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Campaign 13V504 Posted May 10, 2013 402 units

2005-2013 Blue Bird A3RE/D3RE Recall 13V504: Flip Seats

RN
Reviewed by the RecallNotify editorial team
Published June 2, 2026

Recall 13V504 covers 402 2005-2013 Blue Bird A3RE and D3RE school buses for flip-seat foot-injury risk. Free repair once available.

Blue Bird is recalling 402 2005-2013 A3RE and D3RE school buses equipped with C.E. White flip seats because a passenger's foot can enter the lower seat frame. When the flip seat is pushed down for use, the rear passenger can suffer a toe or foot pinch injury; the dealer repair will be free once available.

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What's wrong?

The recalled part on the 2005-2013 Blue Bird A3RE and D3RE school buses is the C.E. White-brand flip seat. A flip seat folds up when it is not in use, which helps keep an aisle or doorway clear. When a passenger sits down, the seat is supposed to lock into a usable position and support the passenger like any other bus seat.

This recall centers on those flip seats, not the engine, brakes, or steering. The available recall summary does not identify a separate latch, hinge, frame, or cushion defect, so owners and fleet operators should describe the issue to a Blue Bird dealer as a C.E. White flip-seat recall under campaign 13V504. The dealer can match the bus and seat equipment to the recall instructions.

There is no warning sign before failure. Do not rely on seat appearance alone to decide whether a bus is included.

Who's affected?

The A3RE and D3RE buses in this recall are tied to the same seat assembly component across the 2005-2013 model-year span.

2005 Blue Bird A3RE seat assembly
2006 Blue Bird A3RE seat assembly
2010 Blue Bird D3RE seat assembly
2006 Blue Bird D3RE seat assembly
2007 Blue Bird D3RE seat assembly
Units affected402

The year and model narrow the scope, but the VIN decides. Check your VIN to confirm whether your specific bus is included.

What's the safety risk?

A passenger seated behind the flip seat can place toes or a foot into the lower frame gap. When another passenger pushes the flip seat bottom down to sit, that gap creates a pinch point and can injure toes or a foot. Keep feet clear of the flip seat frame and schedule the recall work. Repair will be free at any franchised Blue Bird dealer once available.

What should I do?

  1. Check your VIN to confirm your 2005-2013 Blue Bird A3RE or D3RE school bus is included in this recall.
  2. Watch for the owner recall notice before scheduling service, since the remedy status is not listed as available.
  3. Call the recall phone line at 1-800-437-5522 with questions and reference recall number 13V504.
  4. Ask a franchised Blue Bird dealer about the free safety guard that covers the flip-seat lower-frame gap.
  5. Keep passengers' feet clear of the lower frame area around C.E. White flip seats until the guard is installed.

What happens at the repair

At the dealer, a Blue Bird technician will install a safety guard over the gap in the lower frame of the C.E. White flip seat. That guard covers the opening so the seat frame is no longer exposed in that area. The dealer repair will be free once available. School bus owners should wait for recall instructions before arranging the final repair.

Timeline

May 10, 2013 Owner notification mailed
October 17, 2013 NHTSA published the recall

Frequently asked questions

What is recall 13V504?

Recall 13V504 covers 402 2005-2013 Blue Bird A3RE and D3RE school buses with C.E. White-brand flip seats. The lower frame gap creates a pinch point for a passenger seated behind the flip seat. Blue Bird will add a safety guard to cover the gap.

What should I do if my 2005-2013 Blue Bird A3RE or D3RE is on this recall?

Check your VIN to confirm whether your specific school bus is included in recall 13V504. If it is, contact a franchised Blue Bird dealer or service center and reference recall number 13V504. The repair adds a safety guard to the flip-seat frame gap.

Is the recall repair free?

Yes. Federal recall law requires the recall repair to be completed at no cost. For recall 13V504, the repair is a safety guard installed over the lower frame gap in the C.E. White-brand flip seat.

What is the safety risk?

The risk is a toe or foot pinch injury for a passenger seated behind the flip seat. If that passenger places a foot into the lower frame gap, the flip-seat bottom can pinch the foot when another passenger sits down.

What if this Blue Bird school bus was bought used?

The free recall repair still applies. Recall coverage follows the VIN, not the first owner. Check your VIN, then contact a franchised Blue Bird dealer or service center and reference recall number 13V504 if the bus is included.

More information

NHTSA campaign pagenhtsa.gov/vehicle-recalls/13V504000
Blue Bird customer service1-800-437-5522
NHTSA recall #13V504
NHTSA recall # (full)13V504000

Source documents

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 →