Blue Bird is recalling 674 2023 Vision School Bus school buses for stop arm pin defects. Repair is free at any franchised Blue Bird dealer.
Blue Bird is recalling 674 2023 Vision School Bus vehicles because incorrect pins were installed on the air stop arm, which can leave the stop arm inoperative. An inoperative stop arm increases the risk of injury while students board or leave the bus, and Blue Bird dealers will correct the stop arm pin issue free of charge.
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What's wrong?
The air stop arm on the 2023 Blue Bird Vision School Bus is the folding red sign that extends when students are loading or unloading. On these buses, the stop arm uses an air-operated assembly and a body wiring harness to receive the signal that tells it to deploy. That harness connection has to carry power cleanly so the pedestrian safety device works as designed.
The problem is inside an electrical connector for the stop arm air regulator. The affected connector was built with incorrect pins, leaving the connector halves with the same pin gender instead of the intended male and female pairing. Because the pins do not mate correctly, the electrical connection can be incomplete. The stop arm can fail to deploy or work only intermittently.
There is no warning sign before failure. The connection can work during one check and fail at another time, so an inoperative or inconsistent stop arm is the sign that the harness connection needs recall repair.
Who's affected?
| 2023 Blue Bird Vision School Bus | School bus stop arm assembly |
|---|---|
| Units affected | 674 |
| Field incidents | NHTSA has logged 1 field incident to date. |
Not every 2023 Blue Bird Vision School Bus is on the list. Check your VIN to confirm whether your specific bus is included.
What's the safety risk?
When the stop arm is inoperative, drivers around the bus lose a key visual signal during boarding and deboarding, increasing the risk of injury. Because the electrical connection can work intermittently, there is no warning sign before failure. Schedule the repair soon and brief drivers to watch loading zones closely until it is done. Repair is free at any franchised Blue Bird dealer.
What should I do?
- Check your VIN to confirm your 2023 Blue Bird Vision School Bus is included in this recall.
- Contact a franchised Blue Bird dealer to schedule the free service-pigtail-connector installation that fixes the stop-arm failure risk.
- Bring the owner letter if you have it. If not, reference recall number 22V279 when you call.
- Use extra boarding and deboarding caution until the stop-arm repair is complete.
What happens at the repair
At the dealer, a Blue Bird technician installs a service pigtail connector for the air stop arm system. The recall repair is free, and Blue Bird states the labor cost is covered at no cost to the dealer or vehicle owner. If this recall work was performed on your bus before the owner notice arrived, submit a copy of the work order or invoice to campaignparts@blue-bird.com for Blue Bird warranty consideration.
| Reimbursement | Reimbursement available |
|---|
Timeline
| April 27, 2022 | NHTSA published the recall |
|---|---|
| June 8, 2022 | Owner notification mailed |
| June 21, 2022 | Dealer notification began |
| June 21, 2022 | Dealer notification ended |
| June 21, 2022 | Interim owner notification (was planned for this date) |
Frequently asked questions
What is recall 22V279?
Recall 22V279 covers 674 2023 Blue Bird Vision School Bus vehicles with incorrect pins installed on the air stop arm. The stop arm can fail, which means the bus does not meet FMVSS 131 for school bus pedestrian safety devices. Blue Bird dealers will install a service pigtail connector for free.
What should I do if my 2023 Blue Bird Vision School Bus is on this recall?
Check your VIN to confirm whether your specific bus is included in recall 22V279. If it is, contact a franchised Blue Bird dealer to schedule the free service pigtail connector installation. Reference recall 22V279 or Blue Bird recall number R22BT when you call.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Federal recall law requires the manufacturer to repair the defect at no cost. For recall 22V279, Blue Bird dealers will install the service pigtail connector free of charge, including covered parts and labor.
What is the safety risk?
The safety risk is an inoperative stop arm during student loading and unloading. Under recall 22V279, that failure increases the risk of injury during the boarding and deboarding process. The repair path is clear: a Blue Bird dealer installs the service pigtail connector for free.
When were owners notified about recall 22V279?
Blue Bird mailed owner notification letters on June 8, 2022. If you bought the bus used or never received a letter, check your VIN to confirm whether the recall applies, then contact a franchised Blue Bird dealer or Blue Bird customer service at 1-478-822-2242.
More information
| NHTSA campaign page | nhtsa.gov/vehicle-recalls/22V279000 |
|---|---|
| Blue Bird customer service | 1-478-822-2242 |
| NHTSA recall # | 22V279 |
| NHTSA recall # (full) | 22V279000 |
Source documents
-
Download Recall Document (PDF) (PDF) - Download Quarterly Report (PDF)
- Download Recall Document (PDF) (PDF)
- Download Owner Notice (PDF)
- Download Owner Notification Letter (PDF)
- Download Recall Investigation Document (PDF) (PDF)
- Download Recall Acknowledgement (PDF)
- Download Recall Report (PDF)
This article is generated from NHTSA's primary recall filings and reviewed against the source on May 20, 2026. RecallNotify does not paraphrase NHTSA's consequence language; that text is reproduced as written above. Editorial standards →