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2016 Blue Bird All American Recalls, Complaints & Specs

20 safety recalls list the 2016 Blue Bird All American, and owners have filed 1 complaint with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.

20
safety recalls
1
owner complaint to NHTSA

20 safety recalls for the 2016 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.

  1. Structure

    NHTSA 23V778000 Reported 6,124 vehicles potentially affected Blue Bird Body Company

    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…

    Remedy: 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…

  2. Barriers (seats)

    NHTSA 20V125000 Reported 2,790 vehicles potentially affected Blue Bird Body Company

    Blue Bird Body Company (Blue Bird) is recalling certain 2008-2021 Vision and All American school buses. The seat barrier behind the driver seat with an integrated 3-point seat belt may have been installed incorrectly and may be missing the reinforcing bracket. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor…

    Remedy: Blue Bird will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and properly install the seat barrier including adding reinforcing bracket, as necessary, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin April 23, 2020. Owners…

  3. Disc (service brakes)

    NHTSA 19V391000 Reported 4,218 vehicles potentially affected Blue Bird Body Company

    Blue Bird Body Company (Blue Bird) is recalling certain 2015-2020 Vision and All American school buses equipped with Bendix ADB22X air brakes. The driver side rear brakes may drag.

    Remedy: Blue Bird will notify owners, and dealers will install a new caliper with an updated clearance adjustment mechanism, free of charge. Blue Bird issued owners interim notification on July 18, 2019. The recall began…

  4. Caliper (service brakes)

    NHTSA 19V393000 Reported 70 vehicles potentially affected Blue Bird Body Company

    Blue Bird Body Company (Blue Bird) is recalling certain 2016-2020 Vision and 2015-2020 All American non-school buses equipped with ADB22X disc brakes. The driver side rear brakes may drag.

    Remedy: Blue Bird will notify owners, and dealers will install a new caliper with an updated clearance adjustment mechanism, free of charge. Blue Bird issued owners interim notification on July 18, 2019. The recall began…

  5. Equipment adaptive/mobility

    NHTSA 19V082000 Reported 787 vehicles potentially affected Blue Bird Body Company

    Blue Bird Body Company (Blue Bird) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Vision and All American school buses equipped with Ricon S-Series Titanium Wheelchair lifts. The wheelchair lift positioning input cam may fail while the lift is in use, allowing the platform to travel higher than the vehicle's floor height. As such, this vehicle fails to…

    Remedy: Blue Bird will notify owners, and Ricon dealers will replace the wheelchair lift positioning input cam, free of charge. The recall began March 4, 2019. Owners may contact Ricon customer service at 1-800-322-2884. Blue…

  6. Equipment

    NHTSA 18V801000 Reported 86 vehicles potentially affected Blue Bird Body Company

    Blue Bird Body Company (Blue Bird) is recalling certain 2007-2019 Blue Bird All American ambulance buses. The clamps that secure the stacked stretchers may fail from repeated use or from high loads.

    Remedy: Blue Bird will notify owners, and dealers will install redesigned clamps, free of charge. The recall began December 12, 2018. Owners may contact Blue Bird customer service at 1-478-822-2242. Blue Bird's number for this…

  7. Seats

    NHTSA 17V510000 Reported 309 vehicles potentially affected Blue Bird Body Company

    Blue Bird Body Company (Blue Bird) is recalling certain model year 2015-2019 Vision and model year 2016 All American school buses equipped with certain QS11 series convertible school bus seats supplied by CE White/HSM Solutions. The integral D-Ring mounting stud located in the upper area of the seat back frame does not provide an…

    Remedy: Blue Bird will notify owners, and dealers will equip the Integra D-Ring mounting studs with the proper padding, free of charge. The recall began on September 15, 2017. Owners may contact Blue Bird customer service at…

  8. Seats and seat belts

    NHTSA 17V202000 Reported 92 vehicles potentially affected Blue Bird Body Company

    Blue Bird Body Company (Blue Bird) is recalling certain 2016 Vision and All American school buses, equipped with certain QS11, QSCR11, QSJ11, and Davenport school bus seats that include three-point lap/shoulder seat belts. These seats may have a loose or missing D-ring mounting nut, allowing the shoulder belt D-ring to detach in a crash.

    Remedy: Blue Bird will notify owners, and personnel from the school bus seat manufacturer will inspect and repair the affected seats, free of charge. The recall began on April 12, 2017. Owners may contact Blue Bird Campaigns…

  9. Equipment

    NHTSA 16V405000 Reported 32 vehicles potentially affected Blue Bird Body Company

    Blue Bird Body Company (Blue Bird) is recalling certain model year 2015-2017 All American transit buses manufactured from November 13, 2014, through May 4, 2016, and 2016-2017 Vision transit buses manufactured from May 30, 2015, through February 2, 2016, equipped with Ricon S-Series (S2005 and S5510) wheelchair lifts. In the affected…

    Remedy: 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…

  10. Seats

    NHTSA 16V172000 Reported 67 vehicles potentially affected Blue Bird Body Company

    Blue Bird Body Company (Blue Bird) is recalling certain model year 2011-2017 All American school buses manufactured from August 20, 2010, through December 16, 2015. Buses with rear side emergency doors have seats over the wheelhouse area whose rear legs may detach from the floor in a crash, resulting in belted occupants traveling…

    Remedy: Blue Bird will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear leg assembly, free of charge. The recall began on April 19, 2016. Owners may contact Blue Bird customer service at 1-478-822-2242. Blue Bird's recall…

  11. School bus stop arm assembly (other)

    NHTSA 16V006000 Reported 112 vehicles potentially affected Blue Bird Body Company

    Blue Bird Body Company (Blue Bird) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 All American school buses manufactured May 18, 2015, to November 9, 2015, and Vision school buses manufactured May 8, 2015, to October 27, 2015, equipped with certain Transpec T6000, T6100, and T7000 series school bus stop arms. The affected stop arms have a…

    Remedy: Blue Bird will notify owners, and dealers will replace the stop arm blade assembly, free of charge. The recall began on January 28, 2016. Owners may contact Blue Bird customer service at 1-478-822-2242 or the…

  12. Engine (engine and engine cooling)

    NHTSA 15V293000 Reported 840 vehicles potentially affected Blue Bird Body Company

    Blue Bird Body Company (Blue Bird) is recalling certain model year 2009-2016 All American rear engine school buses manufactured December 7, 2008, to May 11, 2015, and equipped with certain Cummins Westport ISL G engines. Excessive engine crankcase pressures may cause the 90-degree elbow of the vent tube assembly to detach from the…

    Remedy: Cummins will notify owners on behalf of Blue Bird, and Cummins service centers will administer the repairs which include securing the ends of the 90-degree elbow and reprogramming the electronic control module (ECM)…

  13. Engine (engine and engine cooling)

    NHTSA 15V294000 Reported 34 vehicles potentially affected Blue Bird Body Company

    Blue Bird Body Company (Blue Bird) is recalling certain model year 2009-2016 All American rear engine non school buses manufactured December 7, 2008, to May 11, 2015, and equipped with certain Cummins Westport ISL G engines. Excessive engine crankcase pressures may cause the 90-degree elbow of the vent tube assembly to detach from the…

    Remedy: Cummins will notify owners on behalf of Blue Bird, and Cummins service centers will administer the repairs which include securing the ends of the 90-degree elbow and reprogramming the electronic control module (ECM)…

  14. Seats

    NHTSA 15V277000 Reported 36 vehicles potentially affected Blue Bird Body Company

    Blue Bird Body Company (Blue Bird) is recalling certain model year 2016 Vision and All American rear engine school buses manufactured February 11, 2015, to April 2, 2015. The affected vehicles have seat bottoms whose foam core may not meet the flammability requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 302,…

    Remedy: Blue Bird will notify owners, and dealers will replace the school bus seat bottoms with foam that is compliant to the safety standard, free of charge. The recall began on June 9, 2015. Owners may contact Blue Bird…

  15. Seat belts

    NHTSA 15V136000 Reported 1,344 vehicles potentially affected Blue Bird Body Company

    Blue Bird Body Company (Blue Bird) is recalling certain model year 2013-2016 All American A3FE, A3RE, T3FE, T3RE, and D3RE school buses manufactured June 28, 2012, to September 25, 2014, and 2013-2016 Vision BBCV school buses manufactured June 9, 2012, to September 30, 2014. Incorrect fasteners may have been used to secure the seat…

    Remedy: Blue Bird will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the the seat gusset reinforcement mounting fasteners, and will install an additional gusset reinforcement bracket, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began…

  16. Steering

    NHTSA 15V124000 Reported 399 vehicles potentially affected Blue Bird Body Company

    Blue Bird Body Company (Blue Bird) is recalling certain 2016 All American school buses manufactured from September 11, 2014, through January 8, 2015. In the affected vehicles, a clamp on the steering shaft may come in contact with the rubber boot at the floor.

    Remedy: Blue Bird will notify owners, and dealers will relocate the rubber boot and install a new steering shaft clamp, free of charge. The recall began on March 26, 2015. Owners may contact Blue Bird Customer Service at…

  17. Steering

    NHTSA 15V118000 Reported 40 vehicles potentially affected Blue Bird Body Company

    Blue Bird Body Company (Blue Bird) is recalling certain 2016 All American transit buses manufactured from September 15, 2014, through January 12, 2015. In the affected vehicles, a clamp on the steering shaft may come in contact with the rubber boot at the floor.

    Remedy: Blue Bird will notify owners, and dealers will relocate the rubber boot and install a new steering shaft clamp, free of charge. The recall began on March 25, 2015. Owners may contact Blue Bird Customer Service…

  18. Exhaust system (engine and engine cooling)

    NHTSA 15V059000 Reported 1,936 vehicles potentially affected Blue Bird Body Company

    Blue Bird Body Company (Blue Bird) is recalling certain model year 2011-2016 All American rear engine school buses manufactured June 5, 2010, to January 13, 2015. In the affected school buses, the exhaust system hangers may fail, possibly causing damage to the Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) and the Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF)…

    Remedy: Blue Bird will notify owners, and dealers will install new bolted hanger assemblies and support cables, free of charge. The recall began on March 6, 2015. Owners may contact Blue Bird customer service at…

  19. Exhaust system (engine and engine cooling)

    NHTSA 15V060000 Reported 474 vehicles potentially affected Blue Bird Body Company

    Blue Bird Body Company (Blue Bird) is recalling certain model year 2011-2016 All American rear engine transit buses manufactured June 5, 2010, to January 13, 2015. In the affected transit buses, the exhaust system hangers may fail, possibly causing damage to the Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) and the Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF)…

    Remedy: Blue Bird will notify owners, and dealers will install new bolted hanger assemblies and support cables, free of charge. The recall began on March 5, 2015. Owners may contact Blue Bird customer service at…

  20. Parking brake

    NHTSA 14V798000 Reported 304 vehicles potentially affected Blue Bird Body Company

    Blue Bird Body Company (Blue Bird) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Vision and All American school buses manufactured July 8, 2014, to September 22, 2014. These buses, equipped with hydraulic brakes, may have an incorrectly manufactured parking brake pedal assembly which could separate and bend causing the parking brake not to…

    Remedy: Blue Bird will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the date code on the parking brake pedal assembly and will replace the assembly if it is within that date range, free of charge. The recall began on January 29,…

1 owner complaint filed with NHTSA

Owners of the 2016 Blue Bird All American have filed 1 complaint with NHTSA. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 17,000 miles. Complaints peaked in 2017 with 1 filed that year.

Most-reported components

What owners are reporting

“Side window of school bus broke into shards when hit by a quarter thrown by a student. Notified local bluebird rep. 11/29/2017.. All the side windows were replaced w/ new. Additional 3 other buses cha”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, April 7, 2017 · Unknown or other

Compare Blue Bird All American model years

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

Model yearRecallsComplaints
1963 Blue Bird All American10
1964 Blue Bird All American10
1965 Blue Bird All American10
1966 Blue Bird All American10
1967 Blue Bird All American20
1968 Blue Bird All American40
1969 Blue Bird All American40
1970 Blue Bird All American30
1971 Blue Bird All American40
1972 Blue Bird All American40
1973 Blue Bird All American40
1974 Blue Bird All American50
1975 Blue Bird All American20
1976 Blue Bird All American30
1977 Blue Bird All American20
1978 Blue Bird All American10
1979 Blue Bird All American10
1980 Blue Bird All American30
1981 Blue Bird All American40
1982 Blue Bird All American50
1983 Blue Bird All American30
1984 Blue Bird All American40
1985 Blue Bird All American30
1986 Blue Bird All American50
1987 Blue Bird All American50
1988 Blue Bird All American80
1989 Blue Bird All American100
1990 Blue Bird All American90
1991 Blue Bird All American90
1992 Blue Bird All American916
1993 Blue Bird All American70
1994 Blue Bird All American80
1995 Blue Bird All American110
1996 Blue Bird All American60
1997 Blue Bird All American30
1998 Blue Bird All American91
1999 Blue Bird All American160
2000 Blue Bird All American160
2001 Blue Bird All American141
2002 Blue Bird All American141
2003 Blue Bird All American112
2004 Blue Bird All American1510
2005 Blue Bird All American131
2006 Blue Bird All American152
2007 Blue Bird All American214
2008 Blue Bird All American324
2009 Blue Bird All American333
2010 Blue Bird All American420
2011 Blue Bird All American350
2012 Blue Bird All American300
2013 Blue Bird All American281
2014 Blue Bird All American260
2015 Blue Bird All American273
2016 Blue Bird All American201
2017 Blue Bird All American100
2018 Blue Bird All American190
2019 Blue Bird All American262

Checking a specific 2016 Blue Bird All American

How do I know if my 2016 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. 20 campaigns currently list the 2016 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 14V798000).

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

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.