Equipment: Other: Labels10/11/202424V758000
Blue Bird Body Company (Blue Bird) is recalling certain 2019-2024 Vision and All American school buses. The emergency exit label operating instructions lettering is too small and may be difficult to read. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 217, "Bus Emergency Exits and Window Retention and Release."
Consequence
An emergency exit label that is difficult to read can prevent or delay the use of the emergency exit, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the emergency exit label, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 9, 2024. Owners may contact Blue Bird Customer Service at 478-822-2242. Blue Bird's number for this recall is R23CK (SB).
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 nhtsa.gov.
Engine10/05/202222V739000
Blue Bird Body Company (Blue Bird) is recalling certain 2022-2023 Vision school buses equipped with a 7.3L gasoline engine. The transmission cable may not have sufficient clearance from the gasoline fuel supply line at the left rear corner of the engine, which can result in a fuel leak.
Consequence
A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect and reroute the transmission cable, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 9, 2023. Owners may contact Blue Bird's customer service at 1-478-822-2242. Blue Bird's number for this recall is R22CB (School Bus).
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.nhtsa.gov.
Fuel system, gasoline: Delivery: Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings10/05/202222V739000
Blue Bird Body Company (Blue Bird) is recalling certain 2022-2023 Vision school buses equipped with a 7.3L gasoline engine. The transmission cable may not have sufficient clearance from the gasoline fuel supply line at the left rear corner of the engine, which can result in a fuel leak.
Consequence
A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect and reroute the transmission cable, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 9, 2023. Owners may contact Blue Bird's customer service at 1-478-822-2242. Blue Bird's number for this recall is R22CB (School Bus).
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.nhtsa.gov.
Fuel system, other: Delivery: Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings08/04/202222V578000
Blue Bird Body Company (Blue Bird) is recalling certain 2018-2023 Blue Bird Vision transit buses equipped with Roush fuel return lines included in GEN 4 and GEN 5 LPG Conversion Systems that were installed on vehicles sold or registered in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington D.C., West Virginia, and Wisconsin. The zinc-plating on the fuel return line may break away when contacted by road debris, causing two dissimilar metals on the fuel line to contact each other and corrode.
Consequence
A corroded fuel line can leak fuel, increasing the risk of a fire.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the fuel return lines, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 24, 2023. Owners may contact Blue Bird's customer service at 1-478-822-2242. Blue Bird's number for this recall is R22BX-NSB.
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.nhtsa.gov.
Fuel system, other: Delivery: Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings08/04/202222V579000
Blue Bird Body Company (Blue Bird) is recalling certain 2017-2023 Blue Bird Vision school buses equipped with Roush fuel return lines included in GEN 4 and GEN 5 LPG Conversion Systems that were installed on vehicles sold or registered in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington D.C., West Virginia, and Wisconsin. The zinc-plating on the fuel return line may break away when contacted by road debris, causing two dissimilar metals on the fuel line to contact each other and corrode.
Consequence
A corroded fuel line can leak fuel, increasing the risk of a fire.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the fuel return lines, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 24, 2023. Owners may contact Blue Bird's customer service at 1-478-822-2242. Blue Bird's number for this recall is R22BX-SB.
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.nhtsa.gov.
Structure: Body: Roof and pillars07/19/202424V543000
Blue Bird Bus Company (Blue Bird) is recalling certain 2019-2023 Vision, All American Front Engine, and All American Rear Engine school buses. An exterior roof joint may have been manufactured with insufficient strength that can allow the roof panels to separate in a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 221, "School Bus Body Joint Strength."
Consequence
Roof panels that separate during a crash can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect the roof panel joints and install additional rivets as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 17, 2024. Owners may contact Blue Bird customer service at 1-478-822-2242.
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.Please be reminded of the following requirements:You are required to submit a draft owner notification letter to this office no less than five days prior to mailing it to the customers.Also, copies of all notices, bulletins, dealer notifications, and other communications that relate to this recall, including a copy of the final owner notification letter and any subsequent owner follow-up notification letter(s), are required to be submitted to this office no later than 5 days after they are originally sent (if they are sent to more than one manufacturer, distributor, dealer, or purchaser/owner).Under 49 U.S.C. § 30112(a), it is illegal for anyone, including a manufacturer, distributor, dealer, or retailer to sell an item of equipment or vehicle that fails to comply with all applicable Federal motor vehicle safety standards.As stated in 49 U.S.C. § 30118(f), submission of eight consecutive quarterly reports followed by three annual reports is required. As described in 573.7, submission of the first of eight consecutive quarterly status reports is required within one month after the close of the calendar quarter in which notification to purchasers occurs. Therefore, the first quarterly report will be due on, or before, 30 days after the close of the calendar quarter. The first of three consecutive annual status reports will be due on, or before, 1 year after the eighth quarterly report was submitted.
Fuel system, other: Storage: Tank assembly05/23/202424V365000
Blue Bird Body Company (Blue Bird) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Vision school buses. The diesel tank that supplies the fuel fired heater was improperly designed and may leak fuel. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 301, "Fuel System Integrity."
Consequence
A fuel leak onto the road creates a hazard for other road users, increasing the risk of a crash. Additionally, a fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
Remedy
Dealers will repair the tank, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 08, 2024. Owners may contact Blue Bird customer service at 1-478-822-2242. Blue Bird's number for this recall is R24DA.
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.nhtsa.gov.
Power train: Automatic transmission: Control module: Software05/11/202222V321000
Blue Bird Body Company (Blue Bird) is recalling certain 2023 Vision school buses equipped with an Allison transmission. The starter interlock settings in the vehicle software are incorrect, allowing the engine to crank while the T-handle gear shifter is in Reverse or Drive. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 102, "Transmission Shift Lever Sequence/Starter Interlock/Transmission Braking Effect."
Consequence
A bus that is started in reverse or drive may result in unintended vehicle movement, and increase the risk of a crash or injury.
Remedy
Dealers will update the software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on June 30, 2022. Owners may contact Blue Bird's customer service at 1-478-822-2242. Blue Bird's number for this recall R22BW (SB).
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.nhtsa.gov.
Power train: Automatic transmission: Park/neutral start interlock switch05/11/202222V321000
Blue Bird Body Company (Blue Bird) is recalling certain 2023 Vision school buses equipped with an Allison transmission. The starter interlock settings in the vehicle software are incorrect, allowing the engine to crank while the T-handle gear shifter is in Reverse or Drive. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 102, "Transmission Shift Lever Sequence/Starter Interlock/Transmission Braking Effect."
Consequence
A bus that is started in reverse or drive may result in unintended vehicle movement, and increase the risk of a crash or injury.
Remedy
Dealers will update the software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on June 30, 2022. Owners may contact Blue Bird's customer service at 1-478-822-2242. Blue Bird's number for this recall R22BW (SB).
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.nhtsa.gov.
Other: School bus stop arm assembly04/27/202222V279000
Blue Bird Body Company (Blue Bird) is recalling certain 2023 Vision school buses. The incorrect pins were installed on the air stop arm, which may cause it to fail. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 131, "School Bus Pedestrian Safety Devices."
Consequence
An inoperative stop arm increases the risk of injury during the boarding and deboarding process of the bus.
Remedy
Dealers will install a service pigtail connector, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on June 8, 2022. Owners may contact Blue Bird's customer service at 1-478-822-2242. Blue Bird's number for this recall is R22BT.
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.nhtsa.gov.
Fuel system, gasoline: Delivery: Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings04/25/202222V274000
Blue Bird Body Company (Blue Bird) is recalling certain 2022-2023 Vision school buses. The fuel supply line was incorrectly routed, allowing it to chafe against a bolt head, which can damage the line and create a fuel leak.
Consequence
A fuel leak increases the risk of a fire.
Remedy
Dealers will reroute the fuel line, and replace the fuel line if any damage is found, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on June 21, 2022. Owners may contact Blue Bird's customer service at 1-478-822-2242. Blue Bird's number for this recall is R22BU-SB.
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.nhtsa.gov.
Seats02/07/202424V078000
Blue Bird Body Company (Blue Bird) is recalling certain 2020-2024 Vision 2020-2023 All American school buses. The convertible seats may have been incorrectly installed, which can result in an unsecured seat. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 210, "Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages."
Consequence
An unsecured seat may not adequately restrain an occupant, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect and repair the seat, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 04, 2024. Owners may contact Blue Bird customer service at 1-478-822-2242. Blue Bird's number for this recall is R24CM-SB.
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.nhtsa.gov.
Electrical system: Software02/02/202424V068000
Blue Bird Body Company (Blue Bird) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Vision school buses. Firmware in the multiplex module may cause the warning lights to deactivate and the stop arm to retract without warning.
Consequence
An unintended deactivation of the warning lights and retraction of the stop arm during use increases the risk of a crash or injury.
Remedy
Dealers will update the multiplex firmware, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 25, 2024. Owners may contact Blue Bird customer service at 1-478-822-2242. Blue Bird's number for this recall is R24CX (SB).
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.nhtsa.gov.
Equipment adaptive/mobility: Wheelchair lift/ramp02/02/202222V049000
Blue Bird Body Company (Blue Bird) is recalling certain 2023 Vision school buses. The vehicle multiplex software may not engage the brakes when the wheelchair platform lift is operated. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 403, "Platform Lift Systems."
Consequence
Disengaged brakes can allow the school bus to move while the platform lift is in operation, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy
Dealers will install updated software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 17, 2022. Owners may contact Blue Bird's customer service at 1-478-822-2242. Blue Bird's number for this recall is R22BP.
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.nhtsa.gov.