Blue Bird Body Company: Engine and Engine Cooling
Blue Bird Body Company reported this defect to federal regulators on Aug 20, 2010 and put the number of vehicles at risk at 3,992. The repair is free for as long as the recall stands.
The defect
BLUE BIRD IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2007 THROUGH 2010 ALL AMERICAN SCHOOL BUSES MANUFACTURED FROM MAY 29, 2006 THROUGH AUGUST 7, 2010 EQUIPPED WITH CUMMINS ISB-02, ISB-07, AND ISB-10 ENGINES. AN INCORRECT COMBINATION OF FLAT WASHER AND SERRATED NUT WAS INSTALLED ON THE BOLT THAT SECURES THE STARTER CABLE RETAINING CLAMP TO ITS ATTACHING BRACKET AT THE FRONT OF THE ENGINE ABOVE THE ENGINE COOLING FAN. THE FLAT WASHER PREVENTS THE SERRATED NUT FROM LOCKING AGAINST THE ATTACHING BRACKET. OVER TIME, THE SERRATED NUT MAY BACK OFF ALLOWING THE STARTER CABLE TO FALL AND CONTACT THE FAN HUB WHILE IN OPERATION.
The risk
IF THE STARTER CABLE CONTACTS THE FAN HUB WHILE THE FAN HUB IS IN OPERATION, THE CABLE COVERING MAY ABRADE WHICH COULD RESULT IN A DIRECT SHORT. A SHORT COULD POTENTIALLY RESULT IN A VEHICLE FIRE.
The remedy
BLUE BIRD WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPAIR THE BUSES FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 24, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BLUE BIRD AT 1-478-822-2242.
5 model years covered
Newest first| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Fires | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 Blue Bird All American | 0 | 35 | 0 | 0 |
| 2010 Blue Bird All American | 0 | 42 | 0 | 0 |
| 2009 Blue Bird All American | 3 | 33 | 0 | 0 |
| 2008 Blue Bird All American | 4 | 32 | 0 | 0 |
| 2007 Blue Bird All American | 4 | 21 | 1 | 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 10V379000.
Full record for the 2011 Blue Bird All American → · Recalls carrying a do-not-drive advisory → · Where this data comes from →