Cummins, Inc. (Cummins) is recalling certain X15 heavy duty diesel engines used in trucks, fire trucks and recreational vehicles. The affected engines have a fuel pump whose drive gear may slip on its drive shaft, resulting in a loss of fuel pump function. CONSEQUENCE: Failure of the fuel pump will result in an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash. REMEDY: Cummins will notify the vehicle manufacturers that purchased…
Read More2017 Thor Motor Coach Challenger Recall
Thor Motor Coach (Thor) is recalling certain 2017 Challenger 37YT motorhomes. The exhaust pipe for the onboard gasoline generator may be incorrectly installed or missing completely from the vehicles. CONSEQUENCE: Without a correctly installed generator exhaust pipe, there may be a buildup of carbon monoxide within the interior of the vehicle, increasing the risk of personal injury or death. REMEDY: TMC will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the Challenger…
Read MoreCummins Plans for Electric Class 8 Powertrains
Diesel Engine maker Cummins expects to start building and selling electric powertrains for transit bus applications in 2019, with a “longer-range version” available by 2020, as the OEM believes electricity will become a key commercial vehicle power source in the near future. “We know things about electrification that maybe others don’t,” explained Julie Furber, executive director of electrification business development for Cummins, explained in an hour-long conference call with reporters…
Read MoreDriveWyze CA Weigh Station Bypass Service
Drivewyze has announced that it has been awarded the contract to operate its Drivewyze PreClear weigh station bypass service in California. The company is working to install its service with existing weigh-in-motion scales, underway at 37 locations where the state has chosen to operate bypass services. Drivewyze expects the service to be fully operational in the state within 60 days. The 37 sites supporting PreClear are located on many of…
Read MoreTexas Legislators Pass Autonomous Vehicle Bill
Legislators in Texas passed a bill to establish a basic regulatory framework for autonomous vehicle operation in the state, including allowing vehicles without humans present in the vehicle to operate on the state’s roadways. The Texas House passed the bill, SB 2205, May 21, a few weeks after the state’s Senate approved the legislation. The bill now heads to Texas Gov. Rob Abbott’s desk to sign into law, which he’s…
Read MoreGM Sued Over DuraMax Diesel Emissions
Two owners of diesel-powered General Motors vehicles are accusing the car maker of producing an engine that exceeds U.S. standards for pollutant emissions under normal driving conditions, in a lawsuit that targets more than 700,000 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra Truck Models equipped with 6.6L Duramax Diesel Engines. The class-action lawsuit accuses GM of using “at least three separate ‘defeat devices’ to increase engine power and efficiency” in its Duramax…
Read More2017 Freightliner & Western Star Trucks Recall
Daimler Trucks North America LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2017 Freightliner Cascadia and Western Star 5700 trucks built with NFD tandem rear axles. During the hardening process, the axle assembly output shaft may have been made brittle, possibly resulting in the output shaft fracturing while the vehicle is in use. CONSEQUENCE: If output shaft fractures while descending a grade, the compression braking will be ineffective. Additionally, large debris may land…
Read MoreUSDOJ Sues Fiat Chrysler Over Diesel Emissions
The U.S. Department of Justice is suing Fiat Chrysler America (FCA), alleging that some of its Dodge Ram Diesel Pickup Trucks and Jeep SUVs are cheating on emissions tests. The lawsuit filed Tuesday by the government marks the second time the D.O.J. has gone after an automaker alleging use of software on diesel engines that allows them to emit more pollution on the road than during Environmental Protection Agency lab…
Read MoreIdle Free Electric Truck Stop Testing To Start
A Duke Energy project to fund electrification at a North Carolina truck stop is projected to save 25,000 gallons of truck fuel annually due to not having to idle. Big Boy’s Truck Stop in the town of Kenly, will soon have 24 truck electrification stations where drivers can pay to plug in their vehicles, offering an economical way to provide electricity and hot or cold air during overnight stays that avoids…
Read MoreVolvo Testing Self-Driving Refuse Truck in Sweden
Could garbage collection be handled by robotic vehicles? That’s the question Volvo Trucks is looking to answer as it tests out a self-driving garbage truck in Sweden. The truck company has a venture with Swedish waste management company Renova to learn how autonomous refuse vehicles can improve safety, make trash collection more efficient and reduce driver injury. “Driving a heavy commercial vehicle in an urban residential area with narrow streets and…
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