- 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.)
Vehicle safety record
1997 Amtran RE Problems, complaints & recalls
No owner complaints about the 1997 Amtran RE have been filed with NHTSA. It is covered by 6 recalls, the latest in September 2003 for the body.
NHTSA data checked
CAbout as many problems as a typical RE year, for its age
- Complaints
- 0
- Recalls
- 6
- Crashes
- 0
- Fires
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Deaths
- 0
1997 Amtran RE 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
- Vehicle description: certain school and transit buses were built with a poor quality heater/defroster blower switch. In some cases this has caused the melting of the heater harness connector at the switch terminals or the high-speed wire insulation at the connector. Also, some of the units had improper circuit protection size installed in the heater defroster circuit.
- The risk
- If an operator detects smoke or the smell of melting wire insulation from the blower control panel, the operation of the heater/defroster at high speed should be discontinued until the repair is made.
- The fix
- Owners will be provided with instructions and parts to replace the switch and switch harness with a new switch, switch harness, relay and relay harness. For the re units built prior to january 1, 1999, the kit will also include a 20-ampere manual circuit breaker. Owner notification began december 15, 2001. Owners who do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact amtran at 800-843-5615.
- 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 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.
- The problem
- Vehicle description: school buses. The emergency door hinges that consist of steel pin fittings and/or lacklubrication can bind from rust and/or corrosion.
- The risk
- This could cause difficulty in opening the doors in the event of an emergency.
- The fix
- Owners will be provided with a repair kit and installation instructions. The owners can contact an amtran dealer for assistance if they so desire.
- The problem
- The low pressure power steering return hose can either burst or become disconnected due to increased fluid viscosity in frigid temperatures.
- The risk
- If the low pressure return hose bursts or separates, there would be a loss of power assist to the steering and a reduction in power assist to the brakes on vehicles equipped with hydraulic brakes.
- The fix
- Dealers will replace the return hoses with a hose that can tolerate higher pressures, use improved clamps and a power steering fluid that is less viscous in frigid temperatures.
What owners say
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No complaints about the 1997 Amtran RE 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 RE: every year compared
All RE yearsQuestions about the 1997 Amtran RE
Does the 1997 Amtran RE have any recalls?
Yes - NHTSA lists 6 recalls for the 1997 Amtran RE: body (September 2003); fan / motor (November 2001); labels (February 2001); recliner (March 1999) 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 RE had?
None have been filed with NHTSA so far.
Is the 1997 Amtran RE a reliable vehicle?
Its Safety Index is 54 out of 100 (grade C: about as many problems as a typical Amtran RE 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.
Which Amtran RE years have the most complaints?
1996 (2), 2001 (1). See every Amtran RE year compared.
What should I do if my 1997 Amtran RE 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