1998 Blue Bird All American Recalls, Complaints & Specs

9 safety recalls list the 1998 Blue Bird All American, and owners have filed 1 complaint with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.

safety recalls

owner complaint to NHTSA

9 safety recalls for the 1998 Blue Bird All American

Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.

Fuel system, diesel

NHTSA 05V062000 Reported February 22, 2005 18,891 vehicles potentially affected BLUE BIRD BODY COMPANY

Certain 1998 through 2002 blue bird all american, tc2000 school and transit buses, and commercial series buses equipped with cummins isb diesel engines. The fuel pump could fail to transfer fuel appropriately creating an engine stall condition.

Remedy: Customers will be notified by cummins to bring their vehicles to an authorized dealer to have the fuel lift pump replaced free of charge. For more information, customers may contact cummins at 1-800-diesels.
Alternator/generator/regulator (electrical system)

NHTSA 03V085000 Reported March 28, 2003 4,302 vehicles potentially affected BLUE BIRD BODY COMPANY

On certain school and transit buses equipped with cummins isb 6 cylinder engines, the lower alternator support brace or mounting hardware can loosen or break which will allow the alternator to drop onto the engine.

Remedy: Cummins will notify customers and replace the upper and lower alternator support brackets free of charge. Owners who take their vehicle to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free…
Labels (equipment)

NHTSA 02V185000 Reported July 15, 2002 408 vehicles potentially affected BLUE BIRD BODY COMPANY

Certain transit buses fail to comply with requirements of federal motor vehicle standard no. 101, "controls and displays." this standard requires specific labeling for "engine start" and "engine stop." the wording of the labels on these vehicles do not meet the requirements of the standard.

Remedy: Owners will be provided with new decals and installation instructions. Owner notification began august 29, 2002. Owners who do not receive the free label and installation instructions within a reasonable time should…
Electrical system: wiring

NHTSA 01V191000 Reported June 11, 2001 5,631 vehicles potentially affected BLUE BIRD BODY COMPANY

Vehicle description: school and transit buses equipped with rear mounted engines. The 12-volt power supply cable(s) may be chaffed by hoses, harnesses, frame components, or clamps.

Remedy: Dealers will remove and inspect the 12-volt power cable(s) from the battery to the starter and, if necessary, will replace the cables. Owner notification began july 30, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an…
Antilock (service brakes)

NHTSA 00V232005 Reported September 8, 2000 10,918 vehicles potentially affected BLUE BIRD BODY COMPANY

Vehicle description: school and transit buses built with bendix air ABS with an ec-17 1030r electronic control unit (ECU), there have been reports of unwanted ABS activation at low speeds caused by 1) chafed ABS wheel speed sensor wires on rotating parts or 2) a damaged component at the wheel end that generates a certain type of erratic…

Remedy: Dealers will replace the ABS ECU.
Foot control/valve (service brakes)

NHTSA 00V162000 Reported June 12, 2000 9,687 vehicles potentially affected BLUE BIRD BODY COMPANY

Vehicle description: school and transit buses equipped with bendix air brakes. Bendix changed the internal design of the qr1c relay valve by adding a hole in the internal diaphragm. When the hole in the diaphragm aligns with the hole in the valve body, the brake application time increases.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the diaphragms with holes with solid diaphragms for the qr1c valves.
Hydraulic power assist system (steering)

NHTSA 00V071000 Reported March 6, 2000 779 vehicles potentially affected BLUE BIRD BODY COMPANY

Vehicle description: front engine school and transit buses. The power distribution unit (pdu) cables are inadequately supported or routed in close proximity to the steering pitman arm.

Remedy: Owners will be provided with step by step repair instructions for re-routing the wires.
Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings (service brakes)

NHTSA 00V051000 Reported February 22, 2000 3,113 vehicles potentially affected BLUE BIRD BODY COMPANY

Vehicle description: school and transit buses equipped with bendix ABS anti-lock braking system. The primary and secondary brake treadle valve air lines were installed incorrectly at the bendix r12dc relay valve.

Remedy: Dealers will correct the air line plumbing at the bendix r12dc relay valve.
Vehicle speed control

NHTSA 98V153000 Reported July 2, 1998 1,896 vehicles potentially affected BLUE BIRD BODY COMPANY

Vehicle description: transit and school buses. Movement of the hand throttle cable in the accelerator bracket rubs a groove in the bracket. The hand throttle cable can become wedged in this groove preventing the accelerator from returning to the idle position.

Remedy: Owners will be contacted and advised to disconnect the hand throttle cable until replacement parts are available.

1 owner complaint filed with NHTSA

Owners of the 1998 Blue Bird All American have filed 1 complaint with NHTSA. Complaints peaked in 2000 with 1 filed that year.

Most-reported components

Service brakes, air: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings1

What owners are reporting

“Bendix ABS anti-lock brking system failed prior to recall notice 00v-051. Nlm”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, May 25, 2000 · Service brakes, air

Compare Blue Bird All American model years

Recall and complaint counts for every Blue Bird All American model year in NHTSA's database.

Model year	Recalls	Complaints
1963 Blue Bird All American	1	0
1964 Blue Bird All American	1	0
1965 Blue Bird All American	1	0
1966 Blue Bird All American	1	0
1967 Blue Bird All American	2	0
1968 Blue Bird All American	4	0
1969 Blue Bird All American	4	0
1970 Blue Bird All American	3	0
1971 Blue Bird All American	4	0
1972 Blue Bird All American	4	0
1973 Blue Bird All American	4	0
1974 Blue Bird All American	5	0
1975 Blue Bird All American	2	0
1976 Blue Bird All American	3	0
1977 Blue Bird All American	2	0
1978 Blue Bird All American	1	0
1979 Blue Bird All American	1	0
1980 Blue Bird All American	3	0
1981 Blue Bird All American	4	0
1982 Blue Bird All American	5	0
1983 Blue Bird All American	3	0
1984 Blue Bird All American	4	0
1985 Blue Bird All American	3	0
1986 Blue Bird All American	5	0
1987 Blue Bird All American	5	0
1988 Blue Bird All American	8	0
1989 Blue Bird All American	10	0
1990 Blue Bird All American	9	0
1991 Blue Bird All American	9	0
1992 Blue Bird All American	9	16
1993 Blue Bird All American	7	0
1994 Blue Bird All American	8	0
1995 Blue Bird All American	11	0
1996 Blue Bird All American	6	0
1997 Blue Bird All American	3	0
1998 Blue Bird All American	9	1
1999 Blue Bird All American	16	0
2000 Blue Bird All American	16	0
2001 Blue Bird All American	14	1
2002 Blue Bird All American	14	1
2003 Blue Bird All American	11	2
2004 Blue Bird All American	15	10
2005 Blue Bird All American	13	1
2006 Blue Bird All American	15	2
2007 Blue Bird All American	21	4
2008 Blue Bird All American	32	4
2009 Blue Bird All American	33	3
2010 Blue Bird All American	42	0
2011 Blue Bird All American	35	0
2012 Blue Bird All American	30	0
2013 Blue Bird All American	28	1
2014 Blue Bird All American	26	0
2015 Blue Bird All American	27	3
2016 Blue Bird All American	20	1
2017 Blue Bird All American	10	0
2018 Blue Bird All American	19	0
2019 Blue Bird All American	26	2

Checking a specific 1998 Blue Bird All American

How do I know if my 1998 Blue Bird All American has an open recall?

Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 9 campaigns currently list the 1998 Blue Bird All American; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.

Is the recall repair free?

Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Blue Bird dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 00V051000).

What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?

A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.

Other Blue Bird models

TC200038 complaints
School Bus33 complaints
Vision23 complaints
Conventional14 complaints
Blue Bird13 complaints
Wanderlodge M450 Lxi9 complaints
All American School Bus8 complaints
Buses8 complaints

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.