2008 INTERNATIONAL CE — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

THE INTERNATIONAL DT 466 SCHOOL BUS ENGINE SUDDENLY EXPERIENCED EXTREME PERFORMANCE DEGRADATION WITHOUT ANY WARNING WHILE DRIVING. THE ENGINE STARTED A POPPING NOISE AND SEVERELY LACKED POWER. WE PURCHASED 75 SCHOOL BUSES IN 2008, AND 26 PERCENT OF THEM HAD ROLLER TAPPET GUIDES FAIL BY FEBRUARY 2013. IN EVERY CASE, THIS FAILURE MODE RESULTED IN MAJOR DAMAGE TO ENGINE VALVE TRAIN COMPONENTS. TWO ENGINES OUT OF 26 TOTAL FAILURES TO DATE WERE NOT REPAIRABLE AND REQUIRED REPLACEMENT. THE CURRENT FAILURE HAS NOW GROWN TO 34 PERCENT. IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD TO SCHOOL CHILDREN AND OTHER VEHICLES WHEN A SCHOOL BUS ENGINE SUDDENLY EXPERIENCES SEVERE ENGINE DEGRADATION ON THE ROAD.

THE INTERNATIONAL DT 466 SCHOOL BUS ENGINE SUDDENLY EXPERIENCED EXTREME PERFORMANCE DEGRADATION WITHOUT ANY WARNING WHILE DRIVING. THE ENGINE STARTED A POPPING NOISE AND SEVERELY LACKED POWER. WE PURCHASED 75 SCHOOL BUSES IN 2008, AND 26 PERCENT OF THEM HAD ROLLER TAPPET GUIDES FAIL BY FEBRUARY 2013. IN EVERY CASE, THIS FAILURE MODE RESULTED IN MAJOR DAMAGE TO ENGINE VALVE TRAIN COMPONENTS. TWO ENGINES OUT OF 26 TOTAL FAILURES TO DATE WERE NOT REPAIRABLE AND REQUIRED REPLACEMENT. THE CURRENT FAILURE HAS NOW GROWN TO 34 PERCENT. IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD TO SCHOOL CHILDREN AND OTHER VEHICLES WHEN A SCHOOL BUS ENGINE SUDDENLY EXPERIENCES SEVERE ENGINE DEGRADATION ON THE ROAD.

THE DRIVER OF THIS SCHOOL BUS APPROACHED A STUDENTS DROP-OFF LOCATION AND ACTIVATED THE AMBER 8-WAYS. AFTER COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP, THE DRIVER OPENED THE DOOR TO LET OFF THE STUDENTS. DUE TO A FAULTY DOOR SWITCH (INTERNATIONAL PART #2207601C1) THE RED FLASHING 8-WAY LIGHTS AS WELL AS THE STOP ARM FAILED TO ACTIVATE. THIS PROMPTED THE DRIVER OF ANOTHER VEHICLE TO GO PAST THE SCHOOL BUS WHILE IT WAS STOPPED AND THE STUDENTS WERE UNLOADING. LUCKILY, NO ONE WAS INJURED IN THIS INCIDENT. UNFORTUNATELY, IT'S NOT THE FIRST TIME THIS SWITCH HAS FAILED. DELIVERY DATE OF THIS VEHICLE WAS AUG. 2007. THE ORIGINAL SWITCH WAS REPLACED ON FEB. 2008 AT 31,000 MILES. IT WAS ALSO REPLACED ON SEPT. 2010 AT 60,000 MILES, AND NOW IN APRIL, 2012 AT 92,000 MILES. WE HAVE 12 OTHER BUSES WITH THIS SAME SWITCH AND ALL OF THEM HAVE HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS. *TR

THE DRIVER OF THIS SCHOOL BUS APPROACHED A STUDENTS DROP-OFF LOCATION AND ACTIVATED THE AMBER 8-WAYS. AFTER COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP, THE DRIVER OPENED THE DOOR TO LET OFF THE STUDENTS. DUE TO A FAULTY DOOR SWITCH (INTERNATIONAL PART #2207601C1) THE RED FLASHING 8-WAY LIGHTS AS WELL AS THE STOP ARM FAILED TO ACTIVATE. THIS PROMPTED THE DRIVER OF ANOTHER VEHICLE TO GO PAST THE SCHOOL BUS WHILE IT WAS STOPPED AND THE STUDENTS WERE UNLOADING. LUCKILY, NO ONE WAS INJURED IN THIS INCIDENT. UNFORTUNATELY, IT'S NOT THE FIRST TIME THIS SWITCH HAS FAILED. DELIVERY DATE OF THIS VEHICLE WAS AUG. 2007. THE ORIGINAL SWITCH WAS REPLACED ON FEB. 2008 AT 31,000 MILES. IT WAS ALSO REPLACED ON SEPT. 2010 AT 60,000 MILES, AND NOW IN APRIL, 2012 AT 92,000 MILES. WE HAVE 12 OTHER BUSES WITH THIS SAME SWITCH AND ALL OF THEM HAVE HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS. *TR

OWNER OPERATOR OF SCHOOL BUS STATES THAT FOUR (UPPER-LOWER-RIGHT-LEFT) DUAL PANE DOOR WINDOWS HAVE FOGGED DUE TO WATER ENTRY BETWEEN THE PANES. OWNER HAS REMOVED THE PANES IN AN ATTEMPT TO CORRECT AND FOUND THAT (AT LEAST ONE OF) THE PANES HAD COMPLETELY SEPARATED FROM THE PANE "SANDWICH." OWNER WAS UNABLE TO REMOVE COATING FROM THE GLASS WITH SOLVENTS, ETC. THIS OWNER IS PART OF A GROUP OF EIGHT PURCHASERS WHO PURCHASED A PORTION OF "ON-SITE" INVENTORY OF BUSSES WHICH WERE ALL EQUIPPED WITH THE SAME GLASS FEATURE (I.E. PURCHASERS DID NOT SPECIFY THIS OPTION). OWNER OF A RELATED VEHICLE PREVIOUSLY FILED VOQ 10416533. *TR