Recall 12V360 affects 23 2013 Blue Bird Vision and All American buses for mismatched seat belt buckles. Free repair at a franchised Blue Bird dealer.
Blue Bird is recalling 23 2013 Vision and All American non-school buses because the driver's seat belt was installed with mismatched buckle parts. The latch plate can look connected without properly engaging the receiver, leaving the driver improperly restrained in a crash or sudden stop; the Blue Bird dealer repair will be free once available.
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What's wrong?
The driver's seat belt in the 2013 Blue Bird Vision and All American buses is the front restraint that holds the driver in place during a crash or sudden stop. Its latch plate, often called the tongue, is supposed to click into the matching buckle receiver and stay locked until the release button is pressed.
On affected buses, the driver's seat belt was installed with mismatched buckle parts. The latch plate from one buckle style can fit into a different style receiver and look connected, but the parts are not properly engaged. That leaves the belt outside the required seat belt assembly standard and means the driver is not getting the restraint the belt is designed to provide.
There is no warning sign before failure. A buckle can appear latched even when the latch plate is not fully locked into the receiver.
Who's affected?
Vision and All American buses share the same front seat belt component in this recall.
| 2013 Blue Bird Vision | seat belt |
|---|---|
| 2013 Blue Bird All American | seat belt |
| Units affected | 23 |
A matching 2013 Blue Bird bus model does not guarantee inclusion. Check your VIN to confirm whether your specific bus is included.
What's the safety risk?
This recall concerns occupant restraint during an accident or sudden stop. If the condition occurs, the seat occupant is not properly restrained and injury risk increases. Until the bus is inspected or repaired, keep riders out of any seating position the dealer identifies as affected. Repair will be free at any franchised Blue Bird dealer once available.
What should I do?
- Check your VIN to confirm your 2013 Blue Bird Vision or All American bus is included in this recall.
- Confirm whether Blue Bird has repair instructions open for your VIN before scheduling service.
- Contact a franchised Blue Bird dealer to ask about the free seat-belt buckle repair that fixes the mismatched driver belt latch and receiver.
- Bring the owner notice if you have it. If not, reference recall number 12V360 when you call.
- Avoid using the bus for passengers until the driver seat belt buckle has been inspected and repaired.
What happens at the repair
Blue Bird has identified a dealer repair for the buses covered by this recall. At the dealer, a Blue Bird technician checks the driver's seat belt buckle assembly and corrects the mismatched buckle parts so the latch plate and receiver match and engage as intended. Blue Bird's source notice does not give a labor time or a more detailed parts list. The final dealer repair will be free once available, with parts and labor covered under the recall.
Timeline
| July 25, 2012 | NHTSA published the recall |
|---|---|
| August 23, 2012 | Owner notification mailed |
Frequently asked questions
What is recall 12V360?
Recall 12V360 covers 23 2013 Blue Bird Vision and All American non-school buses with driver's seat belts that were installed with mismatched buckles. A latch plate can appear to connect while not fully engaged, so the occupant is not properly restrained in a crash or sudden stop. Blue Bird dealers repair the buses for free.
What should I do if my 2013 Blue Bird Vision or All American is on this recall?
Check your VIN to confirm whether your specific bus is included in recall 12V360. If it is, contact a franchised Blue Bird dealer and ask for the free seat belt buckle repair. Reference recall number 12V360 when you call.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Blue Bird's recall remedy says dealers will repair the affected buses free of charge. Federal recall law also requires the manufacturer to correct the safety defect at no cost through a franchised Blue Bird dealer.
What is the safety risk?
The safety risk is that the driver's seat belt latch plate can look connected without being properly engaged. If that happens, the driver is not properly restrained during a crash or sudden stop, which increases injury risk. The dealer repair fixes the buckle mismatch.
More information
| NHTSA campaign page | nhtsa.gov/vehicle-recalls/12V360000 |
|---|---|
| Blue Bird customer service | 1-478-822-2242 |
| NHTSA recall # | 12V360 |
| NHTSA recall # (full) | 12V360000 |
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 →