THIS CONDITION CAN RESULT IN POWER FAILURE AND/OR RISK OF FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT.
Remedy & full details
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.
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.
Critical97V197000
Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly
IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, THE FUEL TANK COULD BE DAMAGED, LEAKING FUEL, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE FIRE.
Remedy & full details
BLUE BIRD WILL SHIP INSTRUCTIONS AND MODIFICATION KITS TO THE OWNERS OF THESE BUSES.
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."
Critical98V110000
Fuel System, Other:Delivery:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings
THESE HOSES CAN FRACTURE ALLOWING CNG FUEL LEAKAGE raises the risk of A FIRE.
Remedy & full details
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THESE HOSES WITH CONDUCTIVE THERMOPLASTIC HOSES.
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.
Serious02V185000
Equipment:Other:Labels
THE OPERATOR COULD PLACE THE ENGINE SWITCH IN A POSITION OTHER THAN THAT INTENDED, raises the risk of A CRASH.
Remedy & full details
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.
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.
Serious00V219000
Structure:Body
IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, THE ROOF MAY NOT BE SUPPORTED SUFFICIENTLY, CAUSING PERSONAL INJURY TO BUS OCCUPANTS.
Remedy & full details
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.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SCHOOL BUSES. THESE BUSES FAIL TO MEET THE 60 PERCENT JOINT STRENGTH REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 221, "SCHOOL BUS BODY JOINT STRENGTH."
Serious03V363000
Structure:Body
THE REAR OF THE DRIVER'S PLATFORM MAY NOT BE PROPERLY RETAINED IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH WHICH COULD raises the risk of INJURY OR DEATH TO PASSENGERS.
Remedy & full details
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.
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.
Serious96V178010
Seats
IF THESE WELDS WERE NOT TO SPECIFICATION, BACK REST LOADS COULD CAUSE THE WELDS TO FAIL.
Remedy & full details
ISRINGHAUSEN IS CONDUCTING THE OWNER NOTIFICATION AND REMEDY CAMPAIGN FOR THIS RECALL. DEALERS WILL INSPECT THESE SEATS AND REPLACE THE SEAT FRAME ASSEMBLY.
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.
Serious99V018000
Seats
IN THE EVENT OF A FRONTAL CRASH, THE REAR ATTACHING BOLT OF THESE SEATS COULD PULL OUT OF THE SEAT LEDGE raises the risk of INJURY TO THE SEAT OCCUPANT.
Remedy & full details
BLUE BIRD WILL FURNISH TO DISTRIBUTORS AND OWNERS, PARTS AND INSTRUCTIONS NECESSARY TO STRENGTHEN THE PASSENGER SEAT ATTACHMENT AT THE WALL SIDE.
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.
Serious96V073000
Structure:Body
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.
Remedy & full details
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.
PASSENGER'S CLOTHING CAN UNKNOWINGLY BECOME CAUGHT IN THE FORWARD HANDRAILS AT BUS DOORS WHEN EXITING THE BUS.
Serious95V150000
Structure:Body
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.
Remedy & full details
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FLAT SPLIT FLOOR LINE BRACKET WITH A ROUND TUBULAR BRACKET.
THE FLOOR LINE HANDRAIL BRACKET CAN EXPAND DURING USE AND CREATE AN OPENING WHICH COULD ENTRAP COAT STRINGS, ETC. AND OTHER ARTICLES OF CLOTHING.
Serious96V126001
Seats
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.
Remedy & full details
DEALERS WILL REPAIR THESE PEDESTALS WITH A NEWLY DESIGNED PEDESTAL BRACKET KIT.
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.
Moderate95V136000
Structure:Frame And Members
THESE PLATES CAN DROP TO THE ROADWAY BECOMING A HAZARD TO FOLLOWING VEHICLES INCREASING THE POTENTIAL FOR AN ACCIDENT.
Remedy & full details
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.
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.
Moderate96V198000
Power Train
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.
Remedy & full details
NORTHRUP-GRUMMAN WILL PERFORM THE MODIFICATION TO THESE POWERTRAIN DRIVE MOTORS.
OVERSIZED ROTORS WERE INSTALLED IN THE POWERTRAIN DRIVE MOTORS IN THESE BUSES.
Moderate96V180000
Steering:Hydraulic Power Assist:Hose, Piping, And Connections
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.
Remedy & full details
OWNERS ARE REQUESTED TO INSPECT THE POWER STEERING HOSE FOR THE SUSPECT HOSES (IDENTIFIABLE BY DATE CODE) AND REPLACE HOSES AS NECESSARY.
THE POWER STEERING HOSE WITH A CRIMPED END FITTING WAS IMPROPERLY MANUFACTURED.
Complaint volume
Volume alone is not a fault rate — popular vehicles attract more reports. Read it next to the severity mix below.
Complaints filed
3
Reporting a crash
0
Reporting a fire
0
Injuries reported
0
Deaths reported
0
Severity Index
0.00
Severity Index weights each complaint's reported outcome (death ×10, injury ×4, fire ×3, crash ×2) and divides by total complaints. It measures how severe reports are, not how often faults occur.
What owners report most
Visibility:Windshield Wiper/Washer — 1 reports
Electrical System:Wiring — 1 reports
Visibility:Rearview Mirrors/Devices — 1 reports
What to do
Find your 17-character VIN on the driver's door jamb or the base of the windscreen.
Check it against NHTSA's official lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls — the authoritative record for your exact car.
Book the repair with any franchised dealer. Safety recall work is free, with no time limit and regardless of who owns the car now.
Does an open recall mean the car is unsafe to drive?
Not usually. NHTSA issues a "do not drive" or "park outside" advisory when a defect is dangerous enough to keep you out of the car — those are flagged Critical above. Everything else should be repaired promptly but is not an immediate stop-driving order.
Do I pay for recall repairs?
No. Federal law requires the manufacturer to fix a safety recall free of charge, including parts and labour, whether or not you are the original owner.
Why are there complaints but no recalls?
Complaints are unverified reports filed by owners. They can prompt an investigation, but many never become recalls — either the fault isn't safety-related or it isn't widespread.
From the same data desk
Independent sites, same maintainer, same open-data standards.