The defect
Blue Bird Body Company (Blue Bird) is recalling certain 2018-2021 Vision and All American school buses. The electric drive train cannot detect isolation faults when the high voltage contactors are closed.
The risk
An undetected high voltage isolation can expose service personnel to high voltage, increasing the risk of injury.
The remedy
Blue Bird will notify owners, and dealers will update the Vehicle Control Unit software or install a different combination of High Voltage Power Distribution Unit hardware, free of charge. The recall began on May 22, 2021. Owners may contact Blue Bird customer service at 1-478-822-2242. Blue Bird's number for this recall is R21BD-SB.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by MFR
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Blue Bird ALL American | 2018, 2019 |
| Blue Bird ALL American School Bus | 2020, 2021 |
| Blue Bird Vision | 2018, 2019 |
| Blue Bird Vision School Bus | 2020, 2021 |
Components: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:SHOCK PROTECTION | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:FUSES, RELAYS, CONTACTS, AND SHUNTS | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE
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 ALL American | 2018 | 0 | 19 |
| Blue Bird ALL American | 2019 | 2 | 26 |
| Blue Bird ALL American School Bus | 2020 | 4 | 20 |
| Blue Bird ALL American School Bus | 2021 | 0 | 18 |
| Blue Bird Vision | 2018 | 0 | 35 |
| Blue Bird Vision | 2019 | 0 | 41 |
| Blue Bird Vision School Bus | 2020 | 0 | 29 |
| Blue Bird Vision School Bus | 2021 | 1 | 26 |
Other electrical system recalls in 2021
92 of the 988 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 2021 concerned the electrical system; Blue Bird Body Company filed 162 campaigns in all.
| 21V00N000 29 Dec 2021 | PACCAR Incorporated |
| 21V00K000 28 Dec 2021 | Hyundai Motor America |
| 21V997000 20 Dec 2021 | Jayco, Inc. |
| 21V972000 15 Dec 2021 | Daimler Vans USA, LLC |
| 21V966000 13 Dec 2021 | Autocar, LLC |
| 21V949000 9 Dec 2021 | Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) |
| 21V944000 7 Dec 2021 | Hyundai Motor America |
| 21V941000 6 Dec 2021 | Dennis Eagle Inc. |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 2021