2009 Blue Bird Vision

This investigation was opened after ODI became aware of four engine compartment fires allegedly related to fuel leakage from the engine's fuel injector system.ODI conducted field examinations and communicated the identified concerns to Blue Bird.ODI also had discussions with Caterpillar, the engine manufacturer.On June 28th, 2010, Blue Bird filed two safety defect reports with NHTSA to address fuel lines that may crack at the fastening point to the common fuel rail. Safety recall campaign 10V-289 involves 3,686 school buses and safety recall campaign 10V-290 involves 103 non-school bus vehicles. The subject vehicles were equipped with the Caterpillar C-7-07 engine and it was determined that clamping of the #5 fuel line to the #6 fuel line and assembly stresses caused the #6 fuel line to fail. The remedy consist of replacing the #5 and #6 fuel lines and adding a new clamp to # 5 fuel line. Simultaneously with Blue Bird's decision to conduct the above recalls, Caterpillar Inc. filed a safety recall (10E-025) with NHTSA to perform the same remedy on 5,920 C7 series engines.Blue Bird engines are included in the Caterpillar recall.These recalls resolve the issues raised by this investigation. Therefore, this investigation is closed.

THIS INVESTIGATION WAS OPENED AFTER ODI RECEIVED SIX FLEET COMPLAINTS (19 BUSES TOTAL) ALLEGING REPEATED ISSUES OF THE POWER STEERING RESERVOIR GASKET FAILING.IT WAS ALLEGED THAT THE DEGRADED GASKET FELL INTO THE POWER STEERING PUMP, RESULTING IN AN INCREASEDSTEERING EFFORT.ODI IS AWARE OF TWO BUSES THAT, WITHOUT WARNING, LOST POWER ASSIST STEERING DURING NORMAL DRIVING OPERATIONS. REPORTEDLY, THE POWER STEERING GASKETS WERE MANUFACTURED WITH INCORRECT MATERIAL SUBSTITUTED BY ONE OF THE GASKET MATERIAL SUPPLIERS. AFTER ANEVALUATION INTO THIS ISSUE, BLUE BIRD AUTHORIZED A SAFETY RECALL. THE ORIGINAL POWER STEERING LID GASKET WILL BE REPLACED WITH NEW GASKET MATERIAL.THE ACTION TAKEN BY BLUE BIRD RESOLVES THE ISSUES RAISED BY THIS INVESTIGATION.ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.

A BLUE BIRD CORPORATION SERVICE BULLETIN DATED DECEMBER 18, 2008, WARNS OWNERS THAT THE RADIATOR COOLING FAN ASSEMBLY MAY HAVE BEEN INSTALLED USINGINCORRECTLY SIZED BOLTS AND SPACERS ONMODEL YEARS 2008 AND 2009 VISION SCHOOL BUSES. THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE FAN BLADE MAY SEPARATE FROM THE CLUTCH MOUNTING POSITION. AFTER FURTHER REVIEW, ON MARCH 3, 2009, BLUE BIRD FILED A SAFETY RECALL TO INSPECT ALL INVOLVED BUSES. BLUE BIRD WILL REPLACED THE EXISTING SPACERS AND BOLTS IF FOUND TO BE THE INCORRECT HARDWARE.THIS RECALL ACTION RESOLVES THE ISSUES RAISED BY THIS INVESTIGATION. ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.

IN APRIL, 2008, ODI RECEIVED A LETTER FROM THE MISSOURI STATE HIGHWAY PATROL ALLEGING THAT THEIR FIELD INSPECTORSWEREFINDING HYDRAULIC BRAKE HOSES THAT WEREBEING CUT OR CRUSHED BY THE SHARP EDGES OF THE BUS BODY AT THE FIREWALL.THEY ALSO SUPPLIED INFORMATION ON ONE BUS THAT EXPERIENCED TOTAL BRAKE LOSS DUE TO THE BRAKE HOSE BEING CUT. FURTHER FIELD WORK BY ODI INCREASED THENUMBER OF COMPLAINTS TO A TOTAL OF SEVEN.AFTER DISCUSSIONS WITH ODI AND FURTHER REVIEW OF FIELD INCIDENTS, BLUE BIRD HAS DECIDED TO INITIATE A SAFETY RECALL TO INSPECT, REPLACE AND OR REPOSITION THE BRAKE HOSES OF CONCERN. THIS RECALL ACTION RESOLVES THE ISSUES RAISED BY THIS INVESTIGATION. ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.

OF THE SIX THEY OPERATE ALL HAVE FAILED, WITH AN AVERAGE MILEAGE OF 29,000 AND 500 DAYS IN SERVICE FOR THE FIRST FAILURE. SECOND FAILURES HAVE OCCURRED ON TWO OF THE BUSES: BOTH AT ABOUT 300 DAYS AND 19,000 MILES SINCE THE PREVIOUS FAILURE. WHEN THE HOSE FAILS IT IS A MAJOR LEAK AND THE VEHICLES HAVE HAD TO BE TOWED. ALL PARTS HAVE BEEN RETURNED UNDER WARRANTY, SO CURRENTLY THERE ARE NO PARTS FOR US TO LOOK AT. HOWEVER HE STATED THAT THE FAILURE APPEARS TO INITIATE FROM THE INSIDE OF THE HOSE THEREFORE MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO CATCH PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. SOME OF THESE BUSES ARE SPECIAL NEEDS BUSES. UPDATED 02/22/12*LJ

NHTSA ID

10446420

Incident

Dec 22, 2010

CLARK COUNTY SCHOOL BUS 29429 DEVELOPED A FUEL LEAK AT THE #6 INJECTOR WHILE IN OPERATION. THE FUEL LEAK WAS ATOMIZING FUEL IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE BUS IS A 2009 BLUEBIRD VISION SCHOOL BUS EQUIPPED WITH A C7 CATERPILLAR ENGINE. THE CCSD HAS HAD SEVERAL OF THESE UNITS DEVELOP SIMILAR LEAKS. ONCE THE LEAK WAS FOUND ON THE OTHER BUSES THEY WERE SENT TO THE LOCAL CATERPILLAR DEALER. 29429 HAS NOT YET BEEN SENT. INJECTOR LINES, TUBES AND INJECTORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED IN THE PAST TO CORRECT THIS CONDITION. *TR

NHTSA ID

10339346

Incident

Jun 16, 2010

Mileage

23,311 mi

HIGH FAILURE RATE FOR HEATER MOTOR BLOWER CAGE FOR SCHOOLBUS STEP WELL. BLOWER CAGE DESTRUCTS. THIS HAPPENS FREQUENTLY. THIS CREATES A SAFETY DEFECT BECAUSE THE HEAT IS NEEDED TO KEEP STEPS FREE OF ICE AND SNOW. THIS HAS HAPPENED MANY TIMES IN THE LAST YEAR AND PARTS ARE NOT ALWAYS AVAILABLE DUE TO HIGH DEMAND TO REPLACE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10302333

Incident

Jan 20, 2010

Mileage

68,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 BLUEBIRD VISION. WHILE EXAMINING THE VEHICLE HE NOTICED THAT THE RUBBER ON THE FLOOR BEGAN TO SEPARATE FROM THE BASE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER AND THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 8200. UPDATED 11/10/09 *CN THE CONSUMER HAS OTHER BLUE BIRD'S THAT HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. UPDATED 11/13/09.*JB

NHTSA ID

10289489

Incident

Sep 15, 2009

Mileage

8,200 mi

A 2009 BLUEBIRD VISION SCHOOL BUS DEVELOPED A FUEL (DIESEL) LEAK AND CAUGHT FIRE. IT FULLY ENGULFED THE BUS BURNING IT TO A TOTAL LOSS. ONE SPECIAL NEEDS STUDENT, A TRANSPORTATION AIDE, AND THE DRIVER WERE ON BOARD. ALL EVACUATED SAFELY. WE RECENTLY RECEIVED 46 OF THESE BUSES (ALL CONFIGURED THE SAME) AND WE HAVE HAD 8 INCIDENTS OF FUEL LEAKS INVOLVING 6 OF THESE UNITS, NOT INCLUDING THE BUS WHICH CAUGHT FIRE. OUR DISTRICT HAS MET WITH BLUEBIRD AND CATERPILLAR (ENGINE SUPPLIER) AND LOOKED AT THE BURNED UNIT. WE ARE WAITING FOR THEIR COMMENTS FROM THIS. WE HAVE EXAMINED ALL OTHER SIMILAR UNITS FOR FUEL LEAKS AND POSSIBLE IGNITION SOURCES. REPAIRS AND CORRECTIONS HAVE BEEN MADE AS NEEDED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10269625

Incident

May 18, 2009

Mileage

8,350 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 BLUE BIRD VISION SCHOOL BUS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATED, THE DRIVER OBSERVED THAT WHENEVER THE DECREASE CONTROL MODE WAS SELECTED THERE WAS AN INCREASE IN THE ENGINE SET CRUISING SPEED. THE DECREASE SELECTION RESPONSE FAILURE OCCURRED CONTINUOUSLY AND WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AND THEY STATED THAT THERE WAS NO DEFECT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2934 AND CURRENT MILEAGE IS 7493. UPDATED 05/08/09. *LJ UPDATED 05/11/09.*JB

NHTSA ID

10262535

Incident

Jan 19, 2009

Mileage

2,934 mi

SM1905: Blue Bird Vantage Dash Fault Codes Website Blue Bird Vantage "Dash Fault Codes" website page has been updated to include additional new fault codes for all applicable system types (brake, engine, and transmission). Also, "Powertrain, Ford" has been added to the drop-down tab as a system type selection. "Powertrain Ford" system type is used to identify both Ford engine and transmission fault codes.

New Blue Bird Support Center - Technical Bus Support: Dealer memo to announce the new on-line Blue Bird Support Center for technical bus support requests.

Blue Bird Troubleshooting Guides: Blue Bird announcement of the addition of troubleshooting guides for assisting in the service of the Blue Bird products. These troubleshooting guides are available on the Vantage website.

BLUE BIRD: CORRECT INFORMATION PROVIDED FOR THE FRONT HUB TORQUE SPECIFICATION, NOT FOUND IN MANUALS FOR CERTAIN BUSES FOR HUB AND ROTOR ASSEMBLY AND FRONT INSTALLATION. MODEL 2005-14 VISION, ALL-AMERICAN AND ACTIVITY. *PE

BLUE BIRD: CLICK DOCUMENT SEARCH BUTTON FOR OWNER LETTER. BREAKAWAY ADAPTER FAILS TO MEET NFPA 58 REQUIREMENTS FOR 90 DEGREE ZINC. THE NEW STEEL FITTING AND BREAKAWAY ADAPTER WOULD REPLACE EXISTING 90 DEGREE ZINC FITTING. *PE

BLUE BIRD BUS: SEE DOCUMENT SEARCH BUTTON FOR OWNER LETTER. DUE TO CLAMPS NOT BEING TORQUED TO PROPER SPECIFICATION, CLAMPS FOR POWER STEERING HOUSE MAY LEAK. MODEL YEARS 2009-2013. *PE