Hickory Springs Recalls School Bus Seats Due to Pedestal Bolt Fracture Risk
Hickory Springs is recalling specific school bus seats because bolts securing the seat pedestal to the floor may fracture, potentially increasing injury risk during a crash.
What this means for you
Our assessment, not the agency’s: severity 4/5 (Severe).
The hazard poses a serious risk of illness, injury, or structural failure. Stop using the product immediately and contact the manufacturer for a refund or repair.
Our severity reasoning: The recall involves a structural vehicle defect where seat anchorages may fail, explicitly increasing the risk of injury during a crash, which aligns with the 'Severe' criteria for structural defects and significant injury reports.
Plain-English summary
Hickory Springs Manufacturing Company (HSM) is recalling certain HSM NextGen 45" 3PT school bus seats, part number GenQ3-45 LH. The recall involves 100 units. The defect involves bolts that secure the rear of the seat pedestal to the floor, which may fracture and allow the pedestal to detach from the bus floor. As a result, these vehicles fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 210, "Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages."
If the floor pedestal disconnects from the floor during a crash, it can increase the risk of injury. HSM will notify the manufacturer that purchased the affected seats, and their dealers will install a new fastener and an additional strap to the rearward seat pedestal, free of charge. The recall began November 16, 2018.
Owners may contact HSM customer service at 1-419-492-2157, extension 243. Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.
The recalled product
- Product
- SEATS recall
- Manufacturer
- Hickory Springs Manufacturing Company
- Category
- Vehicle — School Bus Seats
- Affected units
- 100
Distribution
Distributed nationwide across the United States.
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