Known Recalls

Model year record

2003 BLUE BIRD Conventional

6 recall campaigns on file for this model year. 3 owner complaints on file.

Recalls

Recall campaignNHTSA 05V251000

Other: school bus stop arm assembly

Component
Other: school bus stop arm assembly
Manufacturer
BLUE BIRD BODY COMPANY
Vehicles affected
3,121
Reported to NHTSA
2005-05-20
Owners notified
2005-08-12

Defect description

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.

Safety risk

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.

Manufacturer remedy

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 campaignNHTSA 05V239000

Other: school bus stop arm assembly

Component
Other: school bus stop arm assembly
Manufacturer
BLUE BIRD BODY COMPANY
Vehicles affected
8,894
Reported to NHTSA
2005-05-20
Owners notified
2005-08-12

Defect description

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.

Safety risk

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.

Manufacturer remedy

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 campaignNHTSA 05V074000

Engine and engine cooling

Component
Engine and engine cooling
Manufacturer
BLUE BIRD BODY COMPANY
Vehicles affected
416
Reported to NHTSA
2005-03-01
Owners notified
2005-03-31

Defect description

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.

Safety risk

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

Manufacturer remedy

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 campaignNHTSA 05V036000

Tires: markings

Component
Tires: markings
Manufacturer
BLUE BIRD BODY COMPANY
Vehicles affected
1,300
Reported to NHTSA
2005-02-03
Owners notified
2005-05-06

Defect description

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.

Safety risk

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.

Manufacturer remedy

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 campaignNHTSA 04V426000

Equipment adaptive/mobility

Component
Equipment adaptive/mobility
Manufacturer
BLUE BIRD BODY COMPANY
Vehicles affected
372
Reported to NHTSA
2004-08-30
Owners notified
2004-09-21

Defect description

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.

Safety risk

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

Manufacturer remedy

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 campaignNHTSA 03V364000

Seats

Component
Seats
Manufacturer
BLUE BIRD BODY COMPANY
Vehicles affected
3,825
Reported to NHTSA
2003-10-08
Owners notified
2003-11-03

Defect description

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.

Safety risk

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.

Manufacturer remedy

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.

Owner complaints

A complaint is one person's report to a federal agency. It is not a finding.

ComponentComplaintsMedian mileage
Structure173,650 mi
Structure: body173,650 mi
Structure: frame and members173,650 mi

Safety recall repairs are provided free of charge by franchised dealers, regardless of vehicle age or mileage. This page displays aggregated data for the model year. To check recall status for a specific vehicle, search its VIN at nhtsa.gov.