Earlier this month, a recall was issued for more than 50,000 buses and trucks due to a defective component in the Cummins diesel engine that may pose a fire hazard, according to Navistar, Inc. It turns out, if a Cummins medium-duty diesel engine overheats, it may “cause plastic components in an electric fuel heater to melt. As the plastic melts, it could cause the vehicle to catch fire.” Additionally, there is a concern that the engine may stall out.

Fire Hazard Sign; image courtesy of TheDigitalArtist via Pixabay, www.pixabay.com

The affected engine is used in a variety of vehicles, including emergency vehicles, trucks, and school buses. Because of the apparent defects present in the recalled engines, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) indicated that the engines are likely to result in traffic accidents if the issues aren’t resolved. The specific vehicles affected by the recall include:

• 2017 — 2020 International Workstar

• 2017 — 2020 International DuraStar

• 2018 — 2021 International MV

• 2018 — 2021 International HV

At the moment, Cummins said it has not received any reports of the engines catching fire or causing injuries. Despite that, the company said it is committed to finding a solution to the problem and notified Navistar, the manufacturer of many of the recalled buses and other vehicles. Navistar is one of the country’s leading manufacturers for Navistar is a leading manufacturer of buses and commercial trucks. When it comes to defects like the current one with the engines, Navistar said any recall “can have significant impacts because of the number of vehicles out on the road.” It added, “the size of the trucks and buses make any defects dangerous not only for the driver but for other vehicles around them…If the vehicle catches fire, it can incinerate other vehicles nearby…If the truck is hauling hazardous products or explosives, the risk intensifies.”

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Defective Fuel Heater Causes Recall of Trucks and BusesNearly 70,000 diesel engines recalled for fuel heater melting risk