Vehicle recall 83V004000 · January 21, 1983
1981-1982 Carpenter School Bus
During manufacture, inconsistencies may have occurred in the welds joining floor sections.
Source: NHTSA data as of September 22, 2026. Last refreshed Sep 23, 2026, 2:43 AM UTC.
- Summary
- During manufacture, inconsistencies may have occurred in the welds joining floor sections. Certain welded joints may have weaknesses and may not comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard 221, "school bus body joint strength". Improper welds may allow sections of the floor to separate in a severe collision.
- Remedy
- The dealer will inspect all involved vehicles and any necessary corrective action will be made at no cost to owner.
- Notes
- Vehicle description: school buses.system: structure; floor section joints.consequences of defect: floor separation during a collision may increase thepotential for occupant ejection and injury. No specific precautionary measuresare recommended by the manufacturer. Joint failure is suspected to occur onlyduring severe collisions.
Recall details
- NHTSA campaign
- 83V004000
- Reported to NHTSA
- January 21, 1983
- Filed by
- CARPENTER BDY WRKS, INC.
- Owner notification
- April 28, 1983
- Vehicles potentially affected
- 19
- Initiated by
- NHTSA’s Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance
- Components
- Structure › Frame and members
Vehicles covered
As listed by NHTSA. A recall usually covers only some vehicles of each model and year, often a production date range.
- Carpenter School Bus (1981-1982): 1982, 1981
Has your Carpenter been repaired?
Recalls here come from NHTSA’s records for the model and year. Not every vehicle of a model is included in every recall, and this site can’t see whether a repair has been done. Only a VIN lookup can tell you that.
NHTSA’s VIN search doesn’t show recalls that were already repaired, recalls more than 15 years old, or some small manufacturers’ recalls. A Carpenter dealer can also check your VIN. Recall repairs are free.