BLUE BIRD IS RECALLING 607 MY 2004-2007 ALL AMERICAN REAR ENGINE SCHOOL BUSES AND MY 2006-2007 XCEL 102

Feb 21, 2008 — Recall Campaign #08V077000

BLUE BIRD IS RECALLING 607 MY 2004-2007 ALL AMERICAN REAR ENGINE SCHOOL BUSES AND MY 2006-2007 XCEL 102 COMMERCIAL SERIES TRANSIT BUSES EQUIPPED WITH CUMMINS ISC ENGINES. THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL LINE MAY CRACK, ALLOWING HIGH PRESSURE DIESEL FUEL INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT.

The recall was influenced by the Office of Defects Investigation with about 607 units affected.

See recall notice

NHTSA Safety Recall Notice

08V077000

Manufacturer:	Blue Bird Body Company
Recall date:	February 21, 2008
NHTSA Campaign #:	08V077000
Units affected:	607

Description:: BLUE BIRD IS RECALLING 607 MY 2004-2007 ALL AMERICAN REAR ENGINE SCHOOL BUSES AND MY 2006-2007 XCEL 102 COMMERCIAL SERIES TRANSIT BUSES EQUIPPED WITH CUMMINS ISC ENGINES. THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL LINE MAY CRACK, ALLOWING HIGH PRESSURE DIESEL FUEL INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT.
Consequeces:: THIS CONDITION CREATES THE POTENTIAL FOR A RISK OF FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT SHOULD THE ATOMIZED DIESEL FUEL VAPOR CONTACT AN IGNITION SOURCE.
Corrective action:: OWNERS WILL BE ADVISED TO CONTACT THEIR CUMMINS DEALERS TO HAVE THE REPAIR WORK PERFORMED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON FEBRUARY 28, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BLUE BIRD AT 1-478-822-2242.
Notes:: BLUE BIRD RECALL NO. R08MZ.CUSTOMERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV.

Affects the following:

2007 BLUE BIRD ALL AMERICAN Complaints
BETWEEN 0920 AND 0940 HRS ON 26 MARCH 2016, BUS WAS TRANSPORTING 15 SOLDIERS TO VICTORY RANCH AND HEAR A LOUD NOISE. ONE SOLDIER STATED NOISE WAS A TIRE. DRIVER PULLED OFF ROAD AWAY FROM TRAFFIC AND NOTICED THE BRAKES WERE NOT WORKING PROPERLY. ANOTHER LOUD NOISE AND ONE OF THE SOLDIERS SAID IT WAS A FIRE. DRIVER STATED THE BUS FINALLY ALLOWED HIM TO BRAKE AND HE INSTRUCTED THE SOLDIERS TO EXIT THE BUS AND CALL 911. ...UPDATED 07/13/16 *BF ....UPDATED 07/26/16 *BF...UPDATED 08/15/16 *BF;
2007 BLUE BIRD XCEL 102 Complaints
WICHITA FALLS INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT, WICHITA FALLS, TEXAS SCHOOL BUS, CONTRACTED OUT TO DURHAM TRANSPORTATION. SCHOOL BUS NUMBER 42002, ROUTE 70. 2007 BLUEBIRD SCHOOL BUS. WE (TEACHER AIDES) WERE LOADING A CHILD IN A WHEELCHAIR ON BUS, WHEN THE WHEELCHAIR LIFT BEGAN TO FOLD UP WHILE THE WHEELCHAIR WAS STILL ON IT, I HAD TO MOVE THE WHEELCHAIR ONTO TO BUS FROM THE GROUND AND ALMOST GOT MY ARM CAUGHT IN THE FOLDING LIFT, THE WHEELCHAIR FOOT PEGS WHERE PUSHED BACK BY THE LIFT, THE AIDE ON THE BUS WAS ABLE TO MOVE THE WHEELCHAIR BACK BEFORE THE STUDENT'S FEET WERE CRUSHED. THERE WAS NOBODY AT THE CONTROLS WHEN THIS HAPPEN, THE LIFT STARTED FOLDING ON ITS OWN. IT SEEMS THAT THERE IS A RECALL ON CERTAIN WHEELCHAIR LIFTS ANTI-STOW INTERLOCK NOT ADJUSTED PROPERLY ON CERTAIN SCHOOL BUSES. REF: NHTSA ACTION NUMBER EQ08011 THE RECALL LIST SHOWS RECALLS FOR ONLY 2006 BLUEBIRD BUSES, THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE ON THE 2007 BUSES ALSO. DURHAM TRANSPORTATION CLAIMS THIS INCIDENT WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED IF THERE WAS A QUALIFIED OPERATOR OPERATING THE LIFT CONTROLS, I DOUBT IT CONSIDERING THE LIFT FOLDED WITHOUT ANYBODY AT THE CONTROLS. THE COMPANY ALSO CLAIMS THEY HAVE REPAIRED THE LIFT, BUT STILL WILL NOT DEPLOY DOWN WITHOUT PRESSING THE "DEPLOY" AND THE "DOWN" SWITCHES AT THE SAME TIME, THIS SHOWS THAT THE SENSING SWITCHES ARE STILL NOT WORKING PROPERLY. I AM FAMILAR WITH THIS TYPE OF SYSTEM, IT IS SIMILAR AIRCRAFT CARGO RAMPS LIFT SYSTEMS THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS THE SIZES. I OPERATED AND USED TO TROUBLE SHOOT THE RAMP SYSTEM FOR 16 YEARS AND THEN TAUGHT THE THEORY, OPERATIONS AND TROUBLESHOOTING OF THE SYSTEM FOR 6 SIX YEARS AS AN AIR FORCE MASTER INSTRUCTOR. *TR;