BLUE BIRD CONVENTIONAL

EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY

Blue Bird Body Company (Blue Bird) is recalling certain model year 2007-2015 All American, Vision, 2007-2011 Micro Bird, and 2007-2008 Conventional school buses, equipped with certain model S2005, S2010, S5005, S5010, S5505, and S5510 wheelchair lifts manufactured January 1, 2006, to August 25, 2014 by the Ricon Corporation. The affected 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 bearings move out of position, the stowed platform may have excessive movement resulting in failure of the platform mounting. This failure could cause the wheel chair lift platform to fall out of the vehicle when the doors are opened, increasing the risk of injury for the lift operator.

EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY

Blue Bird Body Company (Blue Bird) is recalling certain model year 2007-2015 All American and Vision, 2007-2011 Micro Bird, and 2007-2008 Conventional school buses equipped with certain model S2005, S2010, S5005, S5010, S5505, and S5510 wheelchair lifts manufactured by Ricon Corporation. The platform side plate of the affected wheelchair lifts may crack.

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

SUSPENSION:FRONT

Blue Bird Corporation (Blue Bird) is recalling certain model year 2014 All American and Conventional Vision non-school buses manufactured July 2, 2013, through October 3, 2013 and equipped with front suspension bolts marked with a "ZY" code on the bolt head. Due to a problem in the bolt manufacturing process, the bolts that hold the front suspension may break.

Risk: A broken suspension bolt would require greater steering input to control the bus, thereby increasing the risk of a crash.

SUSPENSION:FRONT

Blue Bird Corporation (Blue Bird) is recalling certain model year 2014 All American and Conventional school buses manufactured July 2, 2013, through October 3, 2013 and equipped with front suspension bolts marked with a "ZY" code on the bolt head. Due to a problem in the bolt manufacturing process, the bolts that hold the front suspension may break.

Risk: A broken suspension bolt would require greater steering input to control the bus, thereby increasing the risk of a crash.

SEATS:BARRIERS

BLUE BIRD IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2006 THROUGH 2012 ALL AMERICAN, 2006 THROUGH 2011 VISION, AND 2006 CONVENTIONAL SCHOOL BUSES MANUFACTURED BETWEEN SEPTEMBER 19, 2005, AND MAY 3, 2011, EQUIPPED WITH 2-PASSENGER SEATS INSTALLED FORWARD OF THE 39" BARRIER. IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE BARRIER MAY MAKE CONTACT WITH THE 2-PASSENGER SEAT INSTALLED FORWARD OF THE BARRIER. ACCORDINGLY, THESE BUSES FAIL TO CONFORM WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 222, "SCHOOL BUS PASSENGER SEATING AND CRASH PROTECTION."

Risk: THE SEAT OCCUPANTS MAY BE SERIOUSLY INJURED IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH.

EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY

BLUE BIRD HAS NOTIFIED NHTSA ABOUT A DEFECT IN CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2010 ALL AMERICAN, CONVENTIONAL, AND MICRO BIRD SCHOOL BUSES MANUFACTURED FROM APRIL 24 THROUGH NOVEMBER 14, 2009 EQUIPPED WITH CERTAIN RICON S SERIES AND K SERIES L-MODEL WHEELCHAIR LIFTS. THERE IS A PROBLEM IN THE SOFTWARE THAT CONTROLS THE LIFT'S "UP" FUNCTION. IF THE "UP" SWITCH IS RELEASED BEFORE THE FLOOR LEVEL LIMIT SWITCH IS ACTIVATED, THE LIFT MAY CONTINUE ITS UPWARD TRAVEL FOR APPROXIMATELY 1 SECOND BEFORE STOPPING. THE CONTINUED UPWARD TRAVEL MAY OVERRUN THE FLOOR LEVEL CUT OFF POINT.

Risk: WHEN THE PLATFORM OVERRUNS THE VEHICLE FLOOR LEVEL AND STOPS AT AN ANGLE FROM 15-20 DEGREES, IT IS POSSIBLE FOR A PERSON IN A WHEELCHAIR TO TIP OVER AND FOR SOMEONE STANDING ON THE PLATFORM TO FALL, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN INJURIES.

EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY

BLUE BIRD HAS NOTIFIED NHTSA ABOUT A DEFECT IN CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2008 THROUGH 2011 ALL AMERICAN, CONVENTIONAL, AND MICRO BIRD SCHOOL BUSES MANUFACTURED FROM DECEMBER 13, 2007 THROUGH JANUARY 18, 2010 EQUIPPED WITH RICON MODEL S OR K SERIES PUBLIC USE WHEELCHAIR LIFTS. THE RESTRAINT BELT ON THESE LIFTS WAS DESIGNED TO PREVENT THE LIFT FROM MOVING, UNLESS THE TONGUE OF THE BELT IS FULLY ENGAGED AND LATCHED IN THE BUCKLE. RICON HAS DISCOVERED, HOWEVER, THAT IT IS POSSIBLE FOR THE OPERATOR TO INSERT THE BELT TONGUE INTO THE BUCKLE WITHOUT FULLY ENGAGING THE LATCHING MECHANISM. IN THIS CASE, THE RESTRAINT BELT WOULD APPEAR TO BE LATCHED, AND THE OPERATOR COULD RUN THE LIFT. IF THE RESTRAINT BELT TONGUE IS NOT FULLY ENGAGED INTO THE RESTRAINT BELT BUCKLE, AND LATCHED, THE LIFT MAY OPERATE WITH AN OCCUPANT ON THE PLATFORM.

Risk: THE USER OF THE LIFT COULD BE INJURED SHOULD THE LIFT MOVE WITHOUT THE RESTRAINT BELT PROPERLY BUCKLED.