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Campaign 16V265 Posted May 3, 2016 6 units

2017 Blue Bird Vision/All American Recall 16V265: Seats

RN
Reviewed by the RecallNotify editorial team
Published May 31, 2026

Recall 16V265 affects 6 2017 Blue Bird Vision and All American buses for seat bolt failure. Repair is free at any franchised Blue Bird dealer.

Blue Bird is recalling 6 2017 Vision and All American transit buses because Freedman Integrated Child Seats Passenger Seats have bolts that can fail, letting the seat separate from its base frame. In a crash, that separation increases injury risk for the seat occupant, and Blue Bird dealers will complete the repair free of charge.

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What's wrong?

Integrated Child Seats (ICS) are passenger bus seats with a child restraint built into the seat assembly. On the 2017 Blue Bird Vision and All American buses in this recall, those seats are supposed to stay locked to the base frame while the child restraint holds the passenger in place. The base frame is the structure attached to the bus, so the fasteners carry seat loads during normal use and a crash.

The problem is in the seat fasteners. The hex head cap screws were improperly manufactured, leaving a material flaw that reduces fastener strength. In testing, seat studs fractured and let the seat separate from the base frame. That separation means the child seat no longer stays attached as designed under FMVSS 213, the child restraint standard.

The filing does not describe a light, sound, or driver warning before failure. The stated warning sign is fractured seat studs during normal use, which means the problem shows up at the seat hardware itself.

Who's affected?

Covers both Blue Bird bus lines in the 2017 model year, with the same seat assembly listed for each.

2017 Blue Bird Vision seat assembly
2017 Blue Bird All American seat assembly
Units affected6
Field incidentsNHTSA has logged no field incidents to date.

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?

In a crash, the seat can separate from the base frame, increasing the risk of injury to the seat occupant. Seat stud fractures during normal use are the concern, so schedule the seat replacement soon and keep passengers out of any loose or damaged seat. Repair is free at any franchised Blue Bird dealer.

What should I do?

  1. Check your VIN to confirm your 2017 Blue Bird Vision or All American is included in this recall.
  2. Contact a franchised Blue Bird dealer to schedule the free Freedman ICS passenger-seat replacement that fixes seats that can separate from the base frame.
  3. Bring the recall notice if Blue Bird mailed one. If not, reference recall number 16V265 and Blue Bird recall R16YP-NSB when you call.
  4. Keep passengers out of the affected Freedman ICS seats until the seat replacement is complete.
  5. Call Blue Bird customer service at 1-478-822-2242 with questions about scheduling or repair status.

What happens at the repair

At the dealer, a Blue Bird technician replaces the Freedman Integrated Child Seats passenger seats covered by recall 16V265. The replacement parts and labor are free under the recall. The repair addresses seats that can separate from the base frame because of bolt failure. Blue Bird has a general reimbursement plan on file for eligible owner paid repairs tied to this condition. Bring prior repair paperwork and payment documentation to the service desk so Blue Bird can review the claim under that plan.

ReimbursementReimbursement available

Timeline

May 3, 2016 NHTSA published the recall
May 23, 2016 Owner notification mailed
May 31, 2016 Dealer notification began
May 31, 2016 Dealer notification ended
May 31, 2016 Interim owner notification (was planned for this date)

Frequently asked questions

What is recall 16V265?

Recall 16V265 covers 6 2017 Blue Bird Vision and All American transit buses equipped with Freedman Integrated Child Seats. Bolts in those seats can fail, allowing the seat to separate from the base frame in a crash and increasing injury risk. Blue Bird dealers replace the seats for free.

What should I do if my 2017 Blue Bird Vision or All American is on this recall?

Check your VIN to confirm your specific bus is included in recall 16V265. If it is, contact a franchised Blue Bird dealer to schedule the seat replacement. Reference recall number 16V265 and Blue Bird recall number R16YP-NSB 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 dealers will replace the affected seats free of charge. The repair has been available since the recall began on May 23, 2016.

What is the safety risk?

The safety risk is injury to the seat occupant in a crash. On buses included in recall 16V265, the Integrated Child Seat can separate from the base frame because of bolt failure. Blue Bird's free dealer repair replaces the affected seats.

More information

NHTSA campaign pagenhtsa.gov/vehicle-recalls/16V265000
Blue Bird customer service1-478-822-2242
NHTSA recall #16V265
NHTSA recall # (full)16V265000

Source documents

This article is generated from NHTSA's primary recall filings and reviewed against the source on May 31, 2026. RecallNotify does not paraphrase NHTSA's consequence language; that text is reproduced as written above. Editorial standards →