- The problem
- Certain fe school and commercial buses built with ce white driver seats with a pedestal style mount and manufactured between january 10, 1992 through february 24, 2004. These pedestals can develop cracks rendering the seat unstable.
- The risk
- In the event of a vehicle crash, the seat could separate from the base, possibly resulting in personal injury or death.
- The fix
- Ic will notify its customers and repair the seat by replacing the upper portion of the assembly with a more robust design. The recall began june 3, 2005. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact ic compliance department at 1-800-843-5615.
Vehicle safety record
1997 Amtran FE Problems, complaints & recalls
No owner complaints about the 1997 Amtran FE have been filed with NHTSA. It is covered by 6 recalls, the latest in September 2004 for the seats.
NHTSA data checked
CAbout as many problems as a typical FE year, for its age
- Complaints
- 0
- Recalls
- 6
- Crashes
- 0
- Fires
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Deaths
- 0
1997 Amtran FE recalls 6
Recall repairs are free. Your dealer fixes them whether or not you bought the car there - check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see if yours is done. What to do
- The problem
- Certain fe model school buses manufactured from october 14, 1991, and march 4, 2003. A gap between the modesty panel and the wheel well located behind the driver's seat can be created if the panel is bent out of position. Under the panel, the edges are sharp and jagged.
- The risk
- Should someone reach under the panel, they could cut thier hands, fingers, or toes on the jagged edges.
- The fix
- Ic will notify its customers and repair the panel free of charge. Owner notification is expected to begin january 20, 2004. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact ic corporation compliance department toll-free at 1-800-843-5615. Customers can locate the nearest dealer by calling 1-800-993-7686.
- The problem
- Ce model school buses which fail to comply to federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 221, School bus body joint strength. The roof top sheet may be improperly located, reducing the material edge distance at the rivet line.
- The risk
- In the event of a vehicle crash, the joint strenght could fail possibily resulting in injuries to the vehicle occupants.
- The fix
- Ic will notify its customers and will provide inspection and repair instruction. The recall began on january 25, 2005. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact ic customer service at (we do not yet have a telephone number for this campaign.)
- The problem
- Vehicle description: school and transit buses. Some certification labels displayed the incorrect tire pressure for the tire specified to meet the gross axle weight rating for the front and/or rear axles. This does not meet the certain requirements of fmvss no. 120, "Tire selection and rims for motor vehicles other than passenger cars," and 49 cfr part 567, "certification."
- The risk
- Under or over-inflated tires can cause or contribute to premature tire failure, possibly resulting in a sudden blowout or other failure which could result in a loss of control of the vehicle.
- The fix
- New certification labels are being provided to owners. Owner notification began march 16, 2001. Owners who do not receive the free certification label within a reasonable time should contact amtran at 1-800-993-7686.
- The problem
- Vehicle description: school bus. An air brake line controlling the rear brakes may be too close to the exhaust pipe and could rupture at any time without warning.
- The risk
- Exhaust pipe heat can melt or cause premature failure of this air line if the air line is routed too close to the exhaust pipe.
- The fix
- Dealers will install a new elbow fitting and reroute the air line. The air line will also be inspected and replaced if found to be damaged from the exhaust pipe.
- The problem
- Vehicle description: school buses equipped with flip seats at the emergency exits. The seat cushion hinge on the combination flip seat is located in such a manner that it is within easy reach of the passenger sitting in the seat located behind the combo flip seat.
- The risk
- The hinges on the combo flip seat can cause a pinching condition, resulting in personal injury.
- The fix
- Owners will be notified and sent kits to remedy these seats.
What owners say
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No complaints about the 1997 Amtran FE yet
No owner has filed a complaint about this vehicle with NHTSA. If yours has a problem, share it here and report it to NHTSA.
Amtran FE: every year compared
All FE yearsQuestions about the 1997 Amtran FE
Does the 1997 Amtran FE have any recalls?
Yes - NHTSA lists 6 recalls for the 1997 Amtran FE: seats (September 2004); body (January 2004); body (September 2003); labels (February 2001) and more. Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours has been fixed.
How many complaints has the 1997 Amtran FE had?
None have been filed with NHTSA so far.
Is the 1997 Amtran FE a reliable vehicle?
Its Safety Index is 50 out of 100 (grade C: about as many problems as a typical Amtran FE year, for its age). The index weighs complaints, crashes, fires, injuries, deaths and recalls against how long the vehicle has been on the road, compared with the same model's other years. It is not a measure of every repair - read the complaints and owner experiences, and have any used vehicle inspected before you buy.
What should I do if my 1997 Amtran FE has a problem?
If it is a safety problem, stop driving it if it is unsafe and contact your dealer. Report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem - enough reports start investigations and recalls - and share your experience here so other owners know what to look for.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints and recalls, checked . Complaints are owners' own reports and are not verified. How we use the data