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CANFORGEN 058/11 CLS 011/11 011500Z APR 11
LUVW MILCOTS (SILVERADO) POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARD
UNCLASSIFIED
REFS: A. CANFORGEN 256/10 CLS 048/10 201700Z DEC 10
B. DSVPM FIRE INVESTIGATION REPORT FILE NO. 12320-19-03, 14 FEB 11
C. DGLEPM TSB NO: DSVPM 2011/01 LUVW MILCOTS TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN
BACKGROUND. TWO INCIDENTS OCCURRED IN LATE 2010 IN WHICH LUVW MILCOTS (SILVERADO) CAUGHT FIRE WHILE PARKED. AS A RESULT, REF A PLACED INTERIM RESTRICTIONS ON THE FLEET WHILE AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE CAUSE OF THESE FIRES WAS CONDUCTED. REF A IS CANCELLED IN ITS ENTIRETY AND IS SUPERSEDED BY THIS MESSAGE
INVESTIGATION
IN JANUARY 2011, THE EQUIPMENT MANAGEMENT TEAM (EMT) FROM DGLEPM COMPLETED AN INVESTIGATION OF ONE VEHICLE IN PETAWAWA SUPPORTED BY THE GENERAL MOTORS COMMERCIAL INVESTIGATION TEAM, THE CF FIRE MARSHAL’S OFFICE AND THE QUALITY ENGINEERING TEST ESTABLISHMENT. THE RESULTS OF THIS INVESTIGATION ARE CONTAINED AT REF B. INVESTIGATORS WERE UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE EXACT CAUSE OF THESE FIRES, HOWEVER, INDICATIONS ARE THAT THEY ARE LINKED TO SERVICING ISSUES WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
WORKSHOPS SUPPORTING LUVW MILCOTS WERE ALSO DIRECTED TO COMPLETE AN INSPECTION OF THE WIRING ASSOCIATED WITH THE BATTERY CUT-OFF SWITCH. WHILE THIS SWITCH WAS ELIMINATED AS THE SOURCE OF IGNITION, A NUMBER OF PROBLEMS WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM OF LUVW MILCOTS WERE IDENTIFIED. ISSUES OF CONCERN ARE:
(1) LOOSE/IMPROPERLY SECURED WIRING HARNESSES AND CONNECTIONS AT THE BATTERIES
(2) FRAYED WIRING
(3) IMPROPER ROUTING OF WIRING
(4) FROZEN BATTERIES IN VEHICLES
THE LUVW MILCOTS HAS BEEN IN SERVICE SINCE 2003. THE VEHICLES ARE EQUIPPED WITH A DUAL VOLTAGE (24/12 VOLT) ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WITH POWER SUPPLIED BY THREE BATTERIES. THE FLEET IS SUPPORTED BY THE GENERAL MOTORS DEALERSHIP NETWORK ACROSS CANADA. WHILE THE LEVEL OF SERVICE PROVIDED HAS GENERALLY BEEN GOOD THE STANDARD OF WORK CAN VARY BETWEEN DEALERSHIPS WHICH MAY ACCOUNT FOR SOME OF THE AFOREMENTIONED ISSUES. FURTHERMORE, THE COMPLEX AND PHYSICALLY-TIGHT NATURE OF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM RAISES THE CONCERN THAT MORE PROBLEMS WILL DEVELOP AS THE FLEET AGES
PREVENTIVE MEASURES
UNIT/BASE/ASU MAINTENANCE WORKSHOPS:
(1) COMPLETE AN INSPECTION OF ALL LUVW MILCOTS BATTERY CABLES AND CONNECTIONS. SPECIFIC ATTENTION IS TO BE PAID TO THE BATTERY LOCATED IN THE FRONT LEFT-HAND (DRIVER’S) SIDE OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. DSVPM 3 SHALL CREATE AN APPLICABLE L1 NOTIFICATION FOR THOSE WORKSHOPS OPERATING IN DRMIS
(2) COMPLETE AN IN-INSPECTION ON ALL VEHICLES RETURNING FROM SERVICING AT DEALERSHIPS
(3) ENSURE ALL INSPECTIONS (1134S) INCLUDE A THOROUGH INSPECTION OF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (SECURITY AND CONDITION OF WIRING AND CONDITION OF ALL BATTERIES)
(4) REPORT ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM DIRECTLY TO DSVPM 3-5-2
UNITS/BASES/ASUS AND OPERATORS:
(1) VEHICLES WITH DISCHARGED (I.E. DEAD) BATTERIES ARE TO BE INSPECTED PRIOR TO TAKING FURTHER ACTION. IF THE BATTERIES SHOW SIGNS OF FREEZING THEY ARE TO BE REMOVED AND RETURNED TO MAINTENANCE FOR INSPECTION/CHARGING AS APPLICABLE
(2) VEHICLES ARE NOT TO BE JUMP STARTED. VEHICLES WITH DISCHARGED BATTERIES ARE TO BE SLAVED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROCEDURE LAID OUT IN THE VEHICLE OPERATOR MANUAL
(3) OPERATORS ARE TO BE FAMILIAR WITH THE VEHICLE COLD STARTING DEVICES AS THE USE OF THESE SYSTEMS TAKES STRAIN OFF THE STARTING AND CHARGING SYSTEMS
(4) VEHICLES SHOULD BE EXERCISED WEEKLY AS PART OF THE UNIT MAINTENANCE PLAN. THIS IS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT WHEN AMBIENT TEMPERATURES ARE CONSISTENTLY BELOW ZERO
RESTRICTIONS
VEHICLES MAY REMAIN INSIDE OVERNIGHT ONLY IF THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN GIVEN TIME TO COOL OFF (2-3 HOURS) BEFORE BEING LEFT UNATTENDED AND ALL BATTERIES ARE DISCONNECTED (BOTH 12V AND 24V SYSTEMS)
WHEN A VEHICLE IS BEING BROUGHT TO A DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR THE DEALERSHIP IS TO BE ADVISED OF THE ABOVE RESTRICTION
WHILE THERE IS NO RESTRICTION FOR THE TRANSPORTATION OF DANGEROUS GOODS, DUE DILIGENCE IS REQUIRED IF THE MATERIEL IS REQUIRED TO REMAIN IN THE VEHICLE FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME
