Safety Recall N202316700 Starter Ground Cable Breakage – 2018-2021 Chevrolet 6500XD

September 11, 2020 NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V554000

Ground Cable On Starter Motor May Break

If the cable is broken and repeated attempts are made to start the vehicle, the starter may ground through the steel braiding of the power steering hose, allowing it to heat up and possibly rupture, increasing the risk of a fire.

 

NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V554

Manufacturer Isuzu Technical Center of America, Inc.

Components ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Potential Number of Units Affected 4,352

 

Summary

Isuzu Technical Center of America, Inc. (Isuzu) is recalling certain 2018-2021 FTR and Chevrolet 6500XD vehicles. The ground cable connecting the starter motor to the vehicle frame may break at the starter-side eyelet, resulting in an engine no-crank or slow-crank condition, causing the vehicle not to start.

 

Remedy

Isuzu and Chevrolet will notify their

respective owners and dealers to replace the ground cable and to inspect and replace the power steering hose is damage exists, free of charge. The recall began October 9, 2020. Isuzu owners may contact the Isuzu Customer Relations at 1-866-441-9638 and Chevrolet owners may contact the GM Medium Duty Truck assistance line at 1-800-862-4389. Isuzu’s number for this recall is V2004.

 

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

 

Check if your Vehicle has a Recall

 


 


Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for Safety Recall N202316700

Starter Ground Cable Breakage

These questions and answers are being provided to help GM dealers respond to inquiries from involved vehicle owners about the Safety recall identified above.

 

Q1)Which vehicles are involved?
A1)2018-2021 Chevrolet Low Cab Forward (LCF) 6500XD MD

 

Q2)What is the issue or condition?
A2)In the affected vehicles, the ground cable connecting the starter motor to the vehicle frame may break at the starter-side eyelet, which can result in an engine no-crank or slow-crank condition, causing the vehicle not to start.  If the driver attempts to start the engine after the cable has broken, electrical current will flow through the steel braiding of the power steering hose rather than through the broken cable, generating heat within the power steering hose.  Once the cable is broken, if the driver makes repeated efforts to restart the engine or if the key is held in the engine start position for an extended period of time, enough heat may be generated to melt and potentially to rupture the power steering hose.  If the power steering hose ruptures, power steering fluid may leak onto a hot engine or exhaust surface.

 

Q3) What symptoms may be experienced?  What warning signs may be associated with the issue or condition described?
A3)A vehicle with this issue may not start. If the customer continues to try to start the engine after a failure occurs, the customer may see smoke from the power steering hose melting or the power steering fluid leaking onto a hot surface.

 

Q4) What is the remedy/repair?
A4)Dealers will replace the ground cable in all affected vehicles and will inspect the power steering hose for any damage. The power steering hose will also be replaced if it is found to be damaged or, even in the absence of any apparent damage, if the ground cable was broken.

 

Q5) What is the safety risk?  Is the vehicle safe to drive?
A5) The power steering fluid leaking onto a hot surface may increase the risk of a fire.

 

Q6) Does the customer have to pay for this remedy/repair?
A6)No, this inspection/repair will be done at no cost to the customer.

 

Q7) Is the remedy/repair available now?
A7)Yes, the remedy/repair is available now, please see the attached bulletin for details.

 

Q8) What should customers do until recall repairs can be completed?  Are there any special instructions?
A8)If special instructions are provided, they will be included in the notification letters to customers.

 

Q9) How can customers check to see if their vehicle is involved in this field action?
A9)Customers who own a vehicle involved in the field action will be notified by mail by General MotorseBay logo, but they may also check their Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) for field actions in GM Owner Center at https://my.gm.com/recalls or via NHTSA’s website at https://vinrcl.safercar.gov/vin/.

 

Q10)If customers are concerned, can they get a rental car or courtesy transportation?
A10)Courtesy transportation is available for customers whose vehicles are involved in this recall and are within the warranty coverage period for the warranty which is associated with this recall.  Please refer to Warranty Administration Bulletin #17-NA-073:  Field Action Courtesy Transportation Policy for further information.

 

 


DET-20-130  573 – ISUZU FTR STARTER GROUND CABLE

Chronology of Defect / Noncompliance Determination

573.6 (c) (6) (7)

 

Describe the chronology of events leading up to the defect decision or test data for the noncompliance decision: (2000)

 

In June 2019, Isuzu received a report of a MY 2018 FTR truck having been towed to a dealership in April due to a no-start condition.  The customer reported seeing smoke from the engine compartment and the Technical Assistance Report described a hole in the power steering hose.  In July 2019, Isuzu received another report of a no-start condition with a melted power steering hose.  Review of the returned part from the first report found that the starter ground cable had broken at the starter side terminal eyelet.  The cable was internally corroded and the power steering hose was ruptured near one of the end fittings.  A US-based investigation was opened through Isuzu North America

 

Corporation’s (INAC) internal investigation process and a corollary investigation was begun at Isuzu Motor Limited (IML) in Japan.

 

Isuzu collected healthy ground cables from the field for further analysis, and continued to collect parts associated with reported failures.  In late August 2019, Isuzu received a report of a no-start condition with excessive resistance.  The occurrence differed from the prior instances in that this claim mentioned slow cranking and there was no damage found to the power steering hose.  As the investigation progressed, Isuzu received six additional reports of no-start conditions during the remainder of 2019, with five of those not indicating degradation to the power steering hose.  Isuzu was collecting healthy (non-failure) ground cables, and conducting analyses, through which it determined that the starter ground cables were subject to excessive stress.  By the end of 2019, Isuzu directed its Engineering group to consider replacing the specification for the ground starter cable to reduce the stress and to prevent the no-start condition.

 

Between January and March, 2020, Isuzu conducted evaluations with a proposed replacement supplier.  By the end of March, however, that supplier informed Isuzu that it lacked capacity to service Isuzu’s needs.  A new supplier was identified in April and further development of a new starter ground cable began and was completed as of June 11, 2020.  Before initiating a field action, Isuzu reviewed the field experience.  Isuzu had received an additional eight reports of a no-start condition, all requiring replacement of the starter ground cable and three of which also involved replacing the power steering hose.  In one of those cases, the driver reported seeing smoke from the back of the cab.  Further investigation of the relationship between the ground starter cable issue and the power steering hose issue was necessary.

 

When initial internal investigation was found inconclusive, returned parts were sent to the supplier for destructive testing.  Additional investigation was also conducted internally.  The results of that testing were reported on July 30, 2020.  Although the supplier concluded that the power steering hose failures might have been caused by the use of low grade power steering fluid, Isuzu’s analysis suggested that under a starter ground cable open circuit condition, the electrical current could flow instead through the steel braiding of the power steering hose during cranking and increase the temperature of the steel braiding. Under certain conditions, the temperature could increase to a level causing damage to the power steering hose.

 

Based on its analysis, Isuzu determined that damage to the power steering hose is a secondary impact from the no-start condition caused by a failed starter ground cable.  Isuzu therefore initiated a change on the production line on August 14th, 2020 to utilize a longer starter ground cable with a larger bend radius and L-shaped retainers.  Isuzu also prepared to conduct a field action to replace the starter ground cable in all field vehicles.  In reviewing the field campaign, it was noted that the potential for the power steering hose to degrade, melt and rupture is dependent on the driver continuing to try to restart the truck from a no-start condition or holding the key in the engine start position for an extended period of time.  To the extent that power steering fluid may leak onto a hot surface and lead to smoke, the smoke is readily apparent to the driver and the driver would cease trying to start the engine. The issue arises only in the circumstance of a no-start condition and not while the vehicle is in motion.  Isuzu has not received any reports that a power steering hose leak did, and does not believe that such a leak would, move beyond a thermal event to an actual flame.  Nonetheless, due to the nature of the issue and out of an abundance of caution, Isuzu decided on September 3, 2020 to conduct the field campaign as a safety recall.

 


8 Affected Products

Vehicles

MAKEMODELYEAR
CHEVROLET6500XD2018-2021
ISUZUFTR2018-2021

 


22 Associated Documents

Remedy Instructions and TSB

RCRIT-20V554-8140.pdf 604.598KB

 


Manufacturer Notices(to Dealers,etc)- Frequently Asked Questions

RCMN-20V554-8128.pdf 36.678KB

 


Manufacturer Notices(to Dealers,etc)

RCMN-20V554-6176.pdf 36.123KB

 


Manufacturer Notices(to Dealers,etc)

RCMN-20V554-3237.pdf 120.485KB

 


Remedy Instructions and TSB

RCRIT-20V554-3999.pdf 597.282KB

 


Remedy Instructions and TSB

RCRIT-20V554-2571.pdf 1221.435KB

 


Remedy Instructions and TSB

RCRIT-20V554-0924.pdf 876.41KB

 


Miscellaneous Document-Chronology

RMISC-20V554-0727.pdf 657.411KB

 


Recall Acknowledgement

RCAK-20V554-9514.pdf 244.921KB

 


Manufacturer Notices(to Dealers,etc)

RCMN-20V554-7225.pdf 229.245KB

 


Defect Notice 573 Report

RCLRPT-20V554-1626.PDF 215.856KB

 


Manufacturer Notices(to Dealers,etc)

RCMN-20V554-3751.pdf 68.097KB

 


ISSUED Owner Notification Letter(Part 577)

RCONL-20V554-4759.pdf 289.35KB

 


Manufacturer Notices(to Dealers,etc)

RCMN-20V554-2942.pdf 62.946KB

 


Manufacturer Notices(to Dealers,etc)

RCMN-20V554-7626.pdf 36.123KB

 


Recall Quarterly Report #1, 2020-4

RCLQRT-20V554-0199.PDF 211.155KB

 


Recall Quarterly Report #2, 2021-1

RCLQRT-20V554-5952.PDF 211.257KB

 


ISSUED Owner Notification Letter(Part 577)

RCONL-20V554-4962.pdf 91.564KB

 


Manufacturer Notices(to Dealers,etc)

RCMN-20V554-4158.pdf 61.383KB

 


Manufacturer Notices(to Dealers,etc)

RCMN-20V554-8245.pdf 107.657KB

 


Recall Quarterly Report #3, 2021-2

RCLQRT-20V554-9624.PDF 211.347KB

 


Recall Quarterly Report #4, 2021-3

RCLQRT-20V554-1996.PDF 211.446KB

 


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