The 2000 Blue Bird Ltc 40 has 5 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 10,555 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 1 complaint with NHTSA, most often about the engine and engine cooling. Last updated July 5, 2026.
Recall campaigns
EQUIPMENT02V2300002002-09-05194 affected
Defect
CERTAIN COACHES EQUIPPED WITH OPTIONAL RESTROOM FAIL TO COMPLY WITH REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 217, "BUS EMERGENCY EXITS AND WINDOW RETENTION AND RELEASE." THE PUSHOUT WINDOW LOCATED ON THE RIGHT SIDE, AT THE REAR OF THE BUS, IS SUBSTANTIALLY OBSTRUCTED BY THE RESTROOM AND YET IT IS…
Consequence
IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY, AN OCCUPANT MAY NOT BE ABLE TO PROPERLY EXIT THE VEHICLE.
Remedy
DISTRIBUTORS AND OWNERS WILL BE NOTIFIED TO REMOVE THE LABEL IDENTIFYING THE WINDOW AS AN EMERGENCY EXIT. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN SEPTEMBER 20, 2002. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT BLUE BIRD AT 1-478-822-2242, IF THEY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER02V1970002002-07-23150 affected
Defect
ON CERTAIN TOUR TYPE COACHES EQUIPPED WITH PARCEL RACKS, IRREGULARITIES IN THE INSTALLATION OF THE FASTENERS USED TO RETAIN THE PARCEL RACKS TO THE COACH STRUCTURE COULD RESULT IN THE FASTENERS LOOSENING ALLOWING THE PARCEL RACKS TO FALL WITHOUT WARNING.
Consequence
IN THE EVENT THE FASTENERS BECOME DISLODGED AND THE RACKS SHOULD FALL WHILE THE PASSENGER SEAT IS OCCUPIED, PERSONAL INJURY TO THE SEAT OCCUPANT COULD OCCUR.
Remedy
DISTRIBUTORS AND OWNERS WILL BE NOTIFIED TO IMMEDIATELY INSTALL INTERIM REPAIR BOLTS THROUGH THE COACH ROOF BOW STRUCTURE ON THE AISLE SIDE OF THE FIRST TWO PARCEL RACK SECTIONS ON BOTH THE RIGHT AND LEFT SIDE PARCEL RACKS ON ALL AFFECTED COACHES. FINAL REPAIRS CAN THEN BE COMPLETED AT A LATER DATE. OWNER…
POWER TRAIN02V1540002002-06-13436 affected
Defect
ON CERTAIN MOTOR HOMES AND TOUR COACHES, A 'CHECK TRANS' WARNING LIGHT WHICH IS REQUIRED BY ALLISON TRANSMISSION INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS WAS OMITTED. IN THE EVENT THE TRANSMISSION SHIFT SELECTOR MALFUNCTIONS (LOOSES POWER OR SENDS ERRONEOUS SIGNALS TO THE TRANSMISSION ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT), THE COMPUTER WILL…
Consequence
THE DRIVER MAY SHIFT THE TRANSMISSION SELECTOR TO CHANGE DIRECTION AND THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT RECOGNIZE IT AND REMAIN IN THE ORIGINAL DIRECTION RESULTING IN THE POTENTIAL FOR A CRASH.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL INSTALL A "CHECK TRANS" WARNING LIGHT ON THESE VEHICLES. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JULY 31, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT BLUE BIRD AT 1-478-822-2242.
SERVICE BRAKES, AIR01V0760002001-03-1688 affected
Defect
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: TRANSIT BUSES. THESE BUSES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 121, "AIR BRAKE SYSTEMS." THE BRAKE SYSTEM DOES NOT HAVE AN R12-DC VALVE OR SECONDARY CONTROL LINE IN THE BRAKING SYSTEM.
Consequence
THE ABSENCE OF THE VALVE AND SECONDARY CONTROL LINE COULD CAUSE INCREASED STOPPING DISTANCES.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL INSTALL THE REQUIRED VALVE AND SECONDARY CONTROL LINE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN APRIL 27, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT BLUE BIRD AT 1-912-822-2242.
SERVICE BRAKES, AIR00V1620002000-06-129,687 affected
Defect
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SCHOOL AND TRANSIT BUSES EQUIPPED WITH BENDIX AIR BRAKES. BENDIX CHANGED THE INTERNAL DESIGN OF THE QR1C RELAY VALVE BY ADDING A HOLE IN THE INTERNAL DIAPHRAGM. WHEN THE HOLE IN THE DIAPHRAGM ALIGNS WITH THE HOLE IN THE VALVE BODY, THE BRAKE APPLICATION TIME INCREASES.
Consequence
UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, SUCH AS PARKED ON AN INCLINE, DRIVER ACTIVATES THE PARKING BRAKE BUT REMOVES FOOT FROM THE THREADLE VALVE, THE BUS COULD ROLL BEFORE THE PARKING BRAKE IS FULLY ENGAGED.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE DIAPHRAGMS WITH HOLES WITH SOLID DIAPHRAGMS FOR THE QR1C VALVES.
Complaints by component
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:DIESEL
1
1fires3injuries
Total complaints1
What owners report
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal
information removed.
“Tl* - the contact owns a 2000 bluebird ltc40. The contact had to replace the charge air cooler and the turbo unit three different times. The contact stated that the second time the above mentioned parts failed resulting in a fire on the bus. The contact stated that the fire was in the engine…”
Defect investigations
InvestigationPE03034 Opened 2003-07-23 · closed 2003-12-01
PASSENGER DOOR INTERLOCK MALFUNCTION
THIS INVESTIGATION WAS OPENED BASED ON A SINGLE, OHIO FLEETCOMPLAINT ON A MODEL YEAR 2000 BUS WITH 151,000 MILES.VRTC TEST ENGINEERS VISITED THE FLEET AND CONFIRMED THE EXISTENCE OF THE PROBLEM, A STUCK DOOR.THE SYTEM IS DESIGNED SUCH THAT WHEN THE DOOR SYSTEM IS ENGAGED, TWO STEEL PINS DROP IN PLACE FOR SAFETY…
InvestigationSQ01009 Opened 2001-09-05 · closed 2001-12-07
ALTERNATOR CABLE
ALLEGED THAT THE ALTERNATOR WIRE FROM THE BATTERY EXPERIENCES FATIGUE AND SEPARATES.
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL,
FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 2000 Blue Bird Ltc 40 as of
July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page
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