Recall 17V202 affects 92 2016 Blue Bird Vision and All American buses for loose seat-belt D-ring nuts. Repair is free at a Blue Bird dealer.
Blue Bird is recalling 92 2016 Vision and All American school buses because certain seats with lap and shoulder belts have a loose or missing D-ring mounting nut. If the shoulder belt D-ring detaches in a crash, the belt can fail to adequately restrain the occupant, increasing the risk of injury; Blue Bird dealers will complete the repair free of charge.
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What's wrong?
The affected 2016 Blue Bird Vision and All American school buses have passenger seats with three-point lap/shoulder belts. The shoulder belt runs through a D-ring, a metal guide that holds the belt in the right path across the passenger's upper body. The D-ring depends on its mounting nut staying tight and in place.
On these seats, the D-ring mounting nut is loose or missing. If the bus is in a crash, the D-ring can detach instead of holding the shoulder belt where it belongs. Blue Bird and the seat supplier were still investigating why the nut was loose or missing, but field inspections confirmed the defect on some belted passenger seats.
There is no audible warning before D-ring detachment. During use, the shoulder belt at the seat pass-through grommet area can feel extraordinarily loose when tugged, and it can pull the seat grommet and cover away from the body of the seat.
Who's affected?
Vision and All American each appear under seat assembly and seat belt components.
| 2016 Blue Bird Vision | seat assembly |
|---|---|
| 2016 Blue Bird Vision | seat belt |
| 2016 Blue Bird All American | seat assembly |
| 2016 Blue Bird All American | seat belt |
| Units affected | 92 |
| Field incidents | NHTSA 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?
A loose or missing shoulder belt D-ring can keep the belt from restraining the seat occupant properly in a crash, increasing injury risk. If the shoulder belt feels unusually loose or pulls the seat grommet and cover away from the seat, treat that as a sign to schedule service soon. Repair is free at any franchised Blue Bird dealer.
What should I do?
- Check your VIN to confirm your 2016 Blue Bird Vision or All American school bus is included in this recall.
- Contact a franchised Blue Bird dealer to schedule the free seat inspection and D-ring mounting-nut repair that keeps the shoulder belt D-ring attached in a crash.
- Bring the recall notice if Blue Bird mailed one. If not, reference recall number 17V202 and Blue Bird recall R17YZ (SB) when you call.
- Call Blue Bird Campaigns Administration at 1-478-822-2242 with questions before the appointment.
- Keep affected seating out of service until the inspection and repair are complete.
What happens at the repair
At the service appointment, Blue Bird has personnel from the school bus seat manufacturer inspect the affected school bus seats and repair the D-ring shoulder belt mounting hardware as needed. The inspection, repair work, parts, and labor are free under the recall. If you already paid for a related seat belt or seat hardware repair, Blue Bird has a general reimbursement plan on file. Ask Blue Bird Campaigns Administration or the service desk what documentation they need for a reimbursement review.
| Reimbursement | Reimbursement available |
|---|
Timeline
| March 23, 2017 | NHTSA published the recall |
|---|---|
| April 12, 2017 | Owner notification mailed |
| April 24, 2017 | Dealer notification began |
| April 24, 2017 | Dealer notification ended |
| April 24, 2017 | VIN-searchable in NHTSA's database — Check your VIN to see whether this recall applies to your specific vehicle. |
| April 24, 2017 | Interim owner notification (was planned for this date) |
Frequently asked questions
What is recall 17V202?
Recall 17V202 covers 92 2016 Blue Bird Vision and All American school buses with certain QS11, QSCR11, QSJ11, and Davenport seats with three-point belts. A loose or missing shoulder-belt D-ring mounting nut can let the D-ring detach in a crash.
What should I do if my 2016 Blue Bird Vision or All American is on this recall?
Check your VIN to confirm whether your specific bus is included in recall 17V202. If it is, contact Blue Bird Campaigns Administration at 1-478-822-2242 or a franchised Blue Bird service location to arrange the seat inspection and repair.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Blue Bird says the affected seats will be inspected and repaired free of charge. The work is handled by personnel from the school bus seat manufacturer, and federal recall rules require the manufacturer to correct the defect at no cost to the owner.
What is the safety risk?
The risk is weaker crash protection for the seated passenger. If the shoulder-belt D-ring detaches during a crash, the seat belt cannot adequately restrain the occupant, which increases injury risk. The repair path is inspection and correction of the affected seat hardware.
More information
| NHTSA campaign page | nhtsa.gov/vehicle-recalls/17V202000 |
|---|---|
| Blue Bird customer service | 1-478-822-2242 |
| NHTSA recall # | 17V202 |
| NHTSA recall # (full) | 17V202000 |
Source documents
-
Download Recall Investigation Document (PDF) (PDF) - Download Owner Notification Letter (PDF)
- Download Recall Report (PDF)
- Download Quarterly Report (PDF)
- Download Recall Acknowledgement (PDF)
This article is generated from NHTSA's primary recall filings and reviewed against the source on May 25, 2026. RecallNotify does not paraphrase NHTSA's consequence language; that text is reproduced as written above. Editorial standards →