The Recall Desk
Our severity:SevereNHTSA·21V284000·Announced 2021-04-22

Blue Bird Recalls 2020-2022 School Buses Due to Brake Valve Defect

Blue Bird is recalling 2020-2022 Vision and All American school buses because a check valve may fail to isolate air, potentially causing unintended spring brake application and increasing crash risk.

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 in the air brake system that may cause unintended spring brake application, increasing the risk of a crash. This aligns with the rubric criterion for 'structural vehicle defect' or 'significant injury/property-damage reports' (implied by crash risk), warranting a score of 4.

Plain-English summary

Blue Bird Body Company is recalling certain 2020-2022 Vision and All American school buses. The recall addresses a defect in the SC-3 single check valve where a retainer was not properly seated. This issue may prevent the valve from providing source air isolation when pressure is applied, causing the vehicles to fail compliance with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 121, "Air Brake System."

The defect may result in unintended spring brake application, which increases the risk of a crash. The recall covers 1,634 vehicles. Owner notification letters were mailed on November 18, 2021.

Dealers will replace the SC-3 check valves free of charge. Owners may contact Blue Bird customer service at 1-478-822-2242 or the NHTSA Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236. Blue Bird's recall number is R21BE-SB.

The recalled product

Product
BLUE BIRD ALL AMERICAN SCHOOL BUS, VISION SCHOOL BUS
Brand
BLUE BIRD
Manufacturer
Blue Bird Body Company
Category
Vehicle — School Bus
Hazard
Affected units
1,634

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)

  • ALL AMERICAN SCHOOL BUS
  • VISION SCHOOL BUS

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

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