The problem
On certain rear engine (a3re) school buses, the type and location of the fasteners used to retain the seat belt in the last row of seats does not conform to blue bird engineering specifications.
The risk
This installation may not adequately retain seat belts in the event of a severe crash.
The fix
Blue bird will provide its distributors and owners the parts and instructions to install the correct fasteners free of charge. Owner notification is expected to begin november 20, 2003. Owners who do not receive the parts and installation instructions within a reasonable time should contact blue bird at 1-478-822-2242.
Contacts
Blue bird recall no. R03hc. Also, customers can 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 03V362000.
- 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.