Recall 10V133 covers 1,622 2008-2011 Blue Bird school buses with Ricon wheelchair lift restraint-belt latches. Ricon provides the free warning decal and training aid.
Blue Bird is recalling 1,622 2008-2011 All American, Conventional, and Micro Bird school buses equipped with Ricon Model S or K Series public use wheelchair lifts. The restraint belt can appear buckled without fully latching, allowing the lift to operate with someone on the platform and putting that person at risk of injury; the Blue Bird dealer repair will be free once available.
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What's wrong?
The affected 2008-2011 Blue Bird All American, Conventional, and Micro Bird school buses use Ricon Model S or K public-use wheelchair lifts. The restraint belt is supposed to lock an occupant in place on the lift platform before the lift moves. Its buckle and tongue act like a gate: when the tongue is fully latched, the lift is allowed to run.
On these lifts, the belt tongue can be inserted into the buckle without fully engaging the latch. The belt then appears latched to the operator, but it is not locked the way it was designed to be. Because the lift control sees the belt as latched, the operator can run the lift with an occupant on the platform even though the restraint belt is not fully secured.
There is no warning sign before failure. The visible problem is that the belt can look latched when the latch has not fully caught, so the operator needs the recall repair rather than a quick visual check alone.
Who's affected?
All American, Conventional, and Micro Bird buses span the 2008-2011 model years, all tied to the same adaptive or mobility equipment component.
| 2008 Blue Bird All American | Equipment adaptive/mobility |
|---|---|
| 2010 Blue Bird Conventional | Equipment adaptive/mobility |
| 2009 Blue Bird All American | Equipment adaptive/mobility |
| 2011 Blue Bird All American | Equipment adaptive/mobility |
| 2010 Blue Bird All American | Equipment adaptive/mobility |
| 2009 Blue Bird Conventional | Equipment adaptive/mobility |
| 2011 Blue Bird Conventional | Equipment adaptive/mobility |
| 2008 Blue Bird Micro Bird | Equipment adaptive/mobility |
| 2009 Blue Bird Micro Bird | Equipment adaptive/mobility |
| 2008 Blue Bird Conventional | Equipment adaptive/mobility |
| 2010 Blue Bird Micro Bird | Equipment adaptive/mobility |
| 2011 Blue Bird Micro Bird | Equipment adaptive/mobility |
| Units affected | 1,622 |
A matching year and model does not guarantee inclusion. Check your VIN to confirm whether your specific bus is included.
What's the safety risk?
A lift that moves while the restraint belt is not properly buckled puts the lift user at risk of injury. Before using the lift, confirm the belt is buckled and stop use if the restraint does not secure as intended. Repair will be free at any franchised Blue Bird dealer once available.
What should I do?
- Check your VIN to confirm your 2008-2011 Blue Bird All American, Conventional, or Micro Bird school bus is included in this recall.
- Contact a franchised Blue Bird dealer or Blue Bird service representative to ask for the Ricon lift warning decal and DVD training aid.
- Reference recall number 10V133 when you call, and say the bus has a Ricon Model S or K Series public-use wheelchair lift.
- Train lift operators to confirm the restraint belt tongue is fully latched before running the wheelchair lift with anyone on the platform.
- Keep the recall notice with the bus maintenance records after the decal and training aid are received.
What happens at the repair
At the dealer, a Blue Bird service desk can coordinate the Ricon remedy for the wheelchair lift. Ricon provides a warning decal and a DVD-based training aid that show the correct restraint belt latching procedure before the lift is operated with a passenger on the platform. Because the remedy status is not listed as available in this campaign data, confirm handling with the Blue Bird dealer before scheduling. The dealer remedy is free once available.
Timeline
| April 5, 2010 | NHTSA published the recall |
|---|---|
| April 27, 2010 | Owner notification mailed |
Frequently asked questions
What is recall 10V133?
Recall 10V133 covers 1,622 2008-2011 Blue Bird All American, Conventional, and Micro Bird school buses with Ricon model S or K series wheelchair lifts. The lift restraint belt can look latched without being fully engaged, allowing lift operation with an occupant on the platform.
What should I do if my 2008-2011 Blue Bird All American, Conventional, or Micro Bird is on this recall?
Check your VIN to confirm your specific school bus is included in recall 10V133. If it is, contact a franchised Blue Bird dealer or Ricon at 1-818-267-3000 for the warning decal and DVD-based training aid tied to this lift restraint-belt campaign.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Federal recall law requires the recall remedy to be provided at no cost. For recall 10V133, Ricon handled the remedy by providing customers with a warning decal and DVD-based training aid for the affected wheelchair lift restraint belt.
What is the safety risk?
The safety risk is injury to the lift user if the platform moves while the restraint belt is not properly buckled. The problem is tied to a belt tongue that appears latched even when the latching mechanism is not fully engaged.
What warning signs should I watch for?
Watch for a restraint belt tongue that looks inserted but is not fully latched in the buckle. Before operating the wheelchair lift, confirm the belt is fully engaged and latched, since the lift can run when the belt only appears secured.
More information
| NHTSA campaign page | nhtsa.gov/vehicle-recalls/10V133000 |
|---|---|
| Blue Bird customer service | 1-818-267-3000 |
| NHTSA recall # | 10V133 |
| NHTSA recall # (full) | 10V133000 |
Source documents
-
Download Recall Document (PDF) (PDF) - Download Owner Notification Letter (PDF)
- Download Recall Document (PDF) (PDF)
- Download Owner Notice (PDF)
- Download Defect / Noncompliance Notice (PDF) (PDF)
- Download Recall Acknowledgement (PDF)
This article is generated from NHTSA's primary recall filings and reviewed against the source on June 3, 2026. RecallNotify does not paraphrase NHTSA's consequence language; that text is reproduced as written above. Editorial standards →