2009 Blue Bird Vision Owner Complaints

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