The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has begun two separate recalls resulting from faulty egress window handles. Both Gillig Corp. and New Flyer Industries are recalling vehicles for faulty handles.
New Flyer is recalling both 2010 GE35LFR and GE40LFR models while Gillig is recalling the 2010 Low Floor model. Both manufacturers attribute the faulty part to supplier Ricon for the 3-minute Urban Transit Bus egress window sets.
In a letter to the NHTSA announcing the recall, Kerry Legg, vehicle safety and regulatory compliance manager for New Flyer said, "New Flyer has been informed by Ricon Corp. that certain emergency window egress handles manufactured between April 1, 2010 and October 31, 2010 may contain a safety related defect."
"Due to a manufacturing error, the emergency egress handles may break with relatively low force application," continued the letter. "Failure of the handle could result in the window not opening in an emergency situation."
In the NHTSA recall acknowledgement letter, Jennifer Timian, chief of the recall management for NHTSA, said, "In the event the egress window fails during an actual emergency situation, passengers may be trapped in the vehicle placing them at risk of injury."
Gillig also issued a recall to the NHTSA citing the defective part. Company officials anticipate 657 2010 Low Floor-model vehicles will be affected by the recall.
"The handle(s) on the emergency egress passenger windows may break before the window latch is released," said Timian in a letter to Gregory Vismara, vice president of Gillig.
