Recall 20V234 covers 2,264 2006-2021 Blue Bird Vision and All American school buses for weak parking-brake force. Repair is free at franchised Blue Bird dealers.
Blue Bird is recalling 2,264 2006-2021 Vision, All American, Vision Transit Bus, and Vision School Bus vehicles because the floor-mounted parking brake can fail to hold a fully loaded bus on an incline. Unintended movement increases crash risk, and Blue Bird dealers will complete the recall repair free of charge.
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What's wrong?
The parking brake on 2006-2021 Blue Bird Vision, All American, Vision Transit Bus, and Vision School Bus buses is the brake that holds a stopped bus in place after the driver sets it. On these buses, the system uses a hand lever mounted on the right side of the driver seat to apply holding force through the hydraulic brake setup.
The problem is that the lever does not apply enough force on some buses. Manufacturing variation left the setting lower than intended, and Blue Bird also found that the monthly or 3,000-mile force inspection was not being completed consistently. With too little holding force, a fully loaded bus can fail to stay stationary for 5 minutes on a 20% grade.
There is no audible or visual warning before a rollback event. A driver should not expect a light, chime, or other signal before the parking brake fails to hold the bus on an incline.
Who's affected?
The scope spans standard Vision and All American buses plus Vision Transit Bus and Vision School Bus variants, all tied to the parking brake.
| 2010 Blue Bird Vision | Parking brake |
|---|---|
| 2019 Blue Bird Vision | Parking brake |
| 2008 Blue Bird All American | Parking brake |
| 2009 Blue Bird All American | Parking brake |
| 2010 Blue Bird All American | Parking brake |
| 2011 Blue Bird All American | Parking brake |
| 2012 Blue Bird All American | Parking brake |
| 2017 Blue Bird Vision | Parking brake |
| 2016 Blue Bird Vision | Parking brake |
| 2013 Blue Bird Vision | Parking brake |
| 2015 Blue Bird Vision | Parking brake |
| 2011 Blue Bird Vision | Parking brake |
| 2014 Blue Bird Vision | Parking brake |
| 2009 Blue Bird Vision | Parking brake |
| 2007 Blue Bird Vision | Parking brake |
| 2012 Blue Bird Vision | Parking brake |
| 2018 Blue Bird Vision | Parking brake |
| 2021 Blue Bird Vision Transit Bus | Parking brake |
| 2006 Blue Bird Vision | Parking brake |
| 2007 Blue Bird All American | Parking brake |
| 2013 Blue Bird All American | Parking brake |
| 2008 Blue Bird Vision | Parking brake |
| 2020 Blue Bird Vision Transit Bus | Parking brake |
| 2020 Blue Bird Vision School Bus | Parking brake |
| 2021 Blue Bird Vision School Bus | Parking brake |
| Units affected | 2,264 |
| Field incidents | NHTSA has logged 1 field incident to date. |
The year, model, and bus type narrow the scope, but the VIN decides. Check your VIN to confirm whether your specific bus is included.
What's the safety risk?
An under-applied parking brake allows unintended vehicle movement and increases the risk of a crash. There is no audible or visual warning before the vehicle moves. Until inspected, use extra care when parking: choose level ground when available, set the brake firmly, and follow normal wheel-chocking rules for your bus or fleet. Repair is free at any franchised Blue Bird dealer.
What should I do?
- Check your VIN to confirm your 2006-2021 Blue Bird Vision, All American, Vision Transit Bus, or Vision School Bus is included in this recall.
- Contact a franchised Blue Bird dealer to schedule the free parking-brake hand-lever inspection and adjustment that fixes the insufficient application force.
- Bring the recall notice if Blue Bird mailed one. If not, reference recall number 20V234 when you call.
- Avoid relying on the parking brake alone on an incline until the repair is complete.
- Call Blue Bird customer service at 478-822-2242 with questions and reference Blue Bird recall R20AO-SB.
What happens at the repair
At the dealer, a Blue Bird technician inspects the floor mounted parking brake hand lever assembly and corrects the application force if needed. The inspection and correction are free under the recall, with parts and labor covered. If you already paid for a related parking brake repair before the recall work was handled, Blue Bird's general reimbursement plan covers documented prior expenses. Bring the repair order, payment record, and any related paperwork to the service desk so the claim can be reviewed through that plan.
| Reimbursement | Reimbursement available |
|---|
Timeline
| April 27, 2020 | NHTSA published the recall |
|---|---|
| June 9, 2020 | Owner notification mailed |
| June 24, 2020 | Dealer notification began |
| June 24, 2020 | Dealer notification ended |
| June 24, 2020 | VIN-searchable in NHTSA's database — Check your VIN to see whether this recall applies to your specific vehicle. |
| June 24, 2020 | Interim owner notification (was planned for this date) |
Frequently asked questions
What is recall 20V234?
Recall 20V234 covers 2,264 2006-2021 Blue Bird Vision, All American, Vision Transit Bus, and Vision School Bus vehicles with a floor-mounted parking brake that can fail to hold on an incline when loaded to maximum weight. Blue Bird dealers inspect and correct the parking brake hand lever application force for free.
What should I do if my 2006-2021 Blue Bird Vision, All American, Vision Transit Bus, or Vision School Bus is on this recall?
Check your VIN to confirm your specific bus is included in recall 20V234. If it is, contact a franchised Blue Bird dealer to schedule the parking brake inspection and correction. Reference Blue Bird recall number R20AO-SB when you call. The repair is free.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Federal recall law requires the manufacturer to repair the defect at no cost, and Blue Bird dealers will inspect the floor-mounted parking brake application force hand lever assembly and correct the application force for free.
What is the safety risk?
The parking brake can hold with too little application force on an incline when the bus is loaded to maximum weight. That can allow unintended vehicle movement and increase crash risk. Until the repair is complete, use extra care when parking on slopes and follow fleet safety procedures.
What if I bought this Blue Bird bus used?
The free recall repair still applies. Recall eligibility follows the VIN, not the original buyer. Check your VIN to confirm whether this bus is included in recall 20V234, then call a franchised Blue Bird dealer with the VIN and recall number R20AO-SB.
More information
| NHTSA campaign page | nhtsa.gov/vehicle-recalls/20V234000 |
|---|---|
| Blue Bird customer service | 478-822-2242 |
| NHTSA recall # | 20V234 |
| NHTSA recall # (full) | 20V234000 |
Source documents
-
Download Recall Document (PDF) (PDF) - Download Quarterly Report (PDF)
- Download Recall Document (PDF) (PDF)
- Download Recall Investigation Document (PDF) (PDF)
- Download Owner Notification Letter (PDF)
- Download Owner Notice (PDF)
- Download Recall Report (PDF)
- Download Recall Acknowledgement (PDF)
This article is generated from NHTSA's primary recall filings and reviewed against the source on May 23, 2026. RecallNotify does not paraphrase NHTSA's consequence language; that text is reproduced as written above. Editorial standards →