CO INTRUSION

What NHTSA is examining

Summary of information from the manufacturer:the manufacturer advisedthat the auxiliary power units (apu's) and their exhaust systems are allfactory installed.in addition, the manufacturer provided two instancesof carbon monoxide (co) asphyxiation with three fatalities.however,these were not in the subject 1985 model vehicles but in earlier models.it was disclosed that one had been an aftermarket tailpipe replacementproblem and the other related to parking in a snowbank.analysis:a model 33 unit in richland, wa, was examined.the investi-gator confirmed that the unit had not been modified in accordance withinstructions contained in the manufacturer's safety recall campaign(85v-138).pictures taken showed that the apu exhaust outlets for boththe production and modified versions satisfy the requirements expressed inthe ansi standard for recreational vehicles, chapter 3, section 4.3.tests for co intrusion with the apu in operation showed off-scale (above500 parts per million) readings in the rear center to left rear cornerwhich is immediately above a transversely located bed.the vehiclecustodian would permit no disturbance of the bed.pictures and visualexamination of the underbody revealed the apu tail pipe to be crushed andmislocated inside the corner of the skirting surrounding the body.thevehicle was identified as one to which the manufacturer's recall applied;the angled tailpipe should have been replaced by one which exits at ninetydegrees from the side of the vehicle and…

Vehicles under investigation