2016 BLUE BIRD ALL AMERICAN

STRUCTURE

Blue Bird Body Company (Blue Bird) is recalling certain 2014-2024 All American school buses equipped with 39" High Back seat restraining barriers. The bolts securing the restraining barriers to the floor may separate when fully loaded. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 222, "School Bus Passenger Seating and Crash Protection."

Risk: An unsecured seat restraining barrier may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing their risk of injury.

SEATS:BARRIERS

Blue Bird Body Company (Blue Bird) is recalling certain 2008-2021 Vision and All American school buses. The seat barrier behind the driver seat with an integrated 3-point seat belt may have been installed incorrectly and may be missing the reinforcing bracket. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 222, "School Bus Passenger Seating and Crash Protection."

Risk: In the event of a crash, the seat barrier may not adequately protect the occupant seated behind the seat barrier separating them from the driver seat with integrated 3-point seat belt, increasing the risk of injury.

SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:DISC

Blue Bird Body Company (Blue Bird) is recalling certain 2015-2020 Vision and All American school buses equipped with Bendix ADB22X air brakes. The driver side rear brakes may drag.

Risk: A dragging brake may cause damage to the brake components, which may activate the ABS warning light. The warning light may cause the driver to immediately stop the vehicle and transfer occupants. Additionally, the high temperatures at the wheel end can increase the risk of a fire. Either condition increases the risk of injury.

EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY

Blue Bird Body Company (Blue Bird) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Vision and All American school buses equipped with Ricon S-Series Titanium Wheelchair lifts. The wheelchair lift positioning input cam may fail while the lift is in use, allowing the platform to travel higher than the vehicle's floor height. As such, this vehicle fails to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 403, "Platform Lift Systems."

Risk: If the wheelchair lift platform raises above the height of the vehicle floor, the wheelchair user could fall inwards toward the vehicle, increasing their risk of injury.

SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:DISC:CALIPER

Blue Bird Body Company (Blue Bird) is recalling certain 2016-2020 Vision and 2015-2020 All American non-school buses equipped with ADB22X disc brakes. The driver side rear brakes may drag.

Risk: A dragging brake may cause damage to the brake components, which may activate the ABS warning light. The warning light may cause the driver to immediately stop the vehicle and transfer occupants. Additionally, the high temperatures at the wheel end can increasing the risk of a fire. Either condition increases the risk of injury.

EQUIPMENT

Blue Bird Body Company (Blue Bird) is recalling certain 2007-2019 Blue Bird All American ambulance buses. The clamps that secure the stacked stretchers may fail from repeated use or from high loads.

Risk: If the clamps fail with patients in the stretchers, it can increase the risk of injury.

SEATS

Blue Bird Body Company (Blue Bird) is recalling certain model year 2015-2019 Vision and model year 2016 All American school buses equipped with certain QS11 series convertible school bus seats supplied by CE White/HSM Solutions. The integral D-Ring mounting stud located in the upper area of the seat back frame does not provide an adequate padding surface between the seat occupant and the D-Ring mounting stud.

Risk: In a rear crash event, the occupant's head may contact the D-Ring mounting stud, resulting in a head injury or even death.

SEAT BELTS

Blue Bird Body Company (Blue Bird) is recalling certain 2016 Vision and All American school buses, equipped with certain QS11, QSCR11, QSJ11, and Davenport school bus seats that include three-point lap/shoulder seat belts. These seats may have a loose or missing D-ring mounting nut, allowing the shoulder belt D-ring to detach in a crash.

Risk: A loose or missing shoulder belt D-ring may prevent the seat belt from adequately restraining the seat occupant in the event of a crash, increasing their risk of injury.

SEATS

Blue Bird Body Company (Blue Bird) is recalling certain model year 2011-2017 All American school buses manufactured from August 20, 2010, through December 16, 2015. Buses with rear side emergency doors have seats over the wheelhouse area whose rear legs may detach from the floor in a crash, resulting in belted occupants traveling forward. As such, these vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 210, "Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages."

Risk: If the seat does not allow the occupant to be properly restrained in the event of a crash, they would be at an increased risk of injury.

OTHER:SCHOOL BUS STOP ARM ASSEMBLY

Blue Bird Body Company (Blue Bird) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 All American school buses manufactured May 18, 2015, to November 9, 2015, and Vision school buses manufactured May 8, 2015, to October 27, 2015, equipped with certain Transpec T6000, T6100, and T7000 series school bus stop arms. The affected stop arms have a reflective decal that may peel loose from the stop arm. As such, these stop arms fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 131, "School Bus Pedestrian Safety Devices."

Risk: Without a reflective decal, the stop arms would have reduced visibility to other drivers, increasing the risk of a crash.

EQUIPMENT

Blue Bird Body Company (Blue Bird) is recalling certain model year 2015-2017 All American transit buses manufactured from November 13, 2014, through May 4, 2016, and 2016-2017 Vision transit buses manufactured from May 30, 2015, through February 2, 2016, equipped with Ricon S-Series (S2005 and S5510) wheelchair lifts. In the affected vehicles the platform side plate on the wheelchair lifts may crack. Additionally, the lifts are equipped with folding link arms that may have pivot holes that are too big, allowing the bearings to move out of position.

Risk: If the platform side plates crack or the platform mounting fails from out-of-position bearings, the lift platform can separate from the lift and come to rest against the vehicle's lift door. When the vehicle's doors are opened, the platform may fall onto the lift operator, increasing their risk of injury.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM

Blue Bird Body Company (Blue Bird) is recalling certain model year 2011-2016 All American rear engine school buses manufactured June 5, 2010, to January 13, 2015. In the affected school buses, the exhaust system hangers may fail, possibly causing damage to the Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) and the Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) housings.

Risk: If all the exhaust hangers were to fail, the housings may fall onto the roadway, creating a road hazard and increasing the risk of a crash.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

Blue Bird Body Company (Blue Bird) is recalling certain model year 2009-2016 All American rear engine non school buses manufactured December 7, 2008, to May 11, 2015, and equipped with certain Cummins Westport ISL G engines. Excessive engine crankcase pressures may cause the 90-degree elbow of the vent tube assembly to detach from the crankcase ventilation breather, possibly allowing engine oil to come into contact with hot surfaces.

Risk: If engine oil comes into contact with a hot surface, there is an increased risk of a fire.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

Blue Bird Body Company (Blue Bird) is recalling certain model year 2009-2016 All American rear engine school buses manufactured December 7, 2008, to May 11, 2015, and equipped with certain Cummins Westport ISL G engines. Excessive engine crankcase pressures may cause the 90-degree elbow of the vent tube assembly to detach from the crankcase ventilation breather, possibly allowing engine oil to come into contact with hot surfaces.

Risk: If engine oil comes into contact with a hot surface, there is an increased risk of a fire.

SEATS

Blue Bird Body Company (Blue Bird) is recalling certain model year 2016 Vision and All American rear engine school buses manufactured February 11, 2015, to April 2, 2015. The affected vehicles have seat bottoms whose foam core may not meet the flammability requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 302, "Flammability of Interior Materials."

Risk: If the seats are built with this seat bottom foam core, the seats may not resist catching fire in the presence of an ignition source, increasing the risk that a fire may start or spread.

STEERING

Blue Bird Body Company (Blue Bird) is recalling certain 2016 All American school buses manufactured from September 11, 2014, through January 8, 2015. In the affected vehicles, a clamp on the steering shaft may come in contact with the rubber boot at the floor.

Risk: If the steering shaft clamp comes into contact with the rubber boot, additional effort would be needed to steer the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

STEERING

Blue Bird Body Company (Blue Bird) is recalling certain 2016 All American transit buses manufactured from September 15, 2014, through January 12, 2015. In the affected vehicles, a clamp on the steering shaft may come in contact with the rubber boot at the floor.

Risk: If the steering shaft clamp comes into contact with the rubber boot, additional effort would be needed to steer the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM

Blue Bird Body Company (Blue Bird) is recalling certain model year 2011-2016 All American rear engine transit buses manufactured June 5, 2010, to January 13, 2015. In the affected transit buses, the exhaust system hangers may fail, possibly causing damage to the Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) and the Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) housings.

Risk: If all the exhaust hangers were to fail, the housings may fall onto the roadway, creating a road hazard and increasing the risk of a crash.

SEAT BELTS

Blue Bird Body Company (Blue Bird) is recalling certain model year 2013-2016 All American A3FE, A3RE, T3FE, T3RE, and D3RE school buses manufactured June 28, 2012, to September 25, 2014, and 2013-2016 Vision BBCV school buses manufactured June 9, 2012, to September 30, 2014. Incorrect fasteners may have been used to secure the seat gusset reinforcement to the side wall resulting in the seat belts being improperly anchored. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 210, "Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages."

Risk: If the seat belts are improperly anchored, there is an increased risk of occupant injury in the event of a crash.