The problem
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.
The risk
Under certain conditions, such as parked on an incline, driver activates the parking brake but removes foot from the threadle valve, the bus could roll before the parking brake is fully engaged.
The fix
Dealers will replace the diaphragms with holes with solid diaphragms for the qr1c valves.
Contacts
Owner notification began june 14, 2000. 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 blue bird at 1-912-825-2021. Also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-dash-2-dot (1-888-327-4236).
What to do
- Check your VIN. Enter it at nhtsa.gov/recalls - it shows whether this recall applies to your vehicle and whether the repair has been done.
- Call a dealer. Any authorized Blue Bird dealer will do the repair free, whether or not you bought the vehicle there. Quote campaign 00V162000.
- Ask about parts and a loaner. If parts aren't available yet, ask what to do in the meantime.
- Keep your paperwork. If you paid for this repair before the recall, you may be able to get reimbursed - here's how.