Recall 21V070 affects 620 2019-2022 Blue Bird Vision and All American school buses for incorrectly installed seats with 3-point belts. Free repair once Blue Bird opens it.
Blue Bird is recalling 620 2019-2022 Vision, Vision School Bus, and All American School Bus units under recall 21V070 because seats with integrated 3-point seat belts were installed incorrectly, leaving the buses out of compliance with federal anchorage standards. An incorrectly installed seat raises the risk of injury in a crash, and the dealer repair will be free once Blue Bird opens it.
Does this recall apply to your specific vehicle?
The official, free per-VIN recall check is run by NHTSA. Enter your VIN and we'll forward you directly — and add you to a free watchlist so you hear about new recalls for your vehicle.
Check my VIN at NHTSARecallNotify doesn't check your VIN — NHTSA's official tool does. We use your email only to alert you to new recalls.
Watch this vehicle for recalls
Add it to your free watchlist and we will alert you as new federal recalls are posted for your year, make and model. New-recall alerts are rolling out now.
You are on the watchlist.
We will email you as new federal recalls are posted for your vehicle.
What's wrong?
On 2019-2022 Blue Bird Vision and All American school buses, certain passenger seats use an integrated 3-point seat belt anchored through the seat itself into a track bolted to the floor. The track and its attachment hardware are what hold the seat, the belt, and the rider in place during a crash. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 210 sets the strength requirements for those anchorages.
On the affected buses, some of the attachment hardware that secures the seat track to the floor was left out during installation. With pieces of that hardware missing, the seat and its built-in belt are not anchored to the floor at the strength the standard requires. In a collision, the seat and belt assembly can pull loose from the floor, and the rider it was meant to restrain can be injured.
There is no sound, warning light, or visible cue before failure. The problem only shows up under crash loads, which is why Blue Bird is asking that every bus in scope be inspected even if the seats look and feel normal in daily use.
Who's affected?
Covers two Blue Bird school bus families (All American and Vision) across the 2019-2022 model years, all sharing the same rear seat belt anchorage defect.
| 2022 Blue Bird All American School Bus | seat belt |
|---|---|
| 2022 Blue Bird Vision School Bus | seat belt |
| 2019 Blue Bird Vision | seat belt |
| 2020 Blue Bird Vision School Bus | seat belt |
| 2021 Blue Bird Vision School Bus | seat belt |
| 2020 Blue Bird All American School Bus | seat belt |
| 2021 Blue Bird All American School Bus | seat belt |
| Units affected | 620 |
| Field incidents | NHTSA has logged 1 field incident to date. |
A matching year and model does not guarantee inclusion. Check your VIN to confirm whether your specific bus is included in this recall.
What's the safety risk?
An incorrectly installed seat can come loose in a crash and raise the risk of injury to the student in that seat. There is no warning sign before failure, so a visual check during pre-trip will not catch it. Schedule the inspection soon and ask the dealer to verify every seat. Repair will be free at any franchised Blue Bird dealer once available.
What should I do?
- Check your VIN to confirm your 2019-2022 Blue Bird Vision or All American school bus is included in this recall.
- Contact a franchised Blue Bird dealer to arrange inspection of the seats with integrated 3-point belts and installation of any missing anchorage hardware.
- Call Blue Bird customer service at 1-478-822-2242 with questions, and reference recall number 21V070 (Blue Bird recall R21BB-SB) when you call.
- Bring the owner notification letter to the appointment if Blue Bird has mailed one; otherwise reference recall 21V070 at the service desk.
- Watch for the remedy notice from Blue Bird, since the final repair is still under development and parts availability will be confirmed when the recall opens.
What happens at the repair
At the dealer, a Blue Bird technician inspects the seats with integrated 3-point seat belts and installs any missing hardware needed to bring the anchorages into compliance with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 210. Parts and labor are free under the recall. Blue Bird has a general reimbursement plan on file, so if you have already paid out of pocket for related seat or anchorage work, bring your receipts and repair documentation to the service desk when you arrive. Owners with questions about the program can contact Blue Bird customer service at 1-478-822-2242 and reference recall number R21BB-SB.
| Reimbursement | Reimbursement available |
|---|
Timeline
| February 12, 2021 | NHTSA published the recall |
|---|---|
| April 7, 2021 | Owner notification mailed |
| April 9, 2021 | Dealer notification began |
| April 9, 2021 | Dealer notification ended |
| April 9, 2021 | VIN-searchable in NHTSA's database — Check your VIN to see whether this recall applies to your specific vehicle. |
| April 9, 2021 | Interim owner notification (was planned for this date) |
Frequently asked questions
What is recall 21V070?
Recall 21V070 covers 620 2019-2022 Blue Bird Vision and All American school buses with seats containing integrated 3-point seat belts that were installed incorrectly. The installation does not meet Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 210 for seat belt anchorages, which can increase injury risk in a crash.
What should I do if my 2019-2022 Blue Bird Vision or All American is on this recall?
Check your VIN to confirm your specific bus is included in recall 21V070. If it is, contact a Blue Bird dealer to schedule the seat inspection and hardware installation. Reference Blue Bird recall number R21BB-SB when you call. The inspection and any missing hardware are free.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Federal recall law requires manufacturers to repair the defect at no cost. Blue Bird dealers will inspect the seats and install any missing hardware free of charge. Parts and labor are covered regardless of where the bus was purchased or how many owners it has had.
What if my fleet bought these Blue Bird buses used?
The free repair still applies. Federal recall law requires manufacturers to honor the recall regardless of ownership history. If Blue Bird never mailed your fleet a notice, check the VIN of each bus to confirm whether it is included, and reference recall number R21BB-SB when you call the dealer.
How will I be notified about recall 21V070?
Blue Bird mailed owner notification letters on February 3, 2022. If you bought the bus after that date or your address changed, you can confirm inclusion by checking the VIN. For questions about the notice or the repair, contact Blue Bird customer service at 1-478-822-2242.
More information
| NHTSA campaign page | nhtsa.gov/vehicle-recalls/21V070000 |
|---|---|
| Blue Bird customer service | 1-478-822-2242 |
| NHTSA recall # | 21V070 |
| NHTSA recall # (full) | 21V070000 |
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 24, 2026. RecallNotify does not paraphrase NHTSA's consequence language; that text is reproduced as written above. Editorial standards →