BLUE BIRD Complaints

FUEL FILTER, LOCATED ON UNDERSIDE OF BUS NEAR THE ENGINE, DEVELOPED A SPONTANEOUS LEAK, SPILLING TWO GALLONS OF FUEL. DEALER HAS REPAIRED SCHOOL BUS, AND MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.*AK

COWLING SECTION WHERE BODY BRACKETS ARE MOUNTED TO FRAME IS CRACKING. IT IS FRONT PART OF BUS CHASSIS WHICH WAS MADE BY FORD. ALSO, IF CRACKED THOROUGHLY, IT COULD GIVE IN AND BODY WILL DROP ON FRAME. CONTACTED BLUEBIRD AND FORD, NO RESPONSE FROM EITHER. *AK THERE ARE A TOTAL OF 12 SCHOOL BUSES FROM PARKWAY SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT ARE EXPERIENCING THIS FAILURE. *SLC

OUT OF 11 CUMMINS POWERED SCHOOL BUSES 7 OF THEM LEAK OIL AROUND THE FRONT HOUSING AND THE AIR COMPRESSOR. NLM

INTERNATIONAL BUS; WHILE DRIVING WITH CHILDREN BUS STALLED UNEXPECTEDLY WHICH ALMOST CAUSED A CRASH DUE TO FUEL LINE MADE OUT OF AIR LINES WHICH WAS USED FOR AIR BRAKES. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

THE BUSES ARE USED ON GRAVEL ROADS AND ROCKS ARE FLYING UP AND DAMAGING BRAKE LINES THAT GO FROM FRAME TO BRAKE CALIPERS, THEY ALSO DAMAGED THE ABS SENSOR CABLES CAUSING THE SYSTEM TO BE INOPERATIVE. NLM

REAR DRIVER'S SIDE HANKOOK DYNAMIC RADIAL F26 TIRE 12R22.5 16 PLY EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION, CAUSING $3000 WORTH OF DAMAGE TO VEHICLE. *SLC

HEATER VENT CABLE NOT SECURED AND CHAFFED ON THE BODY SOLENOID WITH LIVE WIRES CAUSING SHORT CIRCUIT AND FIRE, OTHER VIN #[XXX] HAD THE SAME ROUTING OF CABLE AND WAS REPAIRED AND SECURED TO AVOID FIRE POTENTIAL. *MJS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

BLUBIRD BUS MFG. CHOSE TO USE SUBSTANDARD FUEL LINES ON THE SCHOOL BUSES THAT WE PURCHASED FROM THEM. THE LINES ARE OF THIN RUBBER WITH ONLY ONE CANVAS PLY AND ARE NOT COMPATABLE WITH DIESEL FUEL. THE FUEL PERMEATES THROUGH THIS HOSE THROUGH IT'S ENTIRE SURFACE. BLUEBIRD IS NOT OFFERING ANY REMEDY FOR THIS. WE HAVE BEEN SPENDING CONSIDERABLE RESOURCES REPLACING LINES OURSELVES. FUMES ACCUMULATE IN THE LARGE UNDER-BODY STORAGE COMPARTMENTS AND THEN ENTER THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. SEVERAL STUDENTS AND DRIVERS HAVE BEEN OVERCOME WITH THE SMELL OF DIESEL. WE HAVE NOT HAD ANY FIRES OR EXPLOSIONS. FUEL LINE NORMALLY DOES NOT NEED TO BE SPECIFIED DURING NEW VEHICLE PURCHASES. THIS LINE IS NOT ONLY SUBSTANDARD FOR ANY COMMERCIAL VEHICLE, BUT IS STILL FURTHER UNFIT FOR ANY SCHOOL BUS. YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATER WOULD BE APPRECIATED BY ALL. *AK

RETURN LINE ON THE FUEL PUMP CAME OFF FROM THE VIBRATION OF THE ENGINE, CAUSING ALL THE FUEL TO LEAK OUT. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

REAR AIR SUSPENSION UPPER SHAFT BRACKET WHICH IS RIVETED TO THE FRAME IS CRACKING AND TEARING FROM THE FRAME. COMMON PROBLEM. HAVE ALSO 5 OTHER BUSES WITH THIS PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK