Recall 20V409 affects 3,532 2018-2021 Blue Bird All American and Vision school buses for missing seat belt anchorage hardware. Repair is free at Blue Bird dealers.
Blue Bird is recalling 3,532 2018-2021 All American and Vision School Bus vehicles because some three-point seatbelt assemblies were installed without reinforcing washers at the floor anchorage. In a crash, the anchorage can fail to stay secured and increase injury risk for seated occupants; Blue Bird dealers will complete the free repair.
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What's wrong?
The recalled 2018-2021 Blue Bird All American, All American School Bus, Vision School Bus, and Vision buses use seat belt assemblies built into certain passenger seats. Each assembly is anchored through the floor, and the underfloor reinforcement washer spreads crash loads across the floor panel instead of leaving the bolt to pull against a small area.
On affected buses, one of those reinforcement washers was omitted at certain rear seat bolt locations during installation. Without that washer, the seat belt anchorage is not installed as Blue Bird's engineering instructions require. In a crash, the anchorage can fail to stay secured, which increases the risk of injury to the seated occupant.
A corrected seat installation has an underfloor washer at each rear seat bolt location. There is no audible or visual warning before the anchorage problem matters, so an owner or operator is not expected to hear, see, or feel a warning sign before a crash event.
Who's affected?
Covers All American, All American School Bus, Vision School Bus, and Vision buses across the 2018-2021 model years, all tied to the same seat belt anchorage component.
| 2018 Blue Bird All American | seat belt |
|---|---|
| 2020 Blue Bird All American School Bus | seat belt |
| 2021 Blue Bird All American School Bus | seat belt |
| 2021 Blue Bird Vision School Bus | seat belt |
| 2019 Blue Bird Vision | seat belt |
| 2020 Blue Bird Vision School Bus | seat belt |
| 2019 Blue Bird All American | seat belt |
| Units affected | 3,532 |
| Field incidents | NHTSA has logged 17 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?
Seat belt anchorages that do not stay secured in a crash increase the risk of injury for the people in those seats. There is no audible or visual warning before the anchorage fails to protect as intended, so schedule the inspection and hardware repair soon. Repair is free at any franchised Blue Bird dealer.
What should I do?
- Check your VIN to confirm your 2018-2021 Blue Bird All American, All American School Bus, Vision School Bus, or Vision is included in this recall.
- Contact a franchised Blue Bird dealer to schedule the free seat belt anchorage hardware inspection and missing-washer repair.
- Bring the recall notice if Blue Bird mailed one. If not, reference recall number 20V409 when you call.
- Avoid using any seating position with a loose or suspect three-point seat belt until the dealer inspects the anchorage hardware.
What happens at the repair
At the dealer, a Blue Bird technician inspects the seat belt anchorage point hardware under the floor and installs any missing reinforcing washers or related hardware needed to secure the three-point seatbelt assembly. The inspection and repair are free under the recall. Blue Bird has a general reimbursement plan on file for related out-of-pocket repairs paid before the recall work. Bring invoices or repair paperwork to the service desk, or contact Blue Bird customer service, to ask how to submit a documented claim.
| Reimbursement | Reimbursement available |
|---|
Timeline
| July 15, 2020 | NHTSA published the recall |
|---|---|
| August 11, 2020 | Owner notification mailed |
| September 11, 2020 | Dealer notification began |
| September 11, 2020 | Dealer notification ended |
| September 11, 2020 | VIN-searchable in NHTSA's database — Check your VIN to see whether this recall applies to your specific vehicle. |
| September 11, 2020 | Interim owner notification (was planned for this date) |
Frequently asked questions
What is recall 20V409?
Recall 20V409 covers 3,532 2018-2021 Blue Bird All American and Vision school buses with three-point seatbelt anchorage hardware that lacks reinforcing washers under the floor. In a crash, the anchorage point can fail to stay secured, increasing injury risk for those seat occupants.
What should I do if my 2018-2021 Blue Bird All American, All American School Bus, Vision School Bus, or Vision is on this recall?
Check your VIN to confirm your specific bus is included in recall 20V409. If it is, contact a franchised Blue Bird dealer for inspection of the seat belt anchorage hardware. The dealer will install missing hardware as needed for free.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Federal recall law requires the manufacturer to provide the recall repair at no cost. Blue Bird dealers will inspect the seat belt anchorage point hardware and install missing hardware as needed free of charge.
What is the safety risk in recall 20V409?
The risk is that a seat belt anchorage point fails to stay secured during a crash. Blue Bird reported that missing reinforcing washers under the floor can keep the three-point seatbelt assembly from remaining anchored, increasing injury risk for occupants in those seats.
Who can I call about Blue Bird recall 20V409?
Call Blue Bird customer service at 1-478-822-2242 and reference recall 20V409 or Blue Bird recall R20AX. Have the VIN ready so the service team can confirm whether your specific bus is included and direct you to the dealer repair path.
More information
| NHTSA campaign page | nhtsa.gov/vehicle-recalls/20V409000 |
|---|---|
| Blue Bird customer service | 1-478-822-2242 |
| NHTSA recall # | 20V409 |
| NHTSA recall # (full) | 20V409000 |
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 →