Collins Recalls 2009 School Buses for Rear Light Signal Confusion
Collins is recalling 2009 Bantam, Super Bantam, and Grand Bantam school buses because the rear brake and turn signal lights may flash incorrectly, increasing crash risk.
What this means for you
Our assessment, not the agency’s: severity 3/5 (High).
Real risk of harm even if no illness or injury has been reported yet. Stop using the product and follow the agency's guidance.
Our severity reasoning: The recall involves a risk-of-harm product where the defect increases the risk of a crash, but no injuries or fatalities have been reported in the source text.
Plain-English summary
Collins Bus Corporation is recalling certain 2009 model year Bantam, Super Bantam, and Grand Bantam school buses manufactured between April 1 and October 1, 2009. These vehicles were built on Ford cutaway chassis. The recall addresses a defect in the brake-turn separator module, which controls the rear brake lights and turn signals.
The module may not correctly distinguish between brake and turn signal inputs from the Ford chassis wiring. While the lights typically function properly, if the brakes are pumped or applied at a frequency matching the blinking turn signal while the turn indicator is on, the brake signal may temporarily cancel the turn signal or cause it to flash intermittently. This can confuse vehicles behind the bus regarding whether it is turning or stopping, thereby increasing the risk of a crash.
Owners should contact Collins toll-free at 1-800-533-1850 ext. 424. Dealers will replace the brake-turn signal separator module, if the bus is equipped with one, free of charge. The safety recall began on March 2, 2010. Owners may also contact the NHTSA Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 or visit safercar.gov.
The recalled product
- Product
- COLLINS SUPER BANTAM, GRAND BANTAM, BANTAM
- Brand
- COLLINS
- Manufacturer
- COLLINS BUS CORPORATION
- Category
- Vehicle — School Bus
- Affected units
- 112
Is your product affected?
Check your packaging against the codes below. If any of them match, the product is part of this recall.
Model numbers (3)
- SUPER BANTAM
- GRAND BANTAM
- BANTAM
Distribution
Distributed nationwide across the United States.
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