AN INCORRECT SIZE BRAKE CHAMBER MAY HAVE BEEN INSTALLED ON THE FRONT AND/OR REAR BRAKE ASSEMBLIES WHICH COULD AFFECT THE BRAKE BALANCE AND STOPPING DISTANCE.
Safety risk
BRAKE IMBALANCE MAY CAUSE LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL DURING BRAKE APPLICATIONS; INCREASED STOPPING DISTANCE OR BRAKE APPLICATION COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF CONTROL AND AN ACCIDENT.
Manufacturer remedy
BUS OWNERS WILL BE PROVIDED WITH INSTRUCTIONS TO INSPECT THEIR VEHICLES AND PROVIDE BLUE BIRD WITH CERTAIN INFORMATION. BLUE BIRD WILL REVIEW THE INFORMATION AND, WHERE NEEDED, WILL FORWARD REPLACEMENT BRAKE CHAMBERS ALONG WITH REPLACEMENT INSTRUCTIONS TO THE VEHICLE OWNERS. BRAKE CHAMBER REPLACEMENT WILL BE PERFORMED BY THE VEHICLE OWNER OR A QUALIFIED REPAIR FACILITY.
Steering: hydraulic power assist: hose, piping, and connections
Manufacturer
BLUE BIRD BODY COMPANY
Vehicles affected
259
Reported to NHTSA
1993-12-06
Owners notified
1993-12-15
Defect description
THE HYDRAULIC HOSES WHICH INTERCONNECT WITH THE HYDRAULIC PUMP, HYDRAULIC RADIATOR FAN MOTOR AND POWER STEERING GEAR HAVE AN UNDERSIZED WIRE MESH CORE WHICH RESULTS IN AN IMPROPER HOSE END CRIMP. THE IMPROPER CRIMP CAN CAUSE A LEAK, EMPTYING THE POWER STEERING HYDRAULIC FLUID RESERVOIR, RESULTING IN LOSS OF POWER STEERING ASSIST.
Safety risk
COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER STEERING ASSIST CAN CAUSE LOSS OFVEHICLE CONTROL AND RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT.
Manufacturer remedy
OWNERS ARE BEING ASKED TO INSPECT HOSE FOR THE DATE CODE 3-1Q93 WHICH IS EMBOSSED ON THE HOSE COVER EVERY 18 INCHES. REPLACEMENT HOSES WILL BE PROVIDED. OWNERS CAN HANDLE THE REPAIR THEMSELVES OR HAVE A BLUE BIRD DISTRIBUTOR ASSIST THEM. OWNERS WILL BE REIMBURSED FOR THE LABOR CHARGES FOLLOWING COMPLETION OF THE RECALL WORK.
THE FRONT BRAKE AIR LINES ARE INCORRECTLY ROUTED THROUGH THE PRESSURE PROTECTION VALVE AT THE AUXILIARY WET TANK. THIS RESULTS IN LACK OF AIR PRESSURE TO THE FRONT BRAKES WHEN THE AIR PRESSURE IN THE AUXILIARY WET TANK DROPS BELOW 65 P.S.I., RESULTING IN INOPERABLE FRONT BRAKES.
Safety risk
WHEN THERE IS NO FRONT BRAKE APPLICATION, STOPPINGDISTANCE INCREASES, AND THERE IS AN INCREASED RISK OF ACCIDENT.
Manufacturer remedy
CORRECTLY REROUTE THE BRAKE LINES.
Owner complaints
A complaint is one person's report to a federal agency. It is not a finding.
No complaints recorded for this model year.
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.