Girardin Minibus Inc.: Seat Belts
Girardin Minibus Inc. reported this defect to federal regulators on Oct 3, 2003 and put the number of vehicles at risk at 46. The repair is free for as long as the recall stands.
The defect
MY 2003 MBII & MBIV SCHOOL BUSES BUILT ON FORD E-350 & E-450, GM 3500 CHASSIS, AND MANUFACTURED BETWEEN AUGUST 25 AND SEPTEMBER 17, 2003. THESE BUSES ARE EQUIPPED WITH BEAM'S INDUSTRIES SEAT BELTS. THE METAL FRAME OF THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE MAY FRACTURE DUE TO POSSIBLE EMBRITTLEMENT OF THE STEEL, RESULTING IN A POTENTIAL RELEASE OF THE ENGAGED TONGUE DURING USE. THESE SEAT BELT ASSEMBLIES DO NOT COMPLY WITH FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 209, "SEAT BELT ASSEMBLIES."
The risk
IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, THE BUCKLE MAY UNLATCH, AND POSSIBLE INJURY OR DEATH COULD OCCUR TO THE SEAT OCCUPANT.
The remedy
BEAM'S INDUSTRIES WILL NOTIFY THE CUSTOMERS OF GIRARDIN DIRECTLY AND WILL PROVIDE THEM WITH THE REMEDY AND INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS FREE OF CHARGE. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT BEAM'S AT 1-888-343-9266 OR GIRARDIN AT 1-819-477-8222.
2 model years covered
Newest first| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Fires | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 Girardin MB II | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 2003 Girardin MB IV | 0 | 7 | 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 03V365000.
Full record for the 2003 Girardin MB II → · Recalls carrying a do-not-drive advisory → · Where this data comes from →