Recall 17V510 covers 309 2015-2019 Blue Bird Vision and All American buses for unpadded D-Ring mounting studs. Repair is free at franchised Blue Bird dealers.
Blue Bird is recalling 309 2015-2019 Vision and All American school buses because certain QS11 convertible seats leave too little padding between the occupant and the D-Ring mounting stud in the upper seatback. In a rear crash, an occupant's head can strike the stud, risking head injury or death; Blue Bird dealers will complete the free repair.
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What's wrong?
The QS11 convertible school bus seat in affected 2015-2019 Blue Bird Vision and All American buses includes a D-Ring mounting stud near the upper seat back frame. That stud is part of the seat belt retractor mounting area, where the belt hardware anchors into the seat structure. In normal use, the seat back padding should keep the occupant separated from hard metal hardware behind the cover.
On these seats, the D-Ring mounting stud is too exposed because the upper seat area does not provide enough padding between the occupant and the stud. HSM identified the issue as a design flaw in the QS11 seat. In a rear collision, the occupant can move into that upper seat back area, and the exposed stud can create an injury point instead of staying isolated behind padding.
There is no warning sign before failure. The issue is built into the seat design, so an occupant will not hear, see, or feel a warning before a crash event.
Who's affected?
Covers Vision buses across 5 model years and All American buses for 2016, all tied to the seat assembly.
| 2016 Blue Bird Vision | seat assembly |
|---|---|
| 2015 Blue Bird Vision | seat assembly |
| 2018 Blue Bird Vision | seat assembly |
| 2017 Blue Bird Vision | seat assembly |
| 2019 Blue Bird Vision | seat assembly |
| 2016 Blue Bird All American | seat assembly |
| Units affected | 309 |
| 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?
In a rear crash, an occupant's head can contact the D-Ring mounting stud, causing head injury or death. There is no audible or visual warning before that crash condition, so arrange the padding repair promptly. Repair is free at any franchised Blue Bird dealer.
What should I do?
- Check your VIN to confirm your 2015-2019 Blue Bird Vision or 2016 Blue Bird All American school bus is included in this recall.
- Contact a franchised Blue Bird dealer to schedule the free D-Ring stud padding repair that adds padding between the seat occupant and the mounting stud.
- Bring the recall notice if Blue Bird mailed one. If not, reference recall number 17V510 when you call.
- Ask the dealer whether affected QS11 convertible seats need use limits before the padding repair is complete.
What happens at the repair
At the dealer, a Blue Bird technician adds the proper padding to the Integra D-Ring mounting studs in the affected convertible school bus seat backs. This padding sits between the seat occupant and the mounting stud so the stud is no longer left with an inadequate padded surface. The recall repair is free, and parts and labor are covered under campaign 17V510. Blue Bird dealers have the repair kit and service procedure for this work.
Timeline
| August 17, 2017 | NHTSA published the recall |
|---|---|
| September 15, 2017 | Owner notification mailed |
| September 18, 2017 | Dealer notification began |
| September 18, 2017 | Dealer notification ended |
| September 18, 2017 | VIN-searchable in NHTSA's database — Check your VIN to see whether this recall applies to your specific vehicle. |
| September 18, 2017 | Interim owner notification (was planned for this date) |
Frequently asked questions
What is recall 17V510?
Recall 17V510 covers 309 2015-2019 Blue Bird Vision school buses and 2016 Blue Bird All American school buses equipped with certain QS11 convertible seats. The D-Ring mounting stud in the seat back lacks proper padding, and Blue Bird dealers install the needed padding for free.
What should I do if my 2015-2019 Blue Bird Vision or 2016 Blue Bird All American is on this recall?
Check your VIN to confirm your specific bus is included in recall 17V510. If it is, contact a franchised Blue Bird dealer to schedule the D-Ring mounting stud padding repair. Reference recall 17V510 or Blue Bird recall number R17ZB-SB when you call.
Does the recall repair cost anything?
No. Federal recall law requires the manufacturer to repair the defect at no cost. Blue Bird dealers equip the affected Integra D-Ring mounting studs with the proper padding free of charge.
What is the safety risk in recall 17V510?
In a rear crash, an occupant's head can contact the D-Ring mounting stud, causing head injury or death. NHTSA campaign 17V510 ties that risk to certain QS11 convertible school bus seats, and the free repair adds the required padding.
When did Blue Bird start the repair for recall 17V510?
Blue Bird began the recall repair on September 15, 2017. If your VIN is included and the bus has not been repaired, contact a franchised Blue Bird dealer or Blue Bird customer service at 1-478-822-2242 and reference recall R17ZB-SB.
More information
| NHTSA campaign page | nhtsa.gov/vehicle-recalls/17V510000 |
|---|---|
| Blue Bird customer service | 1-478-822-2242 |
| NHTSA recall # | 17V510 |
| NHTSA recall # (full) | 17V510000 |
Source documents
-
Download Recall Document (PDF) (PDF) - 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 →