Elkhart Electrical System: Alternator/Generator/Regulator

Elkhart is recalling about 336 vehicles over a problem with the electrical system. As a result, the charging system may fail which could lead to the vehicle stalling while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.

Campaign
14V066000
Manufacturer
Elkhart Coach
Reported
10 February 2014
Vehicles
336
Built between
Jun 2010 – Jun 2013
Models
2
Recall type
Vehicle
Initiated by
NHTSA investigation
Owners notified
14 March 2014
Repaired
27%
Unrepaired
246

Does this affect my vehicle?

This recall covers vehicles built between June 2010 and June 2013. If yours was built outside that window, it is not part of this recall.

  • 2010-2013 Elkhart ECIBuilt June 2010 to June 2013
  • 2010-2013 Elkhart EciiBuilt June 2010 to June 2013

Repair progress

246 of 336 vehicles in this recall had still not been repaired as of Q2 2016.

27% repaired — 90 of 336 reported

Manufacturers file these figures with NHTSA each quarter. Vehicles the manufacturer could not trace, or that have been scrapped or exported, are counted separately and are not included in the unrepaired figure.

What the defect is

Elkhart Coach is recalling certain model year 2010-2013 ECI, and ECII transit buses built on Ford cutaway chassis equipped with Ford 5.4L or 6.8L engines and Trans/Air-brand air compressors. In the affected vehicles, depending on the routing of the alternator harness and the orientation of the heater hose spring clamp at the front of the intake manifold, the alternator harness may be pinched between the spring clamp and the air conditioner compressor mounting bracket.

What could happen

As a result, the charging system may fail which could lead to the vehicle stalling while driving, increasing the risk of a crash. Additionally, the spring clamp could pierce both the positive and negative wires of the alternator harness creating a short circuit which could result in a fire.

What gets fixed

Elkhart Coach will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicles, correct the clamp installation and repair and reroute the alternator harness, as needed, free of charge. The recall began on March 14, 2014.

Timeline

  1. Vehicles builtJune 2010 to June 2013
  2. Recall reported to NHTSA10 February 2014
  3. Owners notified14 March 2014
  4. Latest repair reportQ2 2016 — 27% repaired

Your rights

A safety recall repair is free. Under US federal law the manufacturer must fix a safety defect at no cost to you — no charge for parts, labor or diagnosis — whether or not you are the original owner. A dealer cannot charge you for recall work, and cannot require you to have bought the vehicle from them.

That entitlement is not unlimited. It applies where the vehicle was first sold less than 15 years before the recall was announced — 5 years for tires. Past that a manufacturer may still do the repair free of charge, and many do, but they are no longer obliged to. This recall was reported on 10 February 2014.

To arrange the repair, contact any franchised dealer for the brand. If a dealer refuses the work or tries to charge for it, you can report that to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/recalls or on 1-888-327-4236.

Manufacturer contact

Customers may contact Elkhart at 1-866-478-7652.

Official source

Recalling manufacturer
Elkhart Coach
Recall initiated by
ODI

Everything on this page — the models listed, the build dates and the repair figures — comes from the manufacturer's filing to NHTSA and describes the vehicle line as a whole, not any individual car. Only the manufacturer can confirm whether a specific vehicle is affected, and whether its recall work has already been carried out. Check yours by VIN and read the official notice at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Additional notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Check your own vehicle

This page describes the recall, not any one car. To see which recalls cover a specific vehicle, search by make, model and year.

A VIN lookup here identifies your vehicle and shows recalls issued for that make, model and year. It cannot tell you what is still open on your individual car - only the manufacturer knows that. Search by VIN instead, or check your VIN at nhtsa.gov for whether a recall is still open on your individual car.

Same component

Same brand