1996 BLUE BIRD TC2000 Recalls (14)

Campaign:
95V136000 on 07/26/1995
Component:
Structure:frame and members
Manufactured:
12/31/1987 - 05/31/1995
Affected:
416
Defect:
These units are equipped with a counter weight assembly made up of 300 pounds of 1/4" plate steel welded together and bolted between the frame rails in the rear overhang just forward of the rear bumper. some of the welds have broken due to insufficient welds, corrosion, or ice expansion.
Consequence:
These plates can drop to the roadway becoming a hazard to following vehicles increasing the potential for an accident.
Correction:
Dealers will install a mechanical retaining device which clamps the plates together and fastened with threaded fasteners. bus owners will have the option of repairing their own vehicles.
Notes:
System: structure; frame; members and body.vehicle description: forward engine transit buses with 132" wheelbase, bodymodels 2409 or 2504, equipped with air brakes.note: 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 1-912-825-2021. also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-800-424-9393.
Campaign:
95V150000 on 08/20/1995
Component:
Structure:body
Affected:
2,557
Defect:
The floor line handrail bracket can expand during use and create an opening which could entrap coat strings, etc. and other articles of clothing.
Consequence:
When a passenger's clothing becomes caught in the handrail, and the bus driver closes the door and puts the vehicle in motion,the individual could be dragged by the bus. this can result in serious injury or death.
Correction:
Dealers will replace the flat split floor line bracket with a round tubular bracket.
Notes:
System: equipment; other pieces.vehicle description: forward and rear engine transit and school buses; conventional and wide body chassis.note: owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonabletime, should contact blue bird at 1-912-825-2021. also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-800-424-9393.
Campaign:
96V073000 on 05/07/1996
Component:
Structure:body
Manufactured:
04/22/1988 - 04/21/1996
Affected:
18,000
Defect:
Passenger's clothing can unknowingly become caught in the forward handrails at bus doors when exiting the bus.
Consequence:
When a passenger's clothing becomes caught in the handrail, and the bus driver closes the door and puts the vehicle in motion, the individual is subject to being dragged by the bus. this can result in serious injury or death.
Correction:
Owners will be directed to remove all forward handrails. provisions will be made for those owners operating in states which mandate a forward handrail that a replacement handrail will be provided.
Notes:
System: equipment; handrails at bus entryways. vehicle description: school buses equipped with forward handrails. note: owner 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 1-912-825-2021. also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-800-424-9393.
Campaign:
96V126001 on 07/24/1996
Component:
Seats
Manufactured:
08/31/1993 - 03/31/1996
Affected:
11,371
Defect:
Vehicle description: school buses equipped with bostrom driver's seat model f222 or bostrum "routemaster" seat. blue bird option 2821 or 2824. the seat pedestals are fatigue cracking adjacent to the weld which secures the pedestal's upper plate to the upper, telescoping portion of the adjustable column support.
Consequence:
The upper mounting plate and seat upper gradually becomes loose resulting in the upper plate detaching from the supporting column and the seat can fall from its mounting. this can result in personal injury to the driver.
Correction:
Dealers will repair these pedestals with a newly designed pedestal bracket kit.
Notes:
Owner notification began july 15, 1996.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 1-912-825-9608. also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-800-424-9393.
Campaign:
96V180000 on 09/30/1996
Component:
Steering:hydraulic power assist:hose, piping, and connections
Manufactured:
05/12/1996 - 08/26/1996
Affected:
194
Defect:
The power steering hose with a crimped end fitting was improperly manufactured.
Consequence:
The end fitting can blow-off resulting in a loss of power assisted steering causing insufficient steering control which increases the potential for a vehicle accident.
Correction:
Owners are requested to inspect the power steering hose for the suspect hoses (identifiable by date code) and replace hoses as necessary.
Notes:
Owner notification:owner notification is expected to begin during october 1996. note:owners who have not received repair instructions within a reasonable time or who would prefer that a dealer inspect these hoses should contact blue bird at 1-912-825-2021.also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-800-424-9393.
Campaign:
96V198000 on 10/31/1996
Component:
Power train
Manufactured:
05/30/1996 - 07/08/1996
Affected:
5
Defect:
Oversized rotors were installed in the powertrain drive motors in these buses.
Consequence:
When the bus is in service and the oversized rotor inside the electric powertrain motor becomes heated, the rotor expands causing the motor to become sluggish, stall and could seize, failing completely.
Correction:
Northrup-grumman will perform the modification to these powertrain drive motors.
Notes:
Vehicle description:electric powered school buses. owners have been notified of this campaign. 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 northrup-grumman at 1-410-993-2699 or blue bird at 1-912-825-9608.also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-800-424-9393.
Campaign:
96V178010 on 06/04/1997
Component:
Seats
Manufactured:
02/22/1996 - 09/16/1996
Affected:
30
Defect:
Vehicle description: school buses equipped with isringhausen seats in the driver's position. two welds located on the back rest adjustment side of the seat frame did not meet the manufacturer's specifications.
Consequence:
If these welds were not to specification, back rest loads could cause the welds to fail. the back rest would disengage from the seat frame allowing loss of support to the driver's torso and possibly causing loss of control of the vehicle.
Correction:
Isringhausen is conducting the owner notification and remedy campaign for this recall. dealers will inspect these seats and replace the seat frame assembly.
Notes:
Owner notification:owner notification is being conducted by isringhausen and will begin during may 1997.note: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 1-912-825-9608or isringhausen at 616-968-5333, ext. 301. also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-800-424-9393.
Campaign:
97V197000 on 11/19/1997
Component:
Fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly
Manufactured:
01/04/1988 - 04/05/1998
Affected:
16,338
Defect:
Vehicle description: front and rear engine school buses equipped with 60 gallon side mounted fuel tank barriers. these buses do not comply with the requirements of fmvss no. 301, "fuel system integrity."
Consequence:
In the event of a vehicle crash, the fuel tank could be damaged, leaking fuel, possibly resulting in a vehicle fire.
Correction:
Blue bird will ship instructions and modification kits to the owners of these buses.
Notes:
Owner notification is expected to begin march 10, 1998.owners who do not receive the free modification kits and instructions within a reasonable time should contact blue bird at 1-912-825-2021.also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-800-424-9393.
Campaign:
98V110000 on 05/26/1998
Component:
Fuel system, other:delivery:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Manufactured:
10/08/1996 - 08/20/1997
Affected:
64
Defect:
Vehicle description: rear engine school buses equipped with option 04888 dedicated compressed natural gas (cng) fuel package. the 24" long stainless steel braided fuel hoses can leak at the hose end fittings.
Consequence:
These hoses can fracture allowing cng fuel leakage increasing the risk of a fire.
Correction:
Dealers will replace these hoses with conductive thermoplastic hoses.
Notes:
Owner notificationbegan june 11, 1998.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 1-912-825-2021.also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-dash-2-dot (1-888-327-4236).
Campaign:
99V018000 on 01/31/1999
Component:
Seats
Manufactured:
08/31/1987 - 01/03/1999
Affected:
41,260
Defect:
Vehicle description: school buses. the wall side attaching bolts for some of the passenger seats may have been installed too close to the edge of the seat ledge and in the wrong attaching hole resulting in weakening of the seat ledge at the attachment points.
Consequence:
In the event of a frontal crash, the rear attaching bolt of these seats could pull out of the seat ledge increasing the risk of injury to the seat occupant.
Correction:
Blue bird will furnish to distributors and owners, parts and instructions necessary to strengthen the passenger seat attachment at the wall side.
Notes:
Owner notification began april 28 and july 29, 1999. owners who do not receive the free parts and instructions within a reasonable time should contact blue bird at 1-912-825-2021. also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-dash-2-dot (1-888-327-4236).
Campaign:
00V219000 on 08/10/2000
Component:
Structure:body
Manufactured:
10/31/1993 - 12/05/1999
Affected:
25,839
Defect:
Vehicle description: school buses. these buses fail to meet the 60 percent joint strength requirements of fmvss no. 221, "school bus body joint strength."
Consequence:
In the event of a vehicle crash, the roof may not be supported sufficiently, causing personal injury to bus occupants.
Correction:
Owners will be contacted and advised to inspect each roof joint. owners will install repair rivets in each joint found to have insufficient quantity of rivets in each examined 8 inch section.
Notes:
Owner notification began december 18, 2000. 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 1-912-822-2242.also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-dash-2-dot (1-888-327-4236).
Campaign:
01V191000 on 06/13/2001
Component:
Electrical system:wiring
Manufactured:
05/31/1995 - 05/30/2001
Affected:
5,631
Defect:
Vehicle description: school and transit buses equipped with rear mounted engines. the 12-volt power supply cable(s) may be chaffed by hoses, harnesses, frame components, or clamps.
Consequence:
This condition can result in power failure and/or risk of fire in the engine compartment.
Correction:
Dealers will remove and inspect the 12-volt power cable(s) from the battery to the starter and, if necessary, will replace the cables. owner notification began july 30, 2001. 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 1-912-822-2242.
Notes:
Blue bird recall no. r01ff.also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-dash-2-dot (1-888-327-4236).
Campaign:
02V185000 on 07/22/2002
Component:
Equipment:other:labels
Manufactured:
11/29/1995 - 04/22/2002
Affected:
408
Defect:
Certain transit buses fail to comply with requirements of federal motor vehicle standard no. 101, "controls and displays." this standard requires specific labeling for "engine start" and "engine stop." the wording of the labels on these vehicles do not meet the requirements of the standard.
Consequence:
The operator could place the engine switch in a position other than that intended, increasing the risk of a crash.
Correction:
Owners will be provided with new decals and installation instructions. owner notification began august 29, 2002. owners who do not receive the free label and installation instructions within a reasonable time should contact blue bird at 1-478-822-2242.
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:
03V363000 on 10/22/2003
Component:
Structure:body
Manufactured:
08/30/1990 - 07/11/1999
Affected:
8,088
Defect:
Certain school buses fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 221, "school bus body joint strength." one or more of the bolts attaching the driver's platform to the floor structure was omitted.
Consequence:
The rear of the driver's platform may not be properly retained in the event of a crash which could increase the risk of injury or death to passengers.
Correction:
Blue bird will notify its customers and inspect and repair the affected units. owner notification began on november 20, 2003. 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).

1996 BLUE BIRD TC2000 TSBs (3)

Bulletin:
S98BT98
Component:
061000 engine and engine cooling:engine
Summary:
Vehicle experiencing turbo pipe breaking at top flange. *yc
Bulletin:
S01EP
Component:
115000 electrical system:fuses and circuit breakers
Summary:
Subject buses may have had concerns regarding fuses blowing frequently in the front heater circuit. *tt
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.

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