SMI Bus Roof Escape Hatches / FMVSS 217

What NHTSA investigated

In a letter dated April 18, 2012, Specialty Manufacturing, Inc. (SMI) notified the NHTSA that certain ProLo bus roof escape hatches, installed as original equipment on various school buses and transit buses, may fail to conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS).These hatches, shipped between April 1, 2011, and March 25, 2012, experience increased friction between the rear plate assemblies and the nylon rear pop-up support, resulting in an opening force that exceeds FMVSS No. 217, Bus Emergency Exits and Window Retention and Release.In the event of an emergency, a noncompliant hatch may not provide a means of readily accessible egress, increasing the risk of injury to the vehicle occupants.NHTSA assigned recall number 12E-017 to this matter.On July 12, 2012, RMD mailed information request (IR) letters to five (5) manufacturers who had not yet conducted safety recalls for this issue.Collins Bus responded that they did not incorporate these escape hatches into any new buses but instead sold them to dealerships.Collins noted that they would notify the dealers of SMI's recall.The other four (4) manufacturers filed Part 573 Reports and conducted safety recalls for their affected vehicles.The following recalls were filed as a result of this EQ:Turtle Top:12V-330 Elkhart Coach:12V-348 Girardin Minibus, Inc:12V-362 Glaval Bus:12V-384As RMD received adequate responses from all the companies it contacted, this Equipment Query is closed.

Recalls that followed

1. Glaval — Structure: Roof and Pillars12V3840003 August 201290 vehicles
2. Micro Bird — Structure: Roof and Pillars12V36200025 July 201211 vehicles
3. Elkhart — Structure: Roof and Pillars12V34800023 July 20122 vehicles
4. Turtle Top — Structure: Roof and Pillars12V33000011 July 2012361 vehicles

Vehicles covered

Source

From NHTSA’s investigation file, rebuilt daily. To report a problem with your own vehicle, go to nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem. All open investigations.