NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation PE09021

THIS INVESTIGATION WAS OPENED AFTER ODI LEARNED THAT DURING IN SERVICE INSPECTIONS CONDUCTED BY THE NEW YORK DOT, THEY IDENTIFIED BUSES ON WHICH THE SIDE WHEELCHAIR DOORWOULD BECOME AJAR DURING THE DRIVING PORTION OF THE INSPECTION.ALLEGEDLY, UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, WHEN THE DOOR BECOMES AJAR, THE SERVICE BRAKES APPLY AND THE BUS CANNOT BE MOVED UNTIL THE DRIVER GETS OUT OF THE BUS AND SECURES THE DOOR. DAIMLER STATES THAT THE ISSUE STEMS FROM A MISADJUSTED DOOR LATCH SWITCH WHICH RESULTS IN AN OVERLY SENSITIVE AND FALSE LATCH SIGNAL. THIS CONDITION WOULD CAUSE THE BUZZER IN THE DRIVER'S COMPARTMENT TO SOUND, BUT WOULD NOT CAUSE THE VEHICLE'S BRAKES TO BE APPLIED WHILE THE BUS IS BEING OPERATED.FIELD WORK SHOWS THE DOOR IS NOT ACTUALLY OPEN, RATHER IT IS IN A POSITION THAT WOULD ACTIVATE THE SWITCH AND SEND A FALSE DOOR AJAR WARNING. THIS WAS THE RESULT OF AN IMPROPERLY ADJUSTED DOOR LATCH INTERLOCK SWITCH.FIELD WORK ALSO SHOWS THAT THE BRAKES WILL NOT APPLY UNLESS THE DRIVER SHIFTS THE VEHICLE OUT OF DRIVE INTO NEUTRAL AND IS GOING LESS THAN 5 MILES PER HOUR.DAIMLER REPORTED THATALLDOORS AND SWITCHES ON THE NEW YORKFLEET HAVE BEEN INSPECTED AND ADJUSTED AS NEEDED. BASED ON DAIMLER'S DATA AND FURTHER REVIEW INTO THIS ISSUE, A SAFETY RELATED DEFECT HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME AND FURTHER USE OF THE AGENCY RESOURCES ARE NOT CURRENTLY WARRANTED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT NO SAFETY DEFECT EXISTS.THE AGENCY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO TAKE FURTHER ACTION ON THE VEHICLES IF WARRANTED.