ON CERTAIN COMMERCIAL BUSES EQUIPPED WITH VAPOR DOOR ASSEMBLIES, THE TWO PIECE CURVED CONNECTING RODS WHEN USED AS AN ELEMENT OF THE DOOR ACTUATION LINKAGE IN CONJUNCTION WITH A VAPOR MEDIUM PNEUMATIC DIFFERENTIAL ENGINE, MAY BE SUBJECT TO FATIGUE FAILURE RESULTING IN BENDING OR BREAKING OF THE CONNECTING ROD.
A BROKEN CONNECTING ROD CAN ALLOW THE DOOR PANEL TO MOVE FREELY IN AN UNCONTROLLED MANNER, LEAVING PASSENGERS INSIDE THE VEHICLE UNPROTECTED BY THE DOOR PANEL AND ENABLING A PROTRUDING DOOR PANEL TO STRIKE PERSONS OR OBJECTS OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE.
ORION IS WORKING WITH VAPOR BUS INTERNATIONAL TO NOTIFY OWNERS AND HAVE THE REPAIR PERFORMED ON THEIR VEHICLES. THE REMEDY CONSISTS OF REPLACING THE TWO PIECE CONNECTING ROD WITH A ONE PIECE CONNECTING ROD. OWNERS MAY CONTACT ORION BUS AT 905-403-7832 OR VAPOR AT 847-777-6400.
CUSTOMERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV.