The problem
2003 Liberty spirit (freedom) school buses manufactured from june 2002 and december 2002. The washer that is used between the seat leg mounting foot and mounting bolt was is not wide enough or of the proper grade. In the event of a vehicle crash, the seat could separate from the floor. Also, there is insufficient pillar padding which could result in head injuries in the event of a crash.
The risk
These buses fail to conform to federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 222, "School bus passenger seating and crash protection."
The fix
Liberty bus will notify its customers repair the seats with 3 additional washers free of charge. Owner notification began april 2, 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 liberty bus at 419-227-6554.
Contacts
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 Liberty dealer will do the repair free, whether or not you bought the vehicle there. Quote campaign 04V050000.
- 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.