1994 Blue Bird TC2000 recalls

Structure › Body

Summary

Certain school buses fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 221, "school bus body joint strength." one or more of the bolts attaching the driver's platform to the floor structure was omitted.

Consequence

The rear of the driver's platform may not be properly retained in the event of a crash which could increase the risk of injury or death to passengers.

Remedy

Blue bird will notify its customers and inspect and repair the affected units. Owner notification began on November 20, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact blue bird at 478-822-2242.

This recall on nhtsa.gov

Fuel system, other › Storage › Tank assembly › Pressure relief devices

Summary

Vehicle description: school and transit buses equipped with compressed natural gas engines (CNG). The original pressure relief devices may vent unexpectedly.

Consequence

Compressed natural gas leakage in the presence of an ignition source could result in a fire or explosion.

Remedy

Dealers will replace the pressure relief devices.

This recall on nhtsa.gov

Structure › Body

Summary

Vehicle description: school buses. These buses fail to meet the 60 percent joint strength requirements of FMVSS no. 221, "school bus body joint strength."

Consequence

In the event of a vehicle crash, the roof may not be supported sufficiently, causing personal injury to bus occupants.

Remedy

Owners will be contacted and advised to inspect each roof joint. Owners will install repair rivets in each joint found to have insufficient quantity of rivets in each examined 8 inch section.

This recall on nhtsa.gov

Seats

Summary

Vehicle description: school buses. The wall side attaching bolts for some of the passenger seats may have been installed too close to the edge of the seat ledge and in the wrong attaching hole resulting in weakening of the seat ledge at the attachment points.

Consequence

In the event of a frontal crash, the rear attaching bolt of these seats could pull out of the seat ledge increasing the risk of injury to the seat occupant.

Remedy

Blue bird will furnish to distributors and owners, parts and instructions necessary to strengthen the passenger seat attachment at the wall side.

This recall on nhtsa.gov

Fuel system, gasoline › Storage › Tank assembly

Summary

Vehicle description: front and rear engine school buses equipped with 60 gallon side mounted fuel tank barriers. These buses do not comply with the requirements of FMVSS no. 301, "fuel system integrity."

Consequence

In the event of a vehicle crash, the fuel tank could be damaged, leaking fuel, possibly resulting in a vehicle fire.

Remedy

Blue bird will ship instructions and modification kits to the owners of these buses.

This recall on nhtsa.gov

Seats

Summary

Vehicle description: school buses equipped with bostrom driver's seat model F222 or bostrum "routemaster" seat. Blue bird option 2821 or 2824. The seat pedestals are fatigue cracking adjacent to the weld which secures the pedestal's upper plate to the upper, telescoping portion of the adjustable column support.

Consequence

The upper mounting plate and seat upper gradually becomes loose resulting in the upper plate detaching from the supporting column and the seat can fall from its mounting. This can result in personal injury to the driver.

Remedy

Dealers will repair these pedestals with a newly designed pedestal bracket kit.

This recall on nhtsa.gov

Structure › Body

Summary

Passenger's clothing can unknowingly become caught in the forward handrails at bus doors when exiting the bus.

Consequence

When a passenger's clothing becomes caught in the handrail, and the bus driver closes the door and puts the vehicle in motion, the individual is subject to being dragged by the bus. This can result in serious injury or death.

Remedy

Owners will be directed to remove all forward handrails. Provisions will be made for those owners operating in states which mandate a forward handrail that a replacement handrail will be provided.

This recall on nhtsa.gov

Service brakes, air › Drum › Chamber

Summary

Air suspension torque arm can come in contact with the air brake chamber mounting bracket resulting in broken s-cam mounting bracket.

Consequence

This can result in the loss of brake lining contacton the rear wheel increasing the potential for a vehicle accident.

Remedy

Dealers will modify vehicles to incorporate an axle seat spacer and replace the cam shaft and cam shaft bracket with a longer cam shaft and cam shaft bracket on both right and left rear brake assemblies to provide sufficient clearance.

This recall on nhtsa.gov

Structure › Body

Summary

The floor line handrail bracket can expand during use and create an opening which could entrap coat strings, etc. And other articles of clothing.

Consequence

When a passenger's clothing becomes caught in the handrail, and the bus driver closes the door and puts the vehicle in motion,the individual could be dragged by the bus. This can result in serious injury or death.

Remedy

Dealers will replace the flat split floor line bracket with a round tubular bracket.

This recall on nhtsa.gov

Structure › Frame and members

Summary

These units are equipped with a counter weight assembly made up of 300 pounds of 1/4" plate steel welded together and bolted between the frame rails in the rear overhang just forward of the rear bumper. Some of the welds have broken due to insufficient welds, corrosion, or ice expansion.

Consequence

These plates can drop to the roadway becoming a hazard to following vehicles increasing the potential for an accident.

Remedy

Dealers will install a mechanical retaining device which clamps the plates together and fastened with threaded fasteners. Bus owners will have the option of repairing their own vehicles.

This recall on nhtsa.gov

Service brakes, air › Supply › Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings

• Aftermarket equipment: applies only if this part was installed

Summary

Air system blockage in the air dryer occurs degrading the moisture removing capabilities of the dryer when the vehicle is operated in a cold environment and moisture accumulates and freezes in the air dryer or in the line between the dryer and the air system reservoir. The air dryer can become overpressurized causing the air dryer cartridge to separate from the mounting base.

Consequence

If the air dryer separates from the base, the cartridgecan separate sufficiently enough to cause personal injury or property damage.

Remedy

Dealers will equip air systems with a pressure relief valve to be located between the compressor and the air dryer. This pressure relief valve is intended to vent if excessive pressure develops in the air dryer.

This recall on nhtsa.gov

Structure › Body

Summary

Passengers clothing can unknowingly become caught in the handrails at bus doors when exiting the bus.

Consequence

When a passenger's clothing becomes caught in the handrail, and the bus driver closes the door and puts the vehicle in motion,the individual is subject to being dragged by the bus. This can result inserious injury or death.

Remedy

Dealers will install a set screw to the metal clamp which retains the intermediate handrail. A high impact molded plastic "clam shell" will be placed over each end of the intermediate handrail completely covering the clamp and eliminating all catch-points. The flange of the existing floor line bracket will be crimped securing the vertical section of the primary tublar handrail at the floor line.

This recall on nhtsa.gov

Air bags › Knee bolster

Summary

The aisle side styrofoam knee pads on the subject barriers are 11" wide and not 14.5" as required by FMVSS no. 222, "school bus passenger seating and crash protection."

Consequence

Consequence of non-compliance: this condition could increase the potential for injury in a vehicle accident.

Remedy

Dealers will replace the incorrect pad with the correct 14.5" knee pad.

This recall on nhtsa.gov

Steering › Linkages

Summary

Quench cracks occurred in the pitman arm pinch bolt during the bolt manufacturing process, causing a weakness in these bolts.

Consequence

These cracks can cause the bolts to fracture resulting in a loss of steering control and increasing the potential for a vehicle crash.

Remedy

Blue bird will provide replacement bolts for all affected units.

This recall on nhtsa.gov

Service brakes, air › Supply › Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings

Summary

Air brake supply lines are reversed at the brake treadle valve. This can cause the modulated spring brake feature on the rear axle brake to be inoperable. In the event the rear brake supply reservoir were lost, this could result in loss of brakes without proper function of the modulated spring brake action of the rear brake axle to stop the vehicle.

Consequence

Loss of the secondary spring brake function could result in a vehicle accident if the primary air brakes fail.

Remedy

Vehicle owners will be instructed to swap supply lines at the treadle valve to obtain the correct plumbing, and will be reimbursed for labor expenses.

This recall on nhtsa.gov