TO MODIFIY THE ALTERNATOR SETUP TO BE MORE ROBUST.THE VEHICLES OF CONCERN ARE EQUIPPED WITH A 454 CU IN GASOLINE ENGINE (GM CHASSIS) AND ARE BUILT WITH ALTERNATORS WHICH WERE DESIGNED FOR DIESEL ENGINES, WHICH HAVE A LOWER RPM OPERATING RANGE.HORTON, WITH LEECE-NEVILLE ASSISTNACE, WILL BE PROVIDING THE CORRECT ALTENATORS, APPROPRIATE FOR THIS APPLICATION, TO AMBULANCE OWNERS.HORTON'S SAFETY RECALL SATISFIES ODI'S CONCERNS.THEREFORE THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.

Source

Authoritative
NHTSA ODI investigation page
Machine
JSON-LD · Markdown