NHTSA Complaint #754055 — 2000 KENWORTH T800B

TRACTOR NAN FULLY LOADED BELLY DUMP TRAILER WERE DESCENDING AN APPROX. 11% GRADE ON GRAVEL HAUL ROAD WHEN ENGINE QUIT. WITHOUT POWER STEERING OR ENGINE BRAKES, TRUCK LEFT THE ROAD AND DROPPED DOWN A 50+ FT. EMBANKMENT, ENDING UP ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE CAB, INVERTED, IN AN ICY STREAM. THE CAB BEGAN FILLING WITH SMOKE. INJURED DRIVER ABLE TO PUSH OUT CORNER OF WINDSHIELD AND ESCAPE BEFORE CAB CAUGHT FIRE. INVESTIGATION AFTER RECOVERY OF TRACTOR FOUND TWO WIRES GROUNDED OUT IN CIRCUIT TO TURN SIGNALS AND RADIOS. LOCATION IN TELESCOPING STEERING COLUMN, AT ANGLE FOR ADJUSTING WHEEL. WIRES PINCHED, INSULATION RUBBED OFF, AND WIRES GROUNDED OUT, STARTING FIRE. SITE IN AREA COVERED BY COWLING, NOT VISIBLE. IN AN AREA NOT REQUIRING MAINTENANCE OR OTHER WORK. TRACTOR HAD SHORTING OF THIS CIRCUIT RECURRENT FROM DAY OF PURCHASE. ATTEMPTS TO FIX BY KENWORTH UNSUCCESSFUL. PRIOR ENGINE STOPPAGES WERE TEMPORARY; ENGINE WOULD RESTART, TRACTOR TAKEN FOR REPAIR. THIS TIME ENGINE DID NOT RESTART. COMPUTER ON ENGINE DESIGNED TO QUIT WITH ENGINE OR ELECT. PROBLEM. IT DID. LOCAL KW UNABLE TO LOCATE PROBLEM. ARE THERE ANY OTHER REPORTS OF CAB FIRES LIKE THIS? IS THERE ANY CONNECTION TO '98 RECALL OF KWS WITH CAT ENGINES 3406E?*AK