The Recall Desk
HighNHTSA·11E051000·Announced 2011-12-02

Caterpillar C7 Diesel Engine Recall for Blue Bird School Buses

Caterpillar is recalling C7 diesel engines installed in certain Blue Bird school buses because coolant degradation may cause leaks and stranded vehicles.

What this means for you

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 (stranded vehicles increasing crash risk) where no specific injuries or fatalities have been reported in the source text, fitting the High severity criteria.

Plain-English summary

Caterpillar Inc. is recalling certain C7 diesel engines, 7L, 6-cylinder, turbo and air-to-air aftercooled engines with 190-300 horsepower ratings. These engines were built from December 14, 2006, through January 6, 2009, and sold and installed as original equipment in certain Blue Bird school buses.

The cooling system coolant in this application can degrade, which may cause engine components to prematurely deteriorate. This deterioration can lead to coolant leaks. Loss of coolant can result in stranded vehicles, increasing the risk of a crash.

Caterpillar is working with Blue Bird to identify and notify owners of the recall campaign. The safety recall began on January 1, 2012. Owners may contact Caterpillar at 1-800-447-4986 or the NHTSA Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236.

The recalled product

Product
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING recall
Manufacturer
CATERPILLAR INC.
Category
Vehicle — School Bus Engine
Hazard
Affected units
3,873

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

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