NHTSA Campaign 10V133000

EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY

Issued by BLUE BIRD BODY COMPANY · Reported Apr 5, 2010 · 1,622 vehicles affected

What's wrong

BLUE BIRD HAS NOTIFIED NHTSA ABOUT A DEFECT IN CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2008 THROUGH 2011 ALL AMERICAN, CONVENTIONAL, AND MICRO BIRD SCHOOL BUSES MANUFACTURED FROM DECEMBER 13, 2007 THROUGH JANUARY 18, 2010 EQUIPPED WITH RICON MODEL S OR K SERIES PUBLIC USE WHEELCHAIR LIFTS. THE RESTRAINT BELT ON THESE LIFTS WAS DESIGNED TO PREVENT THE LIFT FROM MOVING, UNLESS THE TONGUE OF THE BELT IS FULLY ENGAGED AND LATCHED IN THE BUCKLE. RICON HAS DISCOVERED, HOWEVER, THAT IT IS POSSIBLE FOR THE OPERATOR TO INSERT THE BELT TONGUE INTO THE BUCKLE WITHOUT FULLY ENGAGING THE LATCHING MECHANISM. IN THIS CASE, THE RESTRAINT BELT WOULD APPEAR TO BE LATCHED, AND THE OPERATOR COULD RUN THE LIFT. IF THE RESTRAINT BELT TONGUE IS NOT FULLY ENGAGED INTO THE RESTRAINT BELT BUCKLE, AND LATCHED, THE LIFT MAY OPERATE WITH AN OCCUPANT ON THE PLATFORM.

Consequence

THE USER OF THE LIFT COULD BE INJURED SHOULD THE LIFT MOVE WITHOUT THE RESTRAINT BELT PROPERLY BUCKLED.

Remedy

BLUE BIRD IS WORKING WITH RICON AND RICON WILL BE HANDLING THE REMEDY FOR THIS CAMPAIGN. PLEASE SEE RICON'S DEFECT REPORT 09E-060. RICON WILL PROVIDE CUSTOMERS WITH A WARNING DECAL AND A DVD-BASED TRAINING AID. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 27, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT RICON AT 1-818-267-3000 OR BLUE BIRD AT 1-478-822-2242.

Vehicles affected by this recall

Make Model Year Units
BLUE BIRD ALL AMERICAN 2008 1,622
BLUE BIRD ALL AMERICAN 2009 1,622
BLUE BIRD ALL AMERICAN 2010 1,622
BLUE BIRD ALL AMERICAN 2011 1,622
BLUE BIRD CONVENTIONAL 2008 1,622
BLUE BIRD CONVENTIONAL 2009 1,622
BLUE BIRD CONVENTIONAL 2010 1,622
BLUE BIRD CONVENTIONAL 2011 1,622
BLUE BIRD MICRO BIRD 2008 1,622
BLUE BIRD MICRO BIRD 2009 1,622
BLUE BIRD MICRO BIRD 2010 1,622
BLUE BIRD MICRO BIRD 2011 1,622

Source: NHTSA Campaign 10V133000 on nhtsa.gov. To check the current repair status for a specific vehicle, use our free VIN decoder.