# LUVW MilCOTS (Silverado) - Fleet Restrictions



## Fdtrucker (9 Jan 2011)

This came out on 16 Dec 2010

Our fleet of MILCOT Ccabs (GMC Silverado's) has been placed on restriction until further notice. Over the past few months we have had 3 that have spontaneously caught fire while parked.  Until further notice, restrictions have been implemented until the cause of these fires has been determined and a CANFORGEN is being put out ASAP. 

The restrictions are as follows; 

- no parking vehicles indoors.  Vehicles may be brought into buildings/workshops but are not be parked and left unattended.

- vehicles are not to be parked next to other vehicles/buildings.  A minimum 2 meters clearance is to be left around vehicles when they are parked/unattended.

- if a vehicle is being brought to a dealership for repair the dealership is to be advised of these restrictions. 

- vehicles are not to be used for any transportation of ammunition, explosives or POL.


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## REDinstaller (9 Jan 2011)

Great, more useless trucks for the Army. MSVS are still under restriction too.


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## my72jeep (9 Jan 2011)

Dam I like this one. I was assigned one this summer great truck. need cruise.


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## George Wallace (9 Jan 2011)

Fdtrucker said:
			
		

> This came out on 16 Dec 2010
> 
> Our fleet of MILCOT Ccabs (GMC Silverado's) has been placed on restriction until further notice. Over the past few months we have had 3 that have spontaneously caught fire while parked.  Until further notice, restrictions have been implemented until the cause of these fires has been determined and a CANFORGEN is being put out ASAP.
> 
> ...



Heard about this one hour before heading off on Christmas Lve.


This will have a great affect on my unit:



> - vehicles are not to be used for any transportation of ammunition, explosives or POL.



Our 9 PAX Van will not fill these requirements.   Reminds me of the Christmas we had to remove all the batteries from the LSVW fleet so that they wouldn't spontaneously combust while we were on Lve.......not that that would have been a bad thing....  >


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## dapaterson (9 Jan 2011)

The LUVW fleet* is not *prohibited from transporting ammo/POL.  CANFORGEN states:

7.  DUE DILIGENCE IS TO BE USED IN THE TRANSPORTATION OF AMMUNITION, EXPLOSIVES OR POL, AND SUCH MATERIALS ARE NOT TO BE STORED OR LEFT IN AN UNATTENDED VEHICLE


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## Thompson_JM (10 Jan 2011)

I thought the installation of a Master Switch was supposed to solve problems like this....  ???

Sigh....


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## REDinstaller (10 Jan 2011)

Nope, the master only isolates the battery circuit from the Starter/Accessories depending on the design of the Vehicle.


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## Colin Parkinson (11 Jan 2011)

Interesting, the federal government uses the Silverrado quite a bit, ours keeps draining the battery. Unless this fire issue is common through the model, I would say it's likely due to the military add on.


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## dapaterson (11 Jan 2011)

Causes are under investigation, and the measures are precautions until more information is available.

But I'd be inclined to agree that it may be connected to the modifications made for the CF.


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## TSM A (15 Jan 2011)

Tango18A said:
			
		

> Great, more useless trucks for the Army. MSVS are still under restriction too.



Just curious what restrictions are on the MSVS.


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## REDinstaller (16 Jan 2011)

The MSVS's for a time had restrictions much like the milcots, due to one being a total write off in Pet due to a fire. Don't know if the restrictions have been lifted yet.


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## Nfld Sapper (16 Jan 2011)

Restriction wrt AMMO/POL are lifted for the MSVS.....


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## REDinstaller (16 Jan 2011)

Thanks, haven't seen that Msg yet.


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## Nfld Sapper (16 Jan 2011)

Its on the MSVS project din site, I'm off tomorrow but if you pm me a @forces address I can send you the link and copy of the msg on tuesday...


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## REDinstaller (16 Jan 2011)

My unit doesn't have any MSVSs, so thanks for the offer. We only saw the restrictions as we had a couple for an ex in Wx.


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## themoose (30 Jan 2011)

The latest I have recieved from maintainer friends, it may be caused by poor cable routing during the installation of the master switch.
A set of cables runs near the u-joint for the steering column and thru the fire wall, there is a hole in a plastic panel w/ rubber grommet that the cables should pass thru.  Some installers decided to go between the panels behind the u-joint instead of thru the grommeted hole.  As the steering column turns and moves sided to side, its rubbing against these wires and removing their protective coating, from there it's just a matter of time before things heat up or some fluids get on it and short out... fire ensues and there you go, burned out LUVW MilCOTS.


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## Nfld Sapper (5 Apr 2011)

More info....

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


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## Wookilar (6 Apr 2011)

Basically, what it boils down to is this:

It _appears_ that one of the battery cables going to the front left battery was not connected properly. It is _suspected_ that this is what caused the arcing that started the fires. However, the damage was too extensive to say with any certainty. The pics are quite impressive.

If you have any of these vehs, make sure you check all the battery connections when they come back from servicing downtown. Civvy mechanics know next to nothing about 24V systems and _maybe_ are only connecting the normal 12V cables. Check all 3 batteries, but especially the front left one (driver's side. Sides in a veh are as if you are sitting in one).

Wook


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