Recall 11V499 covers 54 2006-2012 Blue Bird Vision, Conventional, and All American buses for barrier-seat contact. Franchised Blue Bird dealers repair it free.
Blue Bird is recalling 54 2006-2012 Vision, Conventional, and All American school buses because a crash barrier can strike a 2-passenger seat mounted in front of it. The contact point violates the school bus passenger seating standard and can seriously injure seat occupants in a crash; the dealer repair will be free once available.
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What's wrong?
The seat barrier in these 2006-2012 Blue Bird Vision, Conventional, and All American school buses is part of the passenger crash protection system. Its job is to help manage occupant movement in a crash and keep the seating area within the spacing required for school bus safety.
The problem is the position of a 2-passenger seat installed forward of the 39" barrier. In the recalled layout, the barrier is close enough to the seat that, during a crash, the barrier is able to make contact with that seat. That contact means the bus does not meet the federal school bus passenger seating and crash protection standard referenced in campaign 11V499.
There is no warning sign before failure. The bus does not need to make noise, show a warning light, or feel different in normal service because the defect is in the seat and barrier layout.
Who's affected?
The scope spans Vision, Conventional, and All American buses across 2006-2012, with the seat assembly listed for each model.
| 2011 Blue Bird Vision | seat assembly |
|---|---|
| 2008 Blue Bird Vision | seat assembly |
| 2009 Blue Bird Vision | seat assembly |
| 2006 Blue Bird Conventional | seat assembly |
| 2007 Blue Bird Vision | seat assembly |
| 2010 Blue Bird Vision | seat assembly |
| 2012 Blue Bird All American | seat assembly |
| 2008 Blue Bird All American | seat assembly |
| 2006 Blue Bird All American | seat assembly |
| 2009 Blue Bird All American | seat assembly |
| 2010 Blue Bird All American | seat assembly |
| 2011 Blue Bird All American | seat assembly |
| 2007 Blue Bird All American | seat assembly |
| 2006 Blue Bird Vision | seat assembly |
| Units affected | 54 |
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?
In a crash, the seat occupants face a serious injury risk. If your VIN is included, schedule the recall repair soon and keep passengers out of affected seating positions until the dealer gives clear guidance. Repair will be free at any franchised Blue Bird dealer once available.
What should I do?
- Check your VIN to confirm your 2006-2012 Blue Bird Vision, Conventional, or All American bus is included in this recall.
- Contact a franchised Blue Bird dealer to schedule the free seat-barrier repair that fixes the 2-passenger seat and barrier clearance problem.
- Bring the recall notice if Blue Bird mailed one. If not, reference recall number 11V499 when you call.
- Call Blue Bird at 1-478-822-2242 with questions about the repair or dealer scheduling.
What happens at the repair
At the dealer, a Blue Bird technician handles the seating and barrier repair covered by recall 11V499. The work concerns buses with a 2-passenger seat installed forward of the 39-inch barrier, where the barrier can contact the seat in a crash. Blue Bird's remedy says dealers repair the buses free of charge, with owner notification that began on January 18, 2012. Because the current remedy status is not listed as available, confirm the repair path before moving the bus in for service. The dealer repair will be free once available.
Timeline
| October 14, 2011 | NHTSA published the recall |
|---|---|
| January 18, 2012 | Owner notification mailed |
Frequently asked questions
What is recall 11V499?
NHTSA campaign 11V499 covers 54 Blue Bird school buses from 2006-2012 with certain 2-passenger seats installed forward of the barrier. In a crash, the barrier can contact the seat and increase the risk of serious injury. Blue Bird dealers repair the buses for free.
What should I do if my 2006-2012 Blue Bird Vision, Conventional, or All American is on this recall?
Check your VIN to confirm whether your specific bus is included in recall 11V499. If it is, contact a Blue Bird dealer and ask for the free barrier and seating repair. Reference recall number 11V499 when you call.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Federal recall law requires the manufacturer to repair the defect at no cost, and Blue Bird's recall remedy says dealers will repair the affected buses free of charge. The safety recall began on January 18, 2012.
What is the safety risk in recall 11V499?
The risk is serious injury to seat occupants during a crash. NHTSA campaign 11V499 says the barrier can contact a 2-passenger seat installed forward of the barrier, which fails the federal school bus passenger seating and crash protection standard.
What if I bought a Blue Bird bus used?
The free recall repair still applies. Recall coverage follows the bus, not the first owner. Check your VIN to confirm whether the bus is included, then contact a Blue Bird dealer and reference recall number 11V499.
More information
| NHTSA campaign page | nhtsa.gov/vehicle-recalls/11V499000 |
|---|---|
| Blue Bird customer service | 1-478-822-2242 |
| NHTSA recall # | 11V499 |
| NHTSA recall # (full) | 11V499000 |
Source documents
-
Download Recall Document (PDF) (PDF) - Download Owner Notification Letter (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 2, 2026. RecallNotify does not paraphrase NHTSA's consequence language; that text is reproduced as written above. Editorial standards →