Blue Bird Body Company: Electrical System
Blue Bird Body Company reported this defect to federal regulators on Oct 17, 2013 and put the number of vehicles at risk at 393. The repair is free for as long as the recall stands.
The defect
Blue Bird Body Company (Blue Bird) is recalling certain model year 2004 Ultra LMB, 2003-2006 Ultra LF and 2004-2007 Express commercial buses equipped with Sure Power-brand battery equalizers containing a particular epoxy sealing, aka 'potting', compound. The specific potting compound used in the subject products for insulation was found to be capable of conducting electricity after being exposed to heat.
The risk
Once electrically conductive, the material is capable of melting and burning, increasing the risk of a fire.
The remedy
Blue Bird will notify owners, and dealers will replace the equalizers, free of charge. The recall began on December 17, 2013. Owners may contact Blue Bird at 1-478-825-2021. Blue Bird's recall number is R13WN.
13 model years covered
Newest first| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Fires | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 Blue Bird Express 4000 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2007 Blue Bird Express 4500 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2006 Blue Bird Express 4000 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2006 Blue Bird Express 4500 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 2006 Blue Bird Ultra LF | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 2005 Blue Bird Express 4000 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2005 Blue Bird Express 4500 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2005 Blue Bird Ultra LF | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| 2004 Blue Bird Express 4000 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 2004 Blue Bird Express 4500 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 2004 Blue Bird Ultra LF | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| 2004 Blue Bird Ultra LMB | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2003 Blue Bird Ultra LF | 0 | 5 | 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 13V480000.
Full record for the 2007 Blue Bird Express 4000 → · Recalls carrying a do-not-drive advisory → · Where this data comes from →