2005 BLUE BIRD ALL AMERICAN Recalls (13)

Campaign:
04V213000 on 05/04/2004
Component:
Structure
Manufactured:
01/09/2004 - 04/19/2004
Affected:
297
Defect:
All american school buses manufactured between january 10 and april 20, 2004, which the inside panels adjacent to the rear center emergency door (or rear center emergency window on rear engine models) do not comply with federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 221, school bus body joint strength. adhesive was inadvertentlt omitted from these joints on the affected population.
Consequence:
The vehicle occupants may be seriously injured in the event of a vehicle crash.
Correction:
Owners will be notified to make an appointment with their blue bird distributor to have the inside rear panels removed and properly adhere the panels. owner notification is expected to begin june 9, 2004. owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact blue bird at 478-822-2242.
Notes:
Also, customers can contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-dash-2-dot (1-888-327-4236).
Campaign:
04V222000 on 05/11/2004
Component:
Seat belts
Manufactured:
03/02/2003 - 04/04/2004
Affected:
291
Defect:
School and transit buses equipped with driver's 3-point seat belts with incorrect fasteners.
Consequence:
In the event of a vehicle crash, the shoulder strap can fail, and the driver could be seriously injured.
Correction:
Blue bird will notify its customers to make an appointment with their blue bird distributor to have the driver's 3-point seat belt upper attaching fasteners replaced free of charge. owner notification is expected to begin june 8, 2004. owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact blue bird at 478-822-2242.
Notes:
Also, customers can contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-dash-2-dot (1-888-327-4236).
Campaign:
04V362000 on 07/21/2004
Component:
Structure:body:roof and pillars
Manufactured:
05/23/2004 - 07/11/2004
Affected:
233
Defect:
Certain my 2005 blue bird all american model school buses manufactured from may 24 through july 12, 2004. these buses fail to comply with federal motor vehicle safety standard no 221, school bus body joint strength. the rivet pattern may be incorrect in sections of the rear roof sheet joint that attaches to the rear roof cap.
Consequence:
In the event of a crash, these panels could separate, exposing vehicle occupants to increased risk of injury.
Correction:
Blue bird will notify its customers and provide instructions and parts to add additional rivets as needed. the recall began august 16, 2004. owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact blue bird at 478-822-2242.
Notes:
Also, customers can contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-dash-2-dot (1-888-327-4236).
Campaign:
04V426000 on 08/30/2004
Component:
Equipment adaptive
Manufactured:
02/11/2004 - 05/04/2004
Affected:
372
Defect:
Certain blue bird 1999-2005 all american, tc/2000, micro bird, vision, conventional, and commercial series school buses equipped with sure-loc wheelchair securement systems and manufactured between february 17, 1999, and august 13, 2004. certain sure-lok wheelchair tie-down securement assemblies p/n 8625-13. the sprocket teeth of the retractor assembly may be out of alignment causing the load pawl not to fully seat in the sprocket teeth.
Consequence:
In the event of a vehicle crash, the wheelchair may not be adequately secured possibly resulting in injuries.
Correction:
Blue bird will notify its customers and replace the defective part free of charge. the recall began september 21, 2004. owners who take their buses to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact at blue bird at 478-822-2242.
Notes:
Also, customers can contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-dash-2-dot (1-888-327-4236).
Campaign:
05V074000 on 03/06/2005
Component:
Engine and engine cooling
Manufactured:
12/20/2002 - 02/24/2005
Affected:
416
Defect:
Certain 2002-2006 my blue bird all american school and transit buses, conventional school buses, and commercial series transit buses manufactured between december 21, 2002, and february 24, 2005. these buses are equipped with webasto coolant heaters, model dbw 2010, assembled with webasto burner tubes, p/n 303046/26533a manufactured between november 2002 and february 2005. the stainless steel burner tube is made out of a material that is not to specification and could fail prematurely.
Consequence:
Should the burner tube fail, the coolant heater could overheat, possibly resulting in a fire.
Correction:
Blue bird will notify its customers and replace the burner tubes free of charge. the recall began on march 31, 2005. owners may contact blue bird at 478-822-2242.
Notes:
Free of charge.the recall began on march 7, 2005.owners may contact pro air at 574-970-0744.
Campaign:
05V152000 on 04/14/2005
Component:
Vehicle speed control
Affected:
486
Defect:
Certain 2001 through 2005 all american, commercial series, and q-bus school and transit buses equipped with john deere 8.1 cng engines. the subject buses equipped with the john deere engines may surge inappropriately due to erractic operation of the air throttle if the engine is taken from full to zero load.
Consequence:
Unexpected engine surge could result in a vehicle crash, possibly resulting in personal injury.
Correction:
John deere will notify blue bird's customers and repair the engines free of charge. customers are being instructed to contact john deere at 1-800-jd-engine.
Notes:
Customers may also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.safercar.gov.
Campaign:
05V239000 on 05/25/2005
Component:
Other:school bus stop arm assembly
Affected:
8,894
Defect:
Certain school buses originally sold in or currently registered in the following states: alaska, colorado, connecticut, delaware, idaho, illinois, indiana, iowa, kansas, kentucky, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, montana, nebraska, nevada, new hampshire, new jersey, new mexico, new york, north dakota, ohio, oregon, pennsylvania, rhode island, south dakota, tennessee, utah, vermont, virginia, washington, west virginia, wisconsin, wyoming, and the district of columbia. in extremely cold weather, the microswitches used internally to position the stop arm sign in the open and closed positions may malfunction, causing the sign to open or close in an improper position, or to not open at all.
Consequence:
Should the stop arm not perform properly, a child or pedestrian may be endangered by passing vehicles should the motorist not stop at the correct location.
Correction:
Blue bird will notify its customers and replace the original switch with a switch pack that is not sensitive to extreme cold weather and will inspect to ensure the microswitch heater wiring is properly connected free of charge. the recall began on august 12, 2005. owners may contact blue bird at 478-822-2242.
Notes:
Customers may also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.safercar.gov.
Campaign:
05V251000 on 06/05/2005
Component:
Other:school bus stop arm assembly
Affected:
3,121
Defect:
Certain blue bird 2002 through 2006 my all american, conventional, minibird, microbird, vision, and tc2000 school buses originally sold in or currently registered in states other than the following states: alaska, colorado, connecticut, delaware, idaho, illinois, indiana, iowa, kansas, kentucky, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, montana, nebraska, nevada, new hampshire, new jersey, new mexico, new york, north dakota, ohio, oregon, pennsylvania, rhode island, south dakota, tennessee, utah, vermont, virginia, washington, west virginia, wisconsin, wyoming, and the district of columbia. in extremely cold weather, the microswitches used internally to position the sign in the open and closed positions may malfunction, causing the sign to open or close in an improper position, or to not open at all.
Consequence:
Should the stop arm not perform properly, a child or pedestrian may be endangered by passing motorists should the motorist not stop at the correct location.
Correction:
Blue bird will notify all its customers of this campaign. for those buses operated in or near any of the states listed above, blue bird is encouraging the bus owners to obtain the replacement switch. for those buses operated in the warmer states, blue bird will replace the switch upon owner request. for those customers who request the remedy, blue bird will replace the original switch with a switch pack that is not sensitive to extreme cold weather and will inspect to ensure the microswitch heater wiring is properly connected. the safety improvement campaign began on august 12, 2005. owners may contact blue bird at 478-822-2242.
Notes:
Blue bird campaign no. r05jw.this action is deemed a safety improvement campaign and is not being conducted under the safety act.customers can contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236.
Campaign:
05V382000 on 08/30/2005
Component:
Electrical system:battery
Manufactured:
01/08/2001 - 06/17/2005
Affected:
5,863
Defect:
Certain 2001 through 2006 my blue bird all american, tc2000, and vision transit school buses manufactured between january 5, 2001, and july 15, 2005. these buses are equipped with a battery disconnect switch that has connections that may be loose on the battery switch studs creating the potential for the bus to shut down while in operation.
Consequence:
Should the bus shut down while in operation, a vehicle crash could occur.
Correction:
Blue bird will notify its owners and instruct them on how to repair the switch. the recall began on october 19 , 2005. owners may contact blue bird at 478-822-2242.
Notes:
Blue bird recall no. r05ka.customers may contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236; (tty:1-800-424-9153); or go to http://www.safercar.gov.
Campaign:
08V077000 on 02/20/2008
Component:
Engine and engine cooling:engine:diesel
Manufactured:
02/19/2004 - 04/14/2007
Affected:
607
Defect:
Blue bird is recalling 607 my 2004-2007 all american rear engine school buses and my 2006-2007 xcel 102 commercial series transit buses equipped with cummins isc engines. the high pressure fuel line may crack, allowing high pressure diesel fuel into the engine compartment.
Consequence:
This condition creates the potential for a risk of fire in the engine compartment should the atomized diesel fuel vapor contact an ignition source.
Correction:
Owners will be advised to contact their cummins dealers to have the repair work performed as soon as possible. the recall began on february 28, 2008. owners may contact blue bird at 1-478-822-2242.
Notes:
Blue bird recall no. r08mz.customers may also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.safercar.gov.
Campaign:
08V229000 on 05/19/2008
Component:
Structure:body:roof and pillars
Manufactured:
03/05/2003 - 03/27/2008
Affected:
23,464
Defect:
Blue bird is recalling 23,464 my 2005 through 2009 all american and vision school and transit model buses manufactured from january 22, 2004, and march 28, 2008, and my 2004 through 2007 all american school buses and conventional model school buses manufactured from march 6, 2003, through june 16, 2006. the rivet pattern may be incorrect in sections of the rear roof sheet joint that attaches to the rear roof cap. without the appropriate amount of roof rivets, the buses fail to conform with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no 221, "joint strength."
Consequence:
In the event of a crash, these panels may separate exposing the occupants to increased risk of injury.
Correction:
Blue bird will notify owners and inspect and repair the buses by adding additional rivets. the recall began on september 18, 2008. owners may contact blue bird at 478-822-2242.
Notes:
Blue bird recall no. r08nc.customers may contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty: 1-800-424-9153); or go to http://www.safercar.gov.
Campaign:
09V205000 on 06/08/2009
Component:
Electrical system:ignition
Manufactured:
07/15/2003 - 04/09/2009
Affected:
2,203
Defect:
Blue bird is recalling 2,203 model year 2003 through 2010 all american rear engine school buses equipped with optional plug style vandal locks manufactured from july 16, 2003 through april 10, 2009. the plug style vandal lock is not wired to inhibit the starter at the ignition switch when the vandal lock is in the locked position. these buses fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 217, "bus emergency exits and window retention and release."
Consequence:
The vehicles can be started and driven even when an owner may think they cannot.
Correction:
Blue bird will notify owners and repair the buses free of charge. the safety recall began on june 25, 2009. owner may contact blue bird at 1-478-422-2242.
Notes:
Blue bird's recall campaign no. r09pe.owners may also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to <a href=http://www.safercar.gov>http://www.safercar.gov</a> .
Campaign:
09V328000 on 08/12/2009
Component:
Seats
Manufactured:
01/29/2003 - 05/06/2009
Affected:
37,095
Defect:
Blue bird is recalling certain model year 2004 through 2010 all american, vision, micro bird, and conventional school buses manufactured between january 30, 2003 and may 7, 2009. incorrect offset leg barrier pads or 2/3 seat back pads may have been installed. buses with incorrect pads installed fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 222, "school bus passenger seating and crash protection."
Consequence:
In the event of a crash, there is an increased risk of injury to the seat occupant(s).
Correction:
Blue bird will notify owners and the buses will be repaired free of charge. the safety recall began on september 18, 2009. owners may contact blue bird at 1-478-822-2242.
Notes:
Blue bird's recall campaign number is r09pm.owners may also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to <a href=http://www.safercar.gov>http://www.safercar.gov</a> .

2005 BLUE BIRD ALL AMERICAN TSBs (7)

Bulletin:
04
Component:
162000 structure:body
Summary:
Rivets were omitted in the joint which connects the rear-most exterior roof sheet top the rear roof cap. in the event of a crash these panels may separate exposing the occupants to increased risk of injury. recall r04hv. *tt
Bulletin:
SB-S0701
Component:
061200 engine and engine cooling:engine:diesel
Summary:
Blue bird bus: re-issue service update engine coolants. the cooling system on the buses be properly maintained and monitored to insure proper operation of your cooling system. *pe
Bulletin:
SU-S-0706
Component:
220000 seats
Summary:
Blue bird: information is being provided regarding maintenance for vehicles equipped with aluminum seat floor tracks. *pe
Bulletin:
SB-S-70-LJ
Component:
062100 engine and engine cooling:cooling system:radiator assembly
Summary:
Blue bird: see document search button for owner letter. information on excessive cycling of engine cooling fan and shutter and how to install thermo switches for cooling system and charge air system. *pe
Bulletin:
SU-1503
Component:
356000 equipment adaptive
Summary:
Blue bird: correct information provided for the front hub torque specification, not found in manuals for certain buses for hub and rotor assembly and front installation. model 2005-14 vision, all-american and activity. *pe
Bulletin:
SM1601
Component:
355200 equipment:other:owners/service/other manual
Summary:
Blue bird troubleshooting guides: blue bird announcement of the addition of troubleshooting guides for assisting in the service of the blue bird products. these troubleshooting guides are available on the vantage website.
Bulletin:
SM1608
Component:
355200 equipment:other:owners/service/other manual
Summary:
New blue bird support center - technical bus support: dealer memo to announce the new on-line blue bird support center for technical bus support requests.

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