The defect
Blue Bird Body Company (Blue Bird) is recalling certain 2013-2020 Vision transit buses equipped with Ford engines. The brake light switch mounting bracket may have caused the brake light switch to be incorrectly adjusted at installation and/or the brake light switch mounting bracket may deform when the driver allows the brake pedal to return forcibly. An incorrectly adjusted brake light switch or deformed brake light switch mounting bracket may cause the brake lights to illuminate continuously.
The risk
Improperly functioning brake lights could confuse following motorists and fail to warn them that the bus may be stopping, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Blue Bird issued owners an interim notification December 10, 2019. Dealers will install a new, redesigned brake light switch mounting bracket along with a new brake light switch, free of charge. The recall began March 6, 2020. Owners may contact Blue Bird customer service at 1-478-822-2242. Blue Bird's number for this recall is R19AI-NSB.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by MFR
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Blue Bird Vision | 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 |
| Blue Bird Vision Transit Bus | 2020 |
Components: EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH
Model years in this recall
NHTSA complaints and the number of recall campaigns for each model year this recall covers.
| Model | Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Bird Vision | 2013 | 2 | 25 |
| Blue Bird Vision | 2014 | 0 | 22 |
| Blue Bird Vision | 2015 | 4 | 27 |
| Blue Bird Vision | 2016 | 2 | 27 |
| Blue Bird Vision | 2017 | 1 | 28 |
| Blue Bird Vision | 2018 | 0 | 35 |
| Blue Bird Vision | 2019 | 0 | 41 |
| Blue Bird Vision Transit Bus | 2020 | 0 | 15 |
Other exterior lighting recalls in 2019
74 of the 880 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 2019 concerned the exterior lighting; Blue Bird Body Company filed 162 campaigns in all.
| 19V895000 16 Dec 2019 | Mack Trucks, Inc. |
| 19V878000 11 Dec 2019 | Porsche Cars North America, Inc. |
| 19V850000 27 Nov 2019 | BMW of North America, LLC |
| 19V839000 21 Nov 2019 | Ford Motor Company |
| 19V816000 15 Nov 2019 | Newmar Corporation |
| 19V808000 12 Nov 2019 | Ford Motor Company |
| 19V799000 7 Nov 2019 | Thor Motor Coach |
| 19V795000 6 Nov 2019 | Blue Bird Body Company |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 2019