2003 Blue Bird Conventional Recalls

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NHTSA Campaign Number: 05V251000
Manufacturer: BLUE BIRD BODY COMPANY
Manufacturer Campaign Number: R05JW
Date of Owner Notification: August 12th, 2005

Defect Summary:
CERTAIN BLUE BIRD 2002 THROUGH 2006 MY ALL AMERICAN, CONVENTIONAL, MINIBIRD, MICROBIRD, VISION, AND TC2000 SCHOOL BUSES ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN STATES OTHER THAN THE FOLLOWING STATES: ALASKA, COLORADO, CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, IDAHO, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, KANSAS, KENTUCKY, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, MONTANA, NEBRASKA, NEVADA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW MEXICO, NEW YORK, NORTH DAKOTA, OHIO, OREGON, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, SOUTH DAKOTA, TENNESSEE, UTAH, VERMONT, VIRGINIA, WASHINGTON, WEST VIRGINIA, WISCONSIN, WYOMING, AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. IN EXTREMELY COLD WEATHER, THE MICROSWITCHES USED INTERNALLY TO POSITION THE SIGN IN THE OPEN AND CLOSED POSITIONS MAY MALFUNCTION, CAUSING THE SIGN TO OPEN OR CLOSE IN AN IMPROPER POSITION, OR TO NOT OPEN AT ALL.

Consequence Summary:
SHOULD THE STOP ARM NOT PERFORM PROPERLY, A CHILD OR PEDESTRIAN MAY BE ENDANGERED BY PASSING MOTORISTS SHOULD THE MOTORIST NOT STOP AT THE CORRECT LOCATION.

Corrective Summary:
BLUE BIRD WILL NOTIFY ALL ITS CUSTOMERS OF THIS CAMPAIGN. FOR THOSE BUSES OPERATED IN OR NEAR ANY OF THE STATES LISTED ABOVE, BLUE BIRD IS ENCOURAGING THE BUS OWNERS TO OBTAIN THE REPLACEMENT SWITCH. FOR THOSE BUSES OPERATED IN THE WARMER STATES, BLUE BIRD WILL REPLACE THE SWITCH UPON OWNER REQUEST. FOR THOSE CUSTOMERS WHO REQUEST THE REMEDY, BLUE BIRD WILL REPLACE THE ORIGINAL SWITCH WITH A SWITCH PACK THAT IS NOT SENSITIVE TO EXTREME COLD WEATHER AND WILL INSPECT TO ENSURE THE MICROSWITCH HEATER WIRING IS PROPERLY CONNECTED. THE SAFETY IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN BEGAN ON AUGUST 12, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BLUE BIRD AT 478-822-2242.

Recall Notes:
BLUE BIRD CAMPAIGN NO. R05JW.THIS ACTION IS DEEMED A SAFETY IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN AND IS NOT BEING CONDUCTED UNDER THE SAFETY ACT.CUSTOMERS CAN CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S AUTO SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236.

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NHTSA Campaign Number: 05V239000
Manufacturer: BLUE BIRD BODY COMPANY
Manufacturer Campaign Number: R05JV
Date of Owner Notification: August 12th, 2005

Defect Summary:
CERTAIN SCHOOL BUSES ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE FOLLOWING STATES: ALASKA, COLORADO, CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, IDAHO, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, KANSAS, KENTUCKY, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, MONTANA, NEBRASKA, NEVADA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW MEXICO, NEW YORK, NORTH DAKOTA, OHIO, OREGON, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, SOUTH DAKOTA, TENNESSEE, UTAH, VERMONT, VIRGINIA, WASHINGTON, WEST VIRGINIA, WISCONSIN, WYOMING, AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. IN EXTREMELY COLD WEATHER, THE MICROSWITCHES USED INTERNALLY TO POSITION THE STOP ARM SIGN IN THE OPEN AND CLOSED POSITIONS MAY MALFUNCTION, CAUSING THE SIGN TO OPEN OR CLOSE IN AN IMPROPER POSITION, OR TO NOT OPEN AT ALL.

Consequence Summary:
SHOULD THE STOP ARM NOT PERFORM PROPERLY, A CHILD OR PEDESTRIAN MAY BE ENDANGERED BY PASSING VEHICLES SHOULD THE MOTORIST NOT STOP AT THE CORRECT LOCATION.

Corrective Summary:
BLUE BIRD WILL NOTIFY ITS CUSTOMERS AND REPLACE THE ORIGINAL SWITCH WITH A SWITCH PACK THAT IS NOT SENSITIVE TO EXTREME COLD WEATHER AND WILL INSPECT TO ENSURE THE MICROSWITCH HEATER WIRING IS PROPERLY CONNECTED FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 12, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BLUE BIRD AT 478-822-2242.

Recall Notes:
CUSTOMERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV.

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NHTSA Campaign Number: 05V074000
Manufacturer: BLUE BIRD BODY COMPANY
Manufacturer Campaign Number: R05JM
Manufactured Begin Date: March 12th, 2003
Manufactured End Date: February 23rd, 2005
Date of Owner Notification: March 31st, 2005

Defect Summary:
CERTAIN 2002-2006 MY BLUE BIRD ALL AMERICAN SCHOOL AND TRANSIT BUSES, CONVENTIONAL SCHOOL BUSES, AND COMMERCIAL SERIES TRANSIT BUSES MANUFACTURED BETWEEN DECEMBER 21, 2002, AND FEBRUARY 24, 2005. THESE BUSES ARE EQUIPPED WITH WEBASTO COOLANT HEATERS, MODEL DBW 2010, ASSEMBLED WITH WEBASTO BURNER TUBES, P/N 303046/26533A MANUFACTURED BETWEEN NOVEMBER 2002 AND FEBRUARY 2005. THE STAINLESS STEEL BURNER TUBE IS MADE OUT OF A MATERIAL THAT IS NOT TO SPECIFICATION AND COULD FAIL PREMATURELY.

Consequence Summary:
SHOULD THE BURNER TUBE FAIL, THE COOLANT HEATER COULD OVERHEAT, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A FIRE.

Corrective Summary:
BLUE BIRD WILL NOTIFY ITS CUSTOMERS AND REPLACE THE BURNER TUBES FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 31, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BLUE BIRD AT 478-822-2242.

Recall Notes:
FREE OF CHARGE.THE RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 7, 2005.OWNERS MAY CONTACT PRO AIR AT 574-970-0744.

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NHTSA Campaign Number: 05V036000
Manufacturer: BLUE BIRD BODY COMPANY
Manufacturer Campaign Number: R05JG
Date of Owner Notification: May 6th, 2005

Defect Summary:
CERTAIN MY 2003 THRU 2005 BLUE BIRD MICRO BIRD AND CONVENTIONAL SCHOOL BUSES. THESE BUSES DO NOT HAVE THE TIRE LOAD RANGE ON BOTH THE TIRE INFORMATION LABEL AND CERTIFICATION DECAL AS REQUIRED BY FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 120, TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS FOR MOTOR VEHICLES OTHER THAN PASSENGER CARS.

Consequence Summary:
OMISSION OF THE TIRE LOAD RANGE MAY LEAD TO THE INSTALLATION OF TIRES WITH LOAD RANGES NOT APPROPRIATE FOR VEHICLE USE. A FAILURE OCCURRING IN TIRES DUE TO INAPPROPRIATE LOAD RANGE MAY RESULT IN LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND A CRASH CAN OCCUR.

Corrective Summary:
BLUE BIRD WILL MAIL TO FINAL STAGE MANUFACTURERS, CERTIFICATION DECALS WITH THE TIRE LOAD RATING INDICATED TO ITS CUSTOMERS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 6, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BLUE BIRD AT 478-822-2242.

Recall Notes:
CUSTOMERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV.

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NHTSA Campaign Number: 04V426000
Manufacturer: BLUE BIRD BODY COMPANY
Manufacturer Campaign Number: R04JB
Manufactured Begin Date: March 28th, 2001
Manufactured End Date: August 13th, 2004
Date of Owner Notification: September 21st, 2004

Defect Summary:
CERTAIN BLUE BIRD 1999-2005 ALL AMERICAN, TC/2000, MICRO BIRD, VISION, CONVENTIONAL, AND COMMERCIAL SERIES SCHOOL BUSES EQUIPPED WITH SURE-LOC WHEELCHAIR SECUREMENT SYSTEMS AND MANUFACTURED BETWEEN FEBRUARY 17, 1999, AND AUGUST 13, 2004. CERTAIN SURE-LOK WHEELCHAIR TIE-DOWN SECUREMENT ASSEMBLIES P/N 8625-13. THE SPROCKET TEETH OF THE RETRACTOR ASSEMBLY MAY BE OUT OF ALIGNMENT CAUSING THE LOAD PAWL NOT TO FULLY SEAT IN THE SPROCKET TEETH.

Consequence Summary:
IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, THE WHEELCHAIR MAY NOT BE ADEQUATELY SECURED POSSIBLY RESULTING IN INJURIES.

Corrective Summary:
BLUE BIRD WILL NOTIFY ITS CUSTOMERS AND REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE PART FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN SEPTEMBER 21, 2004. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR BUSES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT AT BLUE BIRD AT 478-822-2242.

Recall Notes:
ALSO, CUSTOMERS CAN CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S AUTO SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

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NHTSA Campaign Number: 03V364000
Manufacturer: BLUE BIRD BODY COMPANY
Manufacturer Campaign Number: R03HB
Manufactured Begin Date: August 3rd, 2000
Manufactured End Date: August 26th, 2003
Date of Owner Notification: November 3rd, 2003

Defect Summary:
ON CERTAIN SCHOOL BUSES EQUIPPED WITH OPTIONAL SEAT BELTS OR SEAT BELT "READY" SEATS, SOME BELTS WERE INSTALLED WITH ONLY TWO BOLTS RATHER THAN THE REQUIRED THREE (3) BOLTS.

Consequence Summary:
THESE SEATS COULD DETACH FROM THE WALL SIDE ATTACHMENT POINTS IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, INCREASING THE RISK OF INJURY TO THE SEAT OCCUPANT.

Corrective Summary:
BLUE BIRD WILL FURNISH TO DISTRIBUTORS AND OWNERS, PARTS AND INSTRUCTIONS NECESSARY TO INSTALL THE MISSING BOLT FREE OF CHARGE. OWNER NOTIFICATION IS EXPECTED TO ON NOVEMBER 3, 2003. 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 1-478-822-2242.

Recall Notes:
BLUE BIRD RECALL NO. R03HB.ALSO, CUSTOMERS CAN CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S AUTO SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).