The problem
On certain transit buses equipped with vanner 60 series battery equalizers, the equalizer could fail to operate properly and cause malfunction of the battery charging system.
The risk
Without fusing, the equalizer may melt, burn, or smoke, possibly resulting in a fire or a smoke filled bus, thus necessitating a passenger evacuation of the bus. The failure mode can cause operator distraction, and/or possible personal injury.
The fix
Dealers will inspect the buses for certain equalizers by the date code. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact gillig at 1-510-785-1500 or vanner at 1-800-227-6937.
Contacts
Also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-dash-2-dot (1-888-327-4236).
What to do
- Check your VIN. Enter it at nhtsa.gov/recalls - it shows whether this recall applies to your vehicle and whether the repair has been done.
- Call a dealer. Any authorized Gillig dealer will do the repair free, whether or not you bought the vehicle there. Quote campaign 02V071003.
- Ask about parts and a loaner. If parts aren't available yet, ask what to do in the meantime.
- Keep your paperwork. If you paid for this repair before the recall, you may be able to get reimbursed - here's how.