Owners filed 16 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the electrical system › ignition. It has been recalled 9 times.
What fails
Component
Reports
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Fuel System, Gasoline › Storage › Tank Assembly › Filler Pipe and Cap
3
0
0
0
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline
3
0
0
0
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline › Turbo/Supercharger
2
0
0
0
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
2
0
0
0
Vehicle Speed Control › Cruise Control
1
0
0
0
Vehicle Speed Control
1
0
0
0
Steering › Hydraulic Power Assist System
1
0
0
0
Engine and Engine Cooling › Exhaust System › Emission Control
1
0
0
0
Electrical System › Starter Assembly
1
0
0
0
Electrical System › Ignition
1
0
0
0
9 safety recalls
Part 573 reports
Fuel System, Other › Storage › Tank Assembly › Pressure Relief Devices00V321000
Filed Oct 12, 2000134 vehiclesBlue Bird Body Company
Defect. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SCHOOL AND TRANSIT BUSES EQUIPPED WITH COMPRESSED NATURAL GAS ENGINES (CNG). THE ORIGINAL PRESSURE RELIEF DEVICES MAY VENT UNEXPECTEDLY.
Risk. COMPRESSED NATURAL GAS LEAKAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE COULD RESULT IN A FIRE OR EXPLOSION.
Remedy. DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE PRESSURE RELIEF DEVICES.
Vehicle Speed Control98V153000
Filed Jul 2, 19981,896 vehiclesBlue Bird Body Company
Defect. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: TRANSIT AND SCHOOL BUSES. MOVEMENT OF THE HAND THROTTLE CABLE IN THE ACCELERATOR BRACKET RUBS A GROOVE IN THE BRACKET. THE HAND THROTTLE CABLE CAN BECOME WEDGED IN THIS GROOVE PREVENTING THE ACCELERATOR FROM RETURNING TO THE IDLE POSITION.
Risk. THE THROTTLE CABLE WOULD NOT RETURN TO THE IDLE POSITION, INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy. OWNERS WILL BE CONTACTED AND ADVISED TO DISCONNECT THE HAND THROTTLE CABLE UNTIL REPLACEMENT PARTS ARE AVAILABLE.
Fuel System, Gasoline › Storage › Tank Assembly96V112000
Filed Jul 1, 199611,222 vehiclesBlue Bird Body Company
Defect. THESE BUSES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH FMVSS NO. 301, "FUEL SYSTEM INTEGRITY."
Risk. IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, FUEL SPILLAGE CAN OCCUR INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE FIRE.
Remedy. BLUE BIRD IS DISTRIBUTING MODIFICATION KITS WHICH INCLUDES NEW FASTENERS FOR OWNER OR DEALER INSTALLATION.
Structure › Body96V073000
Filed May 3, 199618,000 vehiclesBlue Bird Body Company
Defect. PASSENGER'S CLOTHING CAN UNKNOWINGLY BECOME CAUGHT IN THE FORWARD HANDRAILS AT BUS DOORS WHEN EXITING THE BUS.
Risk. 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.
Remedy. 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.
Structure › Body95V090000
Filed May 9, 199527,189 vehiclesBlue Bird Body Company
Defect. PASSENGERS CLOTHING CAN UNKNOWINGLY BECOME CAUGHT IN THE HANDRAILS AT BUS DOORS WHEN EXITING THE BUS.
Risk. 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 INSERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH.
Remedy. DEALERS WILL INSTALL A SET SCREW TO THE METAL CLAMP WHICH RETAINS THE INTERMEDIATE HANDRAIL. A HIGH IMPACT MOLDED PLASTIC "CLAM SHELL" WILL BE PLACED OVER EACH END OF THE INTERMEDIATE HANDRAIL COMPLETELY COVERING THE CLAMP AND ELIMINATING ALL CATCH-POINTS. THE FLANGE OF THE EXISTING FLOOR LINE BRACKET WILL BE CRIMPED SECURING THE VERTICAL SECTION OF THE PRIMARY TUBLAR HANDRAIL AT THE FLOOR LINE.
Air Bags › Knee Bolster95V051000
Filed Mar 14, 19952,309 vehiclesBlue Bird Body Company
Defect. THE AISLE SIDE STYROFOAM KNEE PADS ON THE SUBJECT BARRIERS ARE 11" WIDE AND NOT 14.5" AS REQUIRED BY FMVSS NO. 222, "SCHOOL BUS PASSENGER SEATING AND CRASH PROTECTION."
Risk. CONSEQUENCE OF NON-COMPLIANCE: THIS CONDITION COULD INCREASE THE POTENTIAL FOR INJURY IN A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.
Remedy. DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE INCORRECT PAD WITH THE CORRECT 14.5" KNEE PAD.
Structure › Body93V032000
Filed Mar 1, 199321,000 vehiclesBlue Bird Body Company
Defect. PASSENGERS CLOTHING CAN UNKNOWINGLY BECOME CAUGHT IN THE HANDRAILS AT BUS DOORS WHEN EXITING THE BUS.
Risk. WHEN A PASSENGER'S CLOTHING BECOMES CAUGHT IN THEHANDRAIL, AND THE BUS DRIVER CLOSES THE DOOR AND PUTS THE VEHICLE IN MOTION, THEINDIVIDUAL IS SUBJECT TO BEING DRAGGED BY THE BUS. THIS CAN RESULT IN SERIOUSINJURY OR DEATH.
Remedy. REPLACE OR REPOSITION THE HANDRAILS TO STOP CLOTHING FROM BECOMING CAUGHT.
Latches/Locks/Linkages › Doors › Latch92V184000
Filed Dec 24, 1992912 vehiclesBlue Bird Body Company
Defect. THE ELECTRIC VANDAL LOCK CENTER PLUNGER CAN TAP THE CONTROL LOCK PIN, OF THE OUTWARD OPENING DOOR, WHICH CAUSES THE DOOR LOCK TO BECOME DISENGAGED.
Risk. THE DISENGAGED DOOR LOCK ALLOWS THE DOOR TO OPEN WITHOUTPRIOR WARNING AND ENDANGER OCCUPANTS NEAR THE DOOR IF THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION.
Remedy. MODIFY THE VANDAL DOOR LOCKS WITH BLUE BIRD SUPPLIED KITS.
Electrical System › Wiring › Fuses and Circuit Breakers92V115000
Filed Aug 12, 1992275 vehiclesBlue Bird Body Company
Defect. A 150 AMP CIRCUIT BREAKER, OPTION 4362, HAS BEEN WIRED IN PARALLEL WITH A STANDARD EQUIPMENT CIRCUIT, THEREBY NOT PROVIDING THE REQUIRED PROTECTION.
Risk. IN THE EVENT OF A MAJOR SHORT-CIRCUIT, INADEQUATE CIRCUITPROTECTION COULD RESULT IN A FIRE IN THE REAR ENGINE COMPARTMENT.
Remedy. THE STANDARD EQUIPMENT CIRCUIT MUST BE REMOVED.
What owners reported
Newest filings
Steering › Hydraulic Power Assist System
Filed Jul 1, 1997CA
POWER STEERING LEAK.
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
Filed Jul 1, 1997CA
OIL LEAK.
Electrical System › Ignition
Filed Jul 1, 1997CA
SPARK PLUG BOOTS FAILED.
Vehicle Speed Control
Filed Jul 1, 1997CA
FUEL SOLENOID FAILED.
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline › Turbo/Supercharger
Filed Jul 1, 1997CA
TURBO FUEL LINES/FLANGE FAILED.
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline › Turbo/Supercharger
Filed Jul 1, 1997CA
TURBO FAN FAILED.
Electrical System › Starter Assembly
Filed Jul 1, 1997CA
STARTER FAILED.
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
Filed Jul 1, 1997CA
OIL LINES FAILED.
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline
Filed Jul 1, 1997CA
ENGINE FAILED.
Fuel System, Gasoline › Storage › Tank Assembly › Filler Pipe and Cap
Filed Jun 27, 1997CA
FUEL LEAK AT FILLER.
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline
Filed Jun 27, 1997CA
ENGINE LOST POWER/BACKFIRES.
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline
Filed Jun 27, 1997CA
ENGINE IS LEAKING/MISSING.
Fuel System, Gasoline › Storage › Tank Assembly › Filler Pipe and Cap
Filed Jun 27, 1997CA
FUEL LEAK AT FILLER.
Fuel System, Gasoline › Storage › Tank Assembly › Filler Pipe and Cap
Filed Jun 27, 1997CA
FUEL LEAK AT FILLER.
Engine and Engine Cooling › Exhaust System › Emission Control
No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.
Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.
Most recent recall on file: Oct 12, 2000. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.