Recall 25V289 covers 34 2026 Blue Bird All American School Bus and Vision School Bus vehicles for loose seat fasteners. Free dealer repair.
Blue Bird is recalling 34 2026 All American School Bus and Vision School Bus vehicles because seat mounting fasteners on lap belt-ready or 3-pt seats were improperly tightened. Loose fasteners can keep a seat from properly restraining an occupant during a crash, increasing injury risk, and Blue Bird dealers will inspect and repair the seats free of charge.
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What's wrong?
The seat bolts on 2026 Blue Bird All American School Bus and Vision School Bus models are critical fasteners that hold passenger seats to the floor. On buses with lap belt-ready or three-point seats, those fasteners also help keep the seat and belt anchor points in the correct position during a crash. The seat system depends on the nut and bolt tightening fully against their mounting surfaces.
On affected buses, the bolt threads were damaged or out of specification. The nut did not travel freely up the threads, so it stalled before the joint was fully tight. That stall gave the installer a false torque reading, meaning the fastener appeared tight even though the seat was not properly secured to the floor.
An owner or driver will not have a normal driving warning sign from the seat itself. The warning sign shows up during service or inspection: the nut resists travel on the bolt, or the bolt keeps spinning after the specified torque is reached.
Who's affected?
Covers both Blue Bird school bus platforms for the 2026 model year, with the same seat assembly fastener issue listed for each.
| 2026 Blue Bird All American School Bus | seat assembly |
|---|---|
| 2026 Blue Bird Vision School Bus | seat assembly |
| Units affected | 34 |
| Field incidents | NHTSA has logged no field incidents to date. |
A matching 2026 Blue Bird school bus model does not guarantee inclusion. Check your VIN to confirm whether your specific bus is included.
What's the safety risk?
Loose seat fasteners can keep the seat from restraining an occupant properly in a crash, increasing the risk of injury. If your bus is included, schedule the repair soon and ask the dealer whether the affected seats should stay out of service until fasteners are replaced. Repair is free at any franchised Blue Bird dealer.
What should I do?
- Check your VIN to confirm your 2026 Blue Bird All American School Bus or Vision School Bus is included in this recall.
- Contact a franchised Blue Bird dealer to schedule the free seat-fastener replacement that secures the bus seats for crash restraint.
- Bring the recall notice if Blue Bird mailed one. If not, reference recall number 25V289 and Blue Bird recall R25DM when you call.
- Ask the dealer whether the bus should stay out of passenger service until the repair if any seat feels loose.
- Call Blue Bird customer service at 1-478-822-2242 with questions about scheduling or recall paperwork.
What happens at the repair
At the dealer, a Blue Bird technician replaces the seat mounting fasteners covered by the recall. The replacement parts and labor are covered, so the dealer repair is free. If you already paid out of pocket for a related seat-fastener repair before the recall notice, Blue Bird's standard reimbursement plan covers documented expenses. Contact Blue Bird customer service with your repair paperwork to ask how to submit the claim.
| Reimbursement | Reimbursement available |
|---|
Timeline
| May 6, 2025 | NHTSA published the recall |
|---|---|
| July 2, 2025 | Owner notification mailed |
| July 3, 2025 | Dealer notification began |
| July 3, 2025 | Dealer notification ended |
| July 3, 2025 | Interim owner notification (was planned for this date) |
Frequently asked questions
What is recall 25V289?
Recall 25V289 covers 34 2026 Blue Bird All American School Bus and Vision School Bus vehicles with lap belt-ready or 3-pt seats. The seat mounting fasteners were improperly tightened. Blue Bird will replace the seat fasteners for free.
What should I do if my 2026 Blue Bird All American School Bus or Vision School Bus is on this recall?
Check your VIN to confirm your specific bus is included in recall 25V289. If it is, contact a franchised Blue Bird dealer or Blue Bird customer service at 1-478-822-2242 to schedule the seat-fastener replacement. Reference Blue Bird recall R25DM when you call.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Federal recall law requires the manufacturer to repair the defect at no cost, and Blue Bird will replace the affected seat fasteners free of charge through the recall process.
What is the safety risk with this Blue Bird seat recall?
A seat with loose mounting fasteners can fail to properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury. The repair path is to have the affected seat fasteners replaced through Blue Bird's recall process.
When were owners notified about recall 25V289?
Blue Bird mailed owner notification letters on July 2, 2025. If you manage or operate a 2026 Blue Bird school bus and never received a letter, check your VIN and reference recall 25V289 or Blue Bird recall R25DM when contacting service.
More information
| NHTSA campaign page | nhtsa.gov/vehicle-recalls/25V289000 |
|---|---|
| Blue Bird customer service | 1-478-822-2242 |
| NHTSA recall # | 25V289 |
| NHTSA recall # (full) | 25V289000 |
Source documents
-
Download Quarterly Report (PDF) - Download Recall Document (PDF) (PDF)
- Download Owner Notification Letter (PDF)
- Download Owner Notice (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 19, 2026. RecallNotify does not paraphrase NHTSA's consequence language; that text is reproduced as written above. Editorial standards →