1997 Blue Bird School Bus

FORD AND NISSAN CONDUCTED A SAFETY RECALL, 98V-069, ON JANUARY 28 AND 31 1998, RESPECTIVELY.THE RECALL WAS FOR 32,810 1995 MY FORD VILLAGERS AND 20,500 1995 MY NISSAN QUESTS BUILT FROM APRIL 1, 1995 TO SEPTEMBER 15, 1996.THE RECALL DEFECT IS THE REAR TAIL/BRAKE LAMPS THAT MAY NOT ILLUMINATE DUE TO THE LAMP SOCKET AND THE SOCKET HOUSING SEPARATION CAUSED BY THE HIGH OPERATING TEMPERATURE.ODI HAS RECEIVED 6 FORD AND 3' NISSAN OWNER REPORT REGARDING THE NON-FUNCTIONING OF REAR LAMPS.ODI FOUND FOUR OF THESE FORD VILLAGERS WERE BUILT PRIOR TO THE RECALL MANUFACTURING DATESTHE BUILD DATES OF THE REMAINING VEHICLES WERE NOT DETERMINED.CLOSING NOTE:THE INFOEMATION GATHERED FROM THIS RECALL QUERY WAS SENT THE THE OFFICE OF CHIEF COUNSEL ON SEPTEMBER 7, 1998, FOR CONSIDERATION OF LEVYING CIVIL PENALTIES.A SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT FOR CIVIL PENALTIES WITH BLUE BIRD WAS EXECUTED ON AUGUST 13, 1999.

DT*: THE CONSUMER STATED THE BACK UP ALARM AND REVERSE LIGHTS DID NOT OPERATE PROPERLY WHICH RESULTED IN A FATALITY. WHEN THE CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE, THERE WERE NO BACK UP LIGHTS OR AUDIBLE WARNING AND SUBSEQUENTLY A BUS DRIVER WAS STRUCK. THE PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED. THERE WAS A POLICE REPORT TAKEN AT THE SCENE. *JB

NHTSA ID

10147959

Incident

Jan 17, 2006

Mileage

90,000 mi

EIGHT (8) OF OUR DISTRICT OWNED BLUEBIRD TC 2000 SCHOOL BUSES HAVE BODY CRACKING PROBLEMS. THESE BUSES RANGE FOR 1997 TO 2003 YEAR MODELS. ALL BUSES HAVE EXPERIENCED CRACKING AT THE REAR PILLARS, ROOF BOWS AT THE SIDE WINDOWS, AND AT THE FRONT ENTRANCE DOOR AS WELL AS EMERGENCY EXITS. WITHIN THE FIRST FEW MONTHS OF SERVICE. ALL BUSES HAVE BEEN REPAIRED AS PER BLUEBIRDS SPECIFICATIONS, AT PROFESSIONAL BODY SHOPS. AT LEAST FOUR TIMES, YET THE BODIES CONTINUE TO CRACK. WE ARE NOT THE ONLY SCHOOL DISTRICT HAVING THESE PROBLEMS, I KNOW OF ONE OTHER LOCAL DISTRICT THAT IS EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM AND HAVE HEARD THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHERS. BLUEBIRD IS BECOMING MORE RELUCTANT TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM IN A TIMELY MANNER. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE INTEGRITY OF THE ROOF STRUCTURE ON THESE BUSES, ESPECIALLY AFTER WHAT "WE" HAVE EXPERIENCED WITH THE CARPENTAR BUSES.*AK

NHTSA ID

10090922

Incident

Oct 1, 1997

FLEX FUEL LINE FROM RIGHT REAR TANK TO STEEL LINE FAILED CAUSING LOSS, OF FUEL, UNABLE TO HAVE REPAIRED UNDER RECALL DUE TO A LACK OF PARTS. (QCAW)

NHTSA ID

538385

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