2009 AUTOCAR ACX Recalls, Complaints & Safety

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

Defect Description

Autocar, LLC (Autocar) is recalling certain model year 2008-2014 ACX, WX, and WXLL vehicles manufactured July 30, 2007, through February 10, 2014, and equipped with certain Cummins Westport Model ISL G or ISX12 G engines. Condensation in the intake manifold may freeze during cold weather conditions... Read more

Consequence

The improper operation of the sensor could induce elevated exhaust temperatures or flames from the exhaust pipe, increasing the risk of a vehicle fire or burn injury to a person near the exhaust pipe.

Remedy

Cummins Inc. and Cummins Wesport Inc. will notify owners, and authorized Cummins service facilities will upload a new ECM calibration, free of charge. The recall began on April 12, 2014. Owners may contact Autocar at 1-765-489-5499 or Cummins Inc. at 1-800-343-7357. Autocar's number for this reca... Read more

4,192 vehicles affected

Manufacturer: Autocar, LLC

SERVICE BRAKES, AIR

Defect Description

Autocar, LLC is recalling certain model year 2005-2013 ACX, WX, and WXLL trucks built November 16, 2004, through September 10, 2012. On the affected vehicles, the air brake systems were built without the required air tank drain valve. Therefore, these vehicles fail to conform to the requirements o... Read more

Consequence

Air tanks with valves omitted will not drain if moisture is introduced into the tank, potentially reducing air capacity in the air brake system, which could cause a reduction in brake performance and equipment durability, thus increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Autocar will notify owners, and dealers will repair the vehicles free of charge. The recall began on June 27, 2013. Owners may contact Autocar at 1-765-489-5499. Autocar's recall campaign number is A-1302.

82 vehicles affected

Manufacturer: Autocar, LLC

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

Defect Description

AUTOCAR IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2008-2009 ACX HEAVY DUTY CLASS 8 VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM NOVEMBER 30, 2007 THROUGH AUGUST 3, 2010. WATER INTRUSION IN THE IGNITION RELAY MAY LEAD TO CORROSION, WHICH MAY SHORT-CIRCUIT THE RELAY CAUSING THE PART TO FAIL.

Consequence

FAILURE OF THE RELAY COULD CAUSE THE ENGINE TO SHUT DOWN WITHOUT WARNING OR FAIL TO START INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy

AN OWNER NOTIFICATION LETTER WILL BE MAILED WHICH WILL PROVIDE INSTRUCTIONS FOR SCHEDULING REPAIR OF THE VEHICLE AT AN AUTHORIZED AUTOCAR SERVICE FACILITY. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 3, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT AUTOCAR AT 1-765-489-5499.

2,184 vehicles affected

Manufacturer: AUTOCAR, LLC

STEERING:GEAR BOX:SHAFT SECTOR

Defect Description

AUTOCAR IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2008-2009 ACX HEAVY DUTY CLASS 8 VEHICLES. THE AFFECTED VEHICLES MAY EXPERIENCE A FATIGUE FAILURE OF THE STEERING GEAR MOUNTING BRACKET. OVER TIME, THIS FAILURE MAY CAUSE CRACKS THAT WILL RESULT IN UNDESIRABLE MOVEMENT OF THE STEERING GEAR MOUNTED TO THAT BR... Read more

Consequence

THIS MAY AFFECT THE CONTROL OF THE TRUCK, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy

AUTOCAR WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE STEERING GEAR MOUNTING BRACKET FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 26, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT AUTOCAR AT 1-765-489-5499.

1,879 vehicles affected

Manufacturer: AUTOCAR, LLC

EQUIPMENT

Defect Description

AUTOCAR IS RECALLING 129 MY 2008-2009 ACX HEAVY DUTY CLASS 8 VEHICLES. THE FASTENERS THAT SECURE THE FIRE EXTINGUISHER CONTAINER TO THE CAB MAY CHAFE AGAINST THE BODY OF THE FIRE EXTINGUISHER MOUNTED UNDER THE SEAT. PROLONGED CHAFING MAY RESULT IN A HOLE WHICH WILL CAUSE THE EXTINGUISHER TO DISCHA... Read more

Consequence

THE DISCHARGE OF THE FIRE EXTINGUISHER MAY AFFECT THE DRIVER'S ABILITY TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy

DEALERS WILL INSPECT, REPAIR AND REPLACE THE NECESSARY COMPONENTS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OR BEFORE APRIL 30, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT AUTOCAR AT 1-765-489-5499.

129 vehicles affected

Manufacturer: AUTOCAR, LLC

PARKING BRAKE:DRIVELINE:AIR

Defect Description

AUTOCAR IS RECALLING 690 MY 2008-2009 ACX, WX AND WXLL HEAVY DUTY CLASS 8 VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH QUICK RELEASE VALVES (QRV). THERE ARE QRV'S IN TWO AREAS OF THE VEHICLE. THE FIRST IS IN THE LIFT AXLE AIR LINES. A LEAK IN THAT QRV WOULD AFFECT THE RATE AT WHICH THE TAG/PUSHER AXLE IS LOWERED/LIFTE... Read more

Consequence

DRIVERS WOULD NOT BE AWARE OF BRAKE SYSTEM FAILURE AND BRAKING CAPABILITY WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy

AUTOCAR WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND PROVIDE INSTRUCTIONS FOR SCHEDULING REPAIR OF THE VEHICLE AT AN AUTHORIZED AUTOCAR SERVICE FACILITY, AT NO COST TO THE VEHICLE'S OWNER. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 9, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT AUTOCAR AT 1-765-489-5499.

690 vehicles affected

Manufacturer: AUTOCAR, LLC

SERVICE BRAKES, AIR

Defect Description

AUTOCAR IS RECALLING 103 MY 2008-2009 ACX HEAVY-DUTY CLASS 8 VEHICLES WITH RIGHT-HAND DRIVE. THESE VEHICLES FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 121, 'AIR BRAKE SYSTEMS.' THE AIR BRAKE SYSTEMS TIMING SPECIFICATIONS ARE NOT IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE STANDARD... Read more

Consequence

THIS STANDARD SPECIFIES PERFORMANCE AND EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENTS FOR VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AIR BRAKE SYSTEMS, INCLUDING AIR-OVER-HYDRAULIC BRAKE SYSTEMS, TO ENSURE SAFE BRAKING PERFORMANCE UNDER NORMAL AND EMERGENCY CONDITIONS.

Remedy

AUTOCAR WILL REPAIR THESE VEHICLES. THE RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 11, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT AUTOCAR AT 1-765-489-5499.

33 vehicles affected

Manufacturer: AUTOCAR, LLC

STEERING:GEAR BOX:SHAFT SECTOR

Defect Description

AUTOCAR IS RECALLING 127 MY 2008-2009 ACX, WX, AND WXLL HEAVY DUTY CLASS 8 TRUCKS. INSUFFICIENT TORQUE WAS APPLIED DURING THE ASSEMBLY PROCESS TO THE NUT ON THE PINCH BOLT THAT SECURES THE LOWER STEERING SHAFT TO THE STEERING GEAR BOX. IT WAS FOUND THAT THE TORQUE CONTROLLED TOOL WAS CALIBRATED TO... Read more

Consequence

IF THE STEERING BOLT WERE TO LOOSEN, THE DRIVER WOULD EXPERIENCE LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy

AUTOCAR WILL PROVIDE INSTRUCTIONS TO OWNERS FOR SCHEDULING REPAIR OF THE VEHICLES. DEALERS WILL TORQUE THE STEERING KNUCKLE BOLT TO THE CORRECT SPECIFICATIONS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 25, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT AUTOCAR AT 1-765-489-5499.

127 vehicles affected

Manufacturer: AUTOCAR, LLC

No complaints found for this vehicle.

NHTSA Safety Investigations — AUTOCAR ACX

Investigations opened by NHTSA into potential safety defects. These are separate from recalls and may or may not result in a recall.

PE — Closed — Model Year: 2014

CNG Fuel Container Burst During A Fire

On January 27, 2015 in Indianapolis, Indiana, a model year 2014 Autocar ACX / Heil Half/Pack Freedom refuse collection truck caught fire and experienced a catastrophic CNG fuel container burst. Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) personnel conducted a field examination of the incident vehicle, an ... exemplar vehicle and the incident scene, and subsequently sent information request letters to Autocar LLC, The Heil Company, Agility Fuel Systems Inc. and Hexagon Lincoln Inc.After a review of all available information, it appears that this was an isolated incident. The vehicle fire originated in the refuse storage bay and was caused by a hot load, which is a quantity of solid waste that catches fire, smolders or spontaneously combusts as a result of incompatible waste materials mixing together. Drivers are trained to eject the hot load in an empty lot, when feasible. In this instance, the driver did not eject the hot load. After expending a hand-held fire extinguisher into the hopper area of the refuse storage bay, the driver retreated from the vehicle. Fire fighters arrived at the incident scene within minutes. During firefighting efforts, two CNG fuel containers burst, sending materials into the air and across a large debris field.One fire fighter was struck in the head and shoulder area by falling debris and sustained minor injury. He was examined at the scene and did not require transport but was later transported post-incident to a medical clinic where he was diagnosed with a muscle strain to his left shoulder. Multiple structures suffered property damage and the subject vehicle was a total loss. The fire was brought under control and was extinguished 1 hour and 38 minutes after fire fighters first arrived.Post-incident analysis, including a review of the fire department?s after action report, identified several contributing factors. The truck driver was unable or unwilling to eject the hot load. Fire fighters initially misidentified the subject fuel system as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and believed cooling was necessary to prevent a boiling liquid expanding vapor explosion (BLEVE). Fire fighters were unfamiliar with natural gas vehicle fires, associated risks and best practices for firefighting techniques and tactics. The CNG fuel containers were located directly above the origin of the fire and were impinged by flame, thus weakening their structural integrity. The CNG fuel containers were mounted transversely with thermally-activated pressure relief devices (PRDs) mounted in each end, away from where the fire was localized. The CNG fuel containers were of Type 4 construction and thus were not good conductors of heat away from where the fire was localized and towards the PRDs. The CNG fuel containers were covered by a steel enclosure with small, circular openings providing access to the manual fuel container isolation valves equipped with integrated PRDs. Water applied to the fire likely cooled the PRDs but did not reach the area of the fuel containers where the fire was localized, thus keeping the PRDs below the activation temperature threshold as the fire progressed.ODI is aware of at least one other incident in which a substantially similar CNG refuse truck caught fire due to a hot load. In that case, the PRDs activated as intended. There was no fire suppression effort prior to the PRDs activating.The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Alternative Fuel Vehicle (AFV) Safety Training project (http://www.evsafetytraining.org) provides training for first responders who face emergency situations involving motor vehicles.NFPA training advises that attempts to extinguish a significant CNG fire could preventRead more

PE — Closed — Model Year: 2011

Delayed Throttle Response

This investigation was opened based on a fleet complaint alleging delayed throttle response which could potentially lead to extended stopping distances and/or increase the risk of a crash.Autocar responded to ODI's Information Request (IR) letter and provided test data including its FMVSS 124 valida... Read more

Model	Recalls	Complaints
XPEDITOR	457	7	View
LEGEND	355	0	View
XSPOTTER	114	0	View
AUTOCAR	62	2	View
WX	62	1	View
WXLL	61	1	View
XPERT	38	0	View
WXR	31	0	View

2009 AUTOCAR ACX

NHTSA Safety Investigations — AUTOCAR ACX

AUTOCAR ACX — All Years Overview

AUTOCAR ACX — Year by Year

Other AUTOCAR Models

Year	Recalls	Complaints
2015	1	0	View
2014	2	2	View
2013	5	0	View
2012	7	0	View
2011	4	0	View
2010	2	0	View
2009 (current)	8	0
2008	10	0	View
2007	1	0	View
2006	1	0	View
2005	1	0	View