The Recall Desk
HighNHTSA·16V405000·Announced 2016-06-06

Blue Bird Recalls Transit Buses with Defective Wheelchair Lifts

Blue Bird is recalling 2015-2017 All American and 2016-2017 Vision transit buses equipped with Ricon S-Series wheelchair lifts due to potential platform cracking and bearing displacement.

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 where injury has not yet been reported, fitting the 'High' severity criteria for potential injury to lift operators.

Plain-English summary

Blue Bird Body Company is recalling certain model year 2015-2017 All American transit buses and 2016-2017 Vision transit buses. The affected vehicles were manufactured between November 13, 2014, and May 4, 2016, for the All American model, and between May 30, 2015, and February 2, 2016, for the Vision model. These specific vehicles are equipped with Ricon S-Series (S2005 and S5510) wheelchair lifts.

The recall addresses a defect where the platform side plate on the wheelchair lifts may crack. Additionally, the lifts are equipped with folding link arms that may have pivot holes that are too big, allowing the bearings to move out of position. If the platform side plates crack or the platform mounting fails from out-of-position bearings, the lift platform can separate from the lift and come to rest against the vehicle's lift door. When the vehicle's doors are opened, the platform may fall onto the lift operator, increasing their risk of injury.

Blue Bird will notify owners, and Ricon dealers will inspect the link arms for damage or for displaced bearings. The platform will be inspected for cracks. Any damaged parts will be replaced, free of charge. The recall began on June 27, 2016. Owners may contact Blue Bird customer service at 1-478-822-2242 or Ricon Customer Service at 1-800-322-2884. The recall number for Blue Bird is R16YR-NSB.

The recalled product

Product
BLUE BIRD VISION, ALL AMERICAN
Brand
BLUE BIRD
Affected units
32

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 (2)

  • VISION
  • ALL AMERICAN

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.