2022 Blue Bird All American School Bus problems, complaints & recalls
Most-reported problem areas: Structure (1) · Electrical System (1)
Safety recalls (10)
Equipment:other:labels 2024-10-11 · campaign 24V758000 · 28,479 vehicles
Defect: Blue Bird Body Company (Blue Bird) is recalling certain 2019-2024 Vision and All American school buses. The emergency exit label operating instructions lettering is too small and may be difficult to read. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 217, "Bus Emergency Exits and Window Retention and Release."
Risk: An emergency exit label that is difficult to read can prevent or delay the use of the emergency exit, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: Dealers will replace the emergency exit label, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 9, 2024. Owners may contact Blue Bird Customer Service at 478-822-2242. Blue Bird's number for this recall is R23CK (SB).
Structure:body:roof And Pillars 2024-07-19 · campaign 24V543000 · 16,708 vehicles
Defect: Blue Bird Bus Company (Blue Bird) is recalling certain 2019-2023 Vision, All American Front Engine, and All American Rear Engine school buses. An exterior roof joint may have been manufactured with insufficient strength that can allow the roof panels to separate in a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 221, "School Bus Body Joint Strength."
Risk: Roof panels that separate during a crash can increase the risk of injury.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the roof panel joints and install additional rivets as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 17, 2024. Owners may contact Blue Bird customer service at 1-478-822-2242.
Seats 2024-02-07 · campaign 24V078000 · 6,691 vehicles
Defect: Blue Bird Body Company (Blue Bird) is recalling certain 2020-2024 Vision 2020-2023 All American school buses. The convertible seats may have been incorrectly installed, which can result in an unsecured seat. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 210, "Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages."
Risk: An unsecured seat may not adequately restrain an occupant, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and repair the seat, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 04, 2024. Owners may contact Blue Bird customer service at 1-478-822-2242. Blue Bird's number for this recall is R24CM-SB.
Structure 2023-11-20 · campaign 23V778000 · 6,124 vehicles
Defect: Blue Bird Body Company (Blue Bird) is recalling certain 2014-2024 All American school buses equipped with 39" High Back seat restraining barriers. The bolts securing the restraining barriers to the floor may separate when fully loaded. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 222, "School Bus Passenger Seating and Crash Protection."
Risk: An unsecured seat restraining barrier may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing their risk of injury.
Fix: Dealers will install a longer bolt with rectangular washer and nut, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed January 16, 2024. Owners may contact Blue Bird customer service at 1-478-822-2242. Blue Bird's number for this recall is R23CU-SB. This recall is an expansion of recall number 23V-777.
Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel 2023-06-13 · campaign 23V425000 · 1,424 vehicles
Defect: Blue Bird Body Company (Blue Bird) is recalling certain 2021-2024 All American and 2021-2022 Vision school buses. A software error in the instrument cluster may cause the air pressure gauges and the visual and audio low air warnings to not function. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 121, "Air Brake Systems."
Risk: Air gauges and warnings that do not alert the driver to air pressure loss can result in driving without functioning brakes, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will update the instrument cluster software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 27, 2023, 2023. Owners may contact Blue Bird's customer service at 1-478-822-2242. Blue Bird's number for this recall is R23CH (School Bus).
Electrical System:propulsion System 2022-07-14 · campaign 22V505000 · 482 vehicles
Defect: Blue Bird Body Company (Blue Bird) is recalling certain 2018-2022 All American and Vision school buses equipped with Cummins PD7000 Electric Drivetrains containing an electric air compressor. The air compressor housing is improperly grounded, causing electrical voltage greater than 50V AC during operation.
Risk: An improperly grounded air compressor can cause electric shock, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: Dealers will install an electrical ground strap between the compressor motor housing and vehicle chassis, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 6, 2023. Owners may contact Blue Bird's customer service at 1-478-822-2242. Blue Bird's number for this recall is R22BY-SB.
Fuel System, Diesel:fuel Injection System:fuel Rail 2021-05-04 · campaign 21V312000 · 1,053 vehicles
Defect: Blue Bird Body Company (Blue Bird) is recalling certain 2018-2022 All American buses. The sealing washer may not seat correctly in the pilot bore holes, allowing the high pressure fuel rail assembly to leak.
Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
Fix: The remedy for this recall is still under development. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 30, 2021. Owners may contact Blue Bird customer service at 1-478-822-2242. Blue Bird's number for this recall is R21BH-SB.
Service Brakes, Air 2021-04-22 · campaign 21V284000 · 1,634 vehicles
Defect: Blue Bird Body Company (Blue Bird) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Vision and All American school buses. A retainer was not properly seated in the SC-3 single check valve and may not provide source air isolation when pressure is applied. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 121, "Air Brake System."
Risk: Unintended spring brake application may occur, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the SC-3 check valves, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on November 18, 2021. Owners may contact Blue Bird customer service at 1-478-822-2242. Blue Bird's number for this recall is R21BE-SB.
Electronic Stability Control (Esc) 2021-02-17 · campaign 21V083000 · 60 vehicles
Defect: Blue Bird Body Company (Blue Bird) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Vision and 2022 All American school buses equipped with hydraulic brakes and electronic stability control (ESC). The Hydraulic Brake control unit (ECU) may not have been programmed correctly, possibly causing the ESC to malfunction.
Risk: If the electronic stability control does not function properly, it can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
Fix: Blue Bird will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the hydraulic brake ECU and repair it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on April 9, 2021. Owners may contact Blue Bird customer service at 1-478-822-2242. Blue Bird's number for this recall is R21BC-SB.
Seat Belts:rear/Other:anchorage 2021-02-12 · campaign 21V070000 · 620 vehicles
Defect: Blue Bird Body Company (Blue Bird) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Vision and All American buses. The seats with integrated 3-point seat belts may have been installed incorrectly. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 210, "Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages."
Risk: An incorrectly installed seat can increase the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Fix: Blue Bird will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the seats and install any missing hardware, as necessary, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin April 9, 2021. Owner notification letters were mailed February 03, 2022. Owners may contact Blue Bird customer service at 1-478-822-2242. Blue Bird's number for this recall is R21BB-SB.
Service bulletins (7)
Technical service bulletins are repair instructions manufacturers send dealers for known issues. Unlike recalls, the fix is not automatically free — but naming the bulletin at the service desk can save diagnosis time and support goodwill repairs.
Power Train 2022-09-02 · SM2203 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
sm2203: ev recommended starting procedure this service memorandum is to announce the proper starting procedure to be followed for all cummins ev powered units. the sequence is required due to multiple electronic modules required to wake up and start communicating over the can (controller area netw
Power Train 2022-09-02 · SM2202 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
sm2022 ev maintenance and service documentation this service memorandum is to announce information on cummins power electric buses now available at quickserve online. dealer must have access to quickserve to obtain these service maintenance and repair procedures.
Engine And Engine Cooling 2022-08-18 · SU2201 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
cummins recently issued temporary repair practice (trp2484) for certain vehicles with def sensor failures in which def sensor replacement parts are not available. this provides a temporary ecm calibration that inhibits engine warning messages for communication errors with the def sensor allowing con
Electrical System 2021-05-18 · SU2105 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
the intent of service update su2105 is to provide service notification of a running product improvement part change to the relay used for diesel exhaust fluid (def) line heaters. the new def line heater relay will be "diode suppressed". the new relay change is being made to improve circuit fault dia
Electrical System 2021-04-23 · SU2104 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
the intent of service update su2104 is to provide a quick reference document of ârequired dealer service support softwareâ for servicing, a current production model blue bird bus. the list includes standard oem bus and truck service software such as; cummins insiteâ®, and allison docâ®, and it a
Electrical System 2021-03-15 · SU2103 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
the intent of service update su2103 is to announce a new shaw development technical bulletin. the technical bulletin is intended to guide shaw development customers in troubleshooting fault codes related to the def tank assembly on cummins engine equipment. this document is intended to be a âlivi
Showing the 6 most recent of 7 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.
What owners report
2025-10-03 · Structure · 101,928 mi“the contact's employer owns a 2022 blue bird conventional. the contact stated that upon further inspection, it was noticed that the battery arms were fracturing at the frame of the bolts. no warning lights were illuminated. the contact related the failure to nhtsa campaign: 17v100000 (structure); however, the vin was not included. the local dealer …”
2022-12-05 · Electrical System · 🔥 fire“"gov caught fire due to heater malfuction per the fire dept." …”
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.