2015 AUTOCAR ACX Recalls, Complaints & Safety

STRUCTURE

Defect Description

Autocar, LLC (Autocar) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Autocar ACX front-end loader garbage trucks manufactured March 8, 2013, to September 24, 2014. The mounting brackets of the first cross member behind the engine may fail and cause the cross member to detach from the frame rails.

Consequence

Other components that are supported by the cross member may separate from the vehicle if the cross member detaches, becoming road hazards and increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Autocar will notify owners, and dealers will replace the aluminum mounting brackets with a high tensile steel brackets, free of charge. The recall began on June 2, 2015. Owners may contact Autocar customer service at 1-888-218-3611. Autocar's number for this recall is ACX-1501.

195 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

AUTOCAR ACX — All Years Overview

Complete safety history for the AUTOCAR ACX across all model years (2005–2015).

42 Total Recalls

2 Total Complaints

2 Investigations

0 Reported Crashes

0 Reported Fires

0 Reported Deaths

AUTOCAR ACX — Year by Year

Compare recalls and complaints across model years. Click any year to see full details.

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

Other AUTOCAR Models

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