# NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation PE00021
> **ELECTRICAL WIRE CHAFING** · Opened 2000-05-02 · Closed 2000-08-02
## Investigation
- **Action number:** PE00021
- **Type:** Preliminary Evaluation
- **Open date:** 2000-05-02
- **Close date:** 2000-08-02
- **Manufacturer:** Blue Bird Body Company
- **Affected makes:** BLUE BIRD
- **Affected components:** ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- **Affected model years:** 2000
- **Affected (make, year) variants:** 1
## Summary

ON MAY 23, 2000, ODI WAS CONTACTED BY A SCHOOL BUS FLEET MANAGER WHO ALLEGED ONE OF THEIR BUSES HAD BEEN INVOLVED IN A MINOR ELECTRICAL FIRE AT THE DRIVER'S ACCESSORY CONTROL PANEL.WHILE UNLOADING CHILDREN, THE DRIVER NOTICED A LARGE VOLUME OF SMOKING POURING FROM BEHINE THE PANEL.EVENTUALLY THE SMOKE ABATED AND THE BUS WAS TOWED TO THE FLEET'S MAINTENANCE FACILITY WHERE THEY FOUND THE HEATER CONTROL CABLE HAD ABRADED ONE OF THE BODY SOLENOID WIRES AND A PORTION OF THE HEATER CONTROL CABLE SHEATH, IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO THE WIRE/CABLE CONTACT POINT, HAD BEEN MELTED AWAY.SUBSEQUENTLY, THEY INSPECTED ANOTHER SUBJECT BUS AND FOUND CABLE/WIRE CONTACT NEAR THE SOLENOID AS WELL.

## Source
- [NHTSA ODI investigation page](https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchResults?searchType=ID&targetCategory=I&searchCriteria.nhtsa_ids=PE00021)
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