RoadVitals

2003 Mid Bus Guide

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
1
Latest Aug 20, 2004
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
10
Latest May 17, 2007
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
0

Overview

Our database contains 1 NHTSA owner-reported complaint for the 2003 Mid Bus Guide, most frequently naming the body & structure category. 10 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Body & structure1100.0%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

10 campaigns cover this model year

View all 10

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov
07V211000

STRUCTURE:BODY

May 17, 2007
1,403 units potentially affected
The defect: CERTAIN MID BUS GUIDE AND GUIDE XL SCHOOL BUSES MANUFACTURED BETWEEN NOVEMBER 3, 2003, AND MARCH 30, 2007. THE 39" AND 45" LEFT HAND BARRIERS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE ENERGY ABSORPTION REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 222, SCHOOL BUS PASSENGER SEATING AND CRASH PROTECTION.
The risk: THE PURPOSE OF THIS STANDARD IS TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF DEATHS AND THE SEVERITY OF INJURIES THAT RESULT FROM THE IMPACT OF SCHOOL BUS OCCUPANTS AGAINST STRUCTURES WITHIN THE VEHICLE DURING CRASHES AND SUDDEN MANEUVERS.
The remedy: MID BUS WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPAIR THE BUSES FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 13, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MID BUS CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-877-358-6055.
MID BUS CORPORATIONView on NHTSA.gov
06V374000

SEATS

Sep 27, 2006
200 units potentially affected
The defect: CERTAIN MY 2001 THROUGH 2006 MID BUS GUIDE SCHOOL BUSES MANUFACTURED BETWEEN JANUARY 1, 2002, AND MAY 16, 2006, EQUIPPED WITH COLLINS 3 PASSENGER SEATS, FREEDMAN ACTIVITY SEATS, OR UNISTRUT TRACK SEATING WITH 2 PASSENGER SEATS. THE SEATS MAY NOT HAVE HAD THE CORRECT HARDWARE INSTALLED ON THEM WHICH FAILS TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 222, SCHOOL BUS PASSENGER SEATING AND CRASH PROTECTION.
The risk: PASSENGERS COULD SUSTAIN SERIOUS INJURIES OR EVEN DEATH IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH.
The remedy: MID BUS WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND PROVIDE ADDITIONAL HARDWARE ALONG WITH INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 30, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MID BUS AT 1-877-358-6055.
MID BUS CORPORATIONView on NHTSA.gov
05V490000

OTHER:SCHOOL BUS STOP ARM ASSEMBLY

Oct 21, 2005
636 units potentially affected
The defect: CERTAIN MID BUS 2002-2005 MODEL YEAR GUIDE DX, GUIDE SW, GUIDE XL, AND SC SCHOOL BUSES MANUFACTURED BETWEEN JANUARY 7, 2002, AND APRIL 30, 2005, ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN STATES OTHER THAN THE FOLLOWING: 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.
The 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.
The remedy: MID BUS WILL NOTIFY ALL ITS CUSTOMERS OF THIS CAMPAIGN. FOR THOSE BUSES OPERATED IN OR NEAR ANY OF THE STATES LISTED ABOVE, MID BUS IS ENCOURAGING THE BUS OWNERS TO OBTAIN THE REPLACEMENT SWITCH. FOR THOSE BUSES OPERATED IN THE WARMER STATES, MID BUS WILL REPLACE THE SWICH UPON OWNER REQUEST. FOR THOSE CUSTOMERS WHO REQUEST THE REMEDY, MID BUS 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 RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 30, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MID BUS AT 877-358-6055.
MID BUS CORPORATIONView on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

Body & structure
Filed Aug 20, 2004

WE RECEIVED 9 RECALL LETTERS ON JANUARY 14, 2004 THAT WOULD AFFECT 9 OF OUR 2003 MID-BUSES. IT STATED THAT THERE WERE SEVERAL JOINT STRENGTH SEAMS IN MID BUS PRODUCTION OF SCHOOL BUSES THAT MAY NOT MEET THE MINIMUM JOINT STRENGTH NEEDED IN A SCHOOL BUS. WHAT THAT MEANS THAT, IF THE BUS WERE TO BE IN AN ACCIDENT AND ROLL OVER, THE SEAMS MAY NOT HOLD AND THE BUS WOULD COME APART. WE IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED OUR DEALER TO HAVE THE BUSES REPAIRED AND WERE TOLD THAT THEY COULDN'T DO ANYTHING UNTIL MARCH, 2004. I CALLED THEM AGAIN IN MARCH AND WAS TOLD THAT THE PARTS WOULD NOT BE THERE UNTIL MAY AND THAT WE MAY HAVE TO DRIVE THEM TO PHOENIX TO HAVE THEM REPAIRED. WE PURCHASED THE BUSES THROUGH I-10 INT'L, 2802 N. FLOWING WELLS RD., TUCSON, AZ, 85705. THE LETTER ALSO STATED THAT THE PROJECTED TIME FOR THE SERVICE AND REPAIRS WOULD BE 4 HOURS. I-10 REPAIRED 4 OF OUR BUSES IN JULY, 2004, 7 MONTHS AFTER THE RECALL, BUT NOW REFUSE TO TOUCH THE OTHER 5 BECAUSE IT WAS ACTUALLY TAKING THEM 11 HOURS TO REPAIR THEM, OR 7 HOURS THAT THEY WOULDN'T BE PAID FOR. WE ARE CAUGHT IN THE MIDDLE. WE JUST WANT TO HAVE OUR BUSES REPAIRED LIKE THEY SHOULD BE. CAN YOU HELP US?*AK

NHTSA ID
10088287
Incident
Aug 11, 2004

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Mid Bus Guide by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2007010—
2006030—
2005040—
2004050—
2003Viewing1100—
2002090—
2001060—
2000040—
1999030—
1998010—
1997010—

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.