BLUE BIRD Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 BLUE BIRD ALL AMERICAN SCHOOL BUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FOAM FROM ALL OF THE SEATS WAS COMING UNDONE FROM BEHIND THE SEAT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED FOR THE FAILURES OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 22,250. UPDATED 04/12/11*LJ UPDATED 04/29/11

I WOULD LIKE TO CALL YOUR ATTENTION TO THE NEW DESIGN OF SCHOOL BUS ESCAPE WINDOWS. IN THE PAST, THESE WINDOWS WERE HINGED ALONG THE TOP AND SWUNG OUT FROM THE BOTTOM. THE NEW DESIGN IS HINGED ON THE FRONT AND THEY SWING OUT FROM THE BACK. I FEEL THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS TO SMALL CHILDREN WHO MAY ACCIDENTALLY RELEASE THE LATCH, OPEN THE WINDOW AND FALL OUT OF THE SCHOOL BUS TO THE GROUND BELOW. I PICTURE A SCENARIO WHERE A SMALL CHILD MAY STAND UP ON THE SEAT ( YES I KNOW THEY SHOULD NOT STAND UP ON THE SEAT BUT YOU CANNOT PREDICT THE ACTIONS OF A 3 OR 4 YEAR OLD CHILD) TO TRY TO PUT THE WINDOW DOWN. HIS SLEEVE CATCHES THE RELEASE ON THE WAY UP AS IT DOES RELEASE FROM THE BOTTOM UP. THE WINDOW FLIES OPEN. HE IS ALREADY IN AN OFF BALANCE POSITION SO OUT THE WINDOW HE GOES. NOW LETS IMAGINE THE BUS IS GOING AROUND A CORNER. YES AN ALARM WILL SOUND ALERTING THE BUS DRIVER BUT DO YOU REALLY THINK HE WILL BE ABLE TO STOP AND SECURE THE BUS, GET OUT OF HIS SEAT AND GRAB THAT CHILD BEFORE HE GOES OUT THE WINDOW? I DON'T THINK SO. I WOULD SUGGEST THAT A TETHER BE ATTACHED TO THESE WINDOWS TO RESTRICT THE OPENING TO ABOUT 6". SAID TETHER WOULD BE DESIGNED TO BREAK @ A PREDETERMINED FORCE IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT. I AM JUST TRYING TO BE PROACTIVE HERE BUT IF IT TAKES A TRAGIC ACCIDENT TO OPEN UP SOME EYES THEN SO BE IT. I JUST HOPE IT DOES NOT HAPPEN ON ONE OF OUR BUSES. *TR

VEHICLES ABS LIGHT CAME ON WHILE TRANSPORTING CHILDREN BUT EVENTUALLY WENT OUT. WE HAVE RECEIVED 10 BUSSES THAT ALL HAVE THE SAME ABS SET-UP AND 8 OUT OF THE TEN HAVE BEEN TOOK TO THE DEALER AND HAD TO HAVE NEW ABS MODULES. FAILURE MILEAGES RANGE BUT ALL MODULES THROW THE SAME DTC'S. THEY HAVE PUT A SERVICE BULLETIN OUT TO DRILL HOLES IN THE MOTORS TO PREVENT THE ABS MOTORS FROM RUSTING DO TO THEIR LACK OF A DRAIN HOLE. 9 OF THE SCHOOL BUSSES ARE 1 YEAR OLD AND WARRANTY IS ALMOST OUT. *TR

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

TL*THE CONTACT DRIVES A 2010 BLUEBIRD CONVENTIONAL SCHOOL BUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE EXTERIOR REAR VIEW MIRRORS WERE TOO LARGE AND CREATE A SERIOUS BLINDSPOT WHEN ENTERING A STREET AT AN INTERSECTION. HE ALMOST COLLIDED WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE AT 5 MPH WHEN PULLING FROM A STOP SIGN BECAUSE OF THE BLINDSPOT. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 16,300.

OUR BUS OPERATOR REPORTED THAT WHEN SHE WAS STOPPING FOR A TRAFFIC SIGNAL THE BRAKE PEDAL SUDDENLY WENT TO THE FLOOR, SHE PUT THE EMERGENCY BRAKE ON TO STOP THE BUS. THE BUS WAS TAKEN TO OUR MAINTENANCE SHOP, OUR MAINTENANCE SUPERVISOR TESTED THE BRAKES, HE ALSO REPORTED THAT WITH THE BUS IN REVERSE HE STEPPED ON THE BRAKE AND IT DID NOT APPLY THE BRAKES, HE HAD TO PULL THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. WE TRIED TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM AGAIN AND WERE NOT ABLE TO. WE CONTACTED OUR BLUE BIRD BUS DEALER AND SENT THE BUS TO THEM. *TR

THE PURPOSE OF THIS COMPLAINT IS TO CALL ATTENTION TO A DESIGN DEFECT OF THE 2003 BLUE BIRD CONVENTIONAL/CV200 SCHOOL BUS THAT HAS RESULTED IN BOTH MAJOR INJURIES AND DEATH. THE DESIGN DEFECT IS THAT DURING REAR END COLLISIONS, PASSENGER COMPARTMENT INTRUSION IS MORE LIKELY DUE TO THE RELATIVELY HIGH BUMPER HEIGHT OF 24.5 INCHES. THIS MEANS THAT IF A VEHICLE COLLIDES WITH THE REAR OF THE BUS, SERIOUS INJURY IS LIKELY TO OCCUR WHEN THE INCOMING VEHICLE WEDGES UNDERNEATH THE BUS. IN GENERAL, SCHOOL BUSES MAKE FREQUENT STOPS ALONG THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC SO THE CONDITIONS FOR THIS DEFECT AS WELL AS POTENTIAL SERIOUS INJURY AND DEATH ARE ALARMINGLY FAVORABLE. TO MY KNOWLEDGE, NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO CORRECT THIS 'FAILURE' IN DESIGN. *DT

CONSUMER STATES REPLY TO RESPONSE BY BLUE BIRD TO REQUEST DEFECT PETITION. *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE DEFECT IS THE UNDER CAPACITY OF THE FRONT AXLE. THE TRUE FIX, WHICH WAS INITIALLY OFFERED WAS A R REPLACEMENT AXLE. AS A COST SAVING MEASURE, THE NEW AXLE PLAN WAS SCRAPED AND THE RECONFIGURATION OF THE COACH WAS PLANNED. *JB UPDATED 10/25/12

1993 HONDA ACCORD "UNDER-RODE" THE REAR END OF A STOPPED SCHOOL BUS RESULTING IN INJURIES TO THE STRIKING VEHICLE (HONDA) FRONT-SEATED PASSENGER. (VEHICLE MODEL SELECTED FROM MENU IS ACKNOWLEDGED TO BE AN INCORRECT "FILLER" BECAUSE THE SUBMITTED DATA PROVIDED ONLY LIMITED VEHICLE BODY INFORMATION. THE SUBMITTED DATA REFERS TO A "3800-C , 72 OCCUPANT" BUS. ODI NOTE: "3800 -C " DESIGNATES AN INTERNATIONAL TRUCK SCHOOL BUS CHASSIS (TO WHICH BLUE BIRD MOUNTED THE SCHOOL BUS CHASSIS) TO COMPLETE THE VEHICLE ASSEMBLY.

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