Blue Bird Body Company: Steering › Linkages › Tie Rod Assembly
Blue Bird Body Company reported this defect to federal regulators on Feb 23, 2001 and put the number of vehicles at risk at 842. The repair is free for as long as the recall stands.
The defect
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SCHOOL AND TRANSIT BUSES AND MOTOR HOME CHASSIS EQUIPPED WITH TIE ROD ASSEMBLIES MANUFACTURED BY TRW. THE SUSPECT TIE RODS CONTAIN 24-DL MODEL BALL SOCKETS. CERTAIN OF THE TIE ROD BALL-SOCKET BEARINGS HAVE A BELOW-SPECIFICATION CASE DEPTH AND/OR HARDNESS, WHICH CAN LEAD TO PREMATURE WEAR OF THE SOCKET.
The risk
IF THIS CONDITION OCCURS, THE DRIVER CAN LOSE PARTIAL CONTROL OF THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A CRASH.
The remedy
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE BALL SOCKETS AND/OR DRAG LINKS. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MARCH 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 OR TRW CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-866-280-3287.
5 model years covered
Newest first| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Fires | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 Blue Bird All American | 0 | 16 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999 Blue Bird Commercial Series | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999 Blue Bird LTC 40 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999 Blue Bird TC2000 | 5 | 15 | 1 | 0 |
| 1999 Blue Bird Wanderlodge | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
What this page is, and what to do next
A recall is not an opinion. It is a Part 573 report a manufacturer is required by federal law to file once it decides a defect poses an unreasonable risk to safety, and it commits them to repairing the vehicle at no cost to the owner. The three passages above are the manufacturer’s own wording as published by NHTSA.
This page describes the campaign. It cannot tell you whether one particular car has already been through the shop — that is tracked by VIN, and only the manufacturer knows it. Check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with a franchised dealer, quoting campaign number 01V044003.
Full record for the 1999 Blue Bird All American → · Recalls carrying a do-not-drive advisory → · Where this data comes from →