NHTSA Complaint #10960072 — 2004 KENWORTH T2000

APPARENTLY, CERTAIN TURBO CHARGERS INSTALLED ON THE CAT C-15, EITHER ORIGINALLY OR AS A REPLACEMENT, HAVE A FACTORY-INSTALLED DEVICE IN THE CASING THAT SEALS A HOLE WHERE AN OPTIONAL 'EMISSIONS SENSOR' WOULD OTHERWISE BE LOCATED. ON MY TRUCK THIS PLUG DEVICE BLEW OUT, LEAVING A 1.5 INCH-DIAMETER HOLE IN THE EXHAUST SIDE OF THE TURBO. THE HOLE IN THE TURBO CASING EMITTED RAW TOXIC EXHAUST FUMES DIRECTLY INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND CAB. THIS DISCHARGE OVERHEATED ADJACENT ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE FIREWALL. SURFACES ON THE PLASTIC DASH AND GLOVEBOX IN THE CAB WERE ABNORMALLY HOT TO THE TOUCH! METAL STRUCTURES INSIDE THE COMPARTMENT WERE ALSO VERY HOT. I CONTACTED CAT SEVERAL TIMES ABOUT THE DEFECT. THEY RESPONDED WITH THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT:. 'CATERPILLAR INC. WILL NOT BE PARTICIPATING IN ANY HELP ON THIS.' (MARK SANDSCHAFER, JANUARY 19, 2017)