2008 Blue Bird Conventional Recalls

Recalls on record Updated July 2026

The 2008 Blue Bird Conventional has 7 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 53,600 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 2 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the electrical system. Last updated July 5, 2026.

Recall campaigns

EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY 15V730000 2015-11-04 5,114 affected
Defect

Blue Bird Body Company (Blue Bird) is recalling certain model year 2007-2015 All American, Vision, 2007-2011 Micro Bird, and 2007-2008 Conventional school buses, equipped with certain model S2005, S2010, S5005, S5010, S5505, and S5510 wheelchair lifts manufactured January 1, 2006, to August 25, 2014 by the Ricon…

Consequence

If the bearings move out of position, the stowed platform may have excessive movement resulting in failure of the platform mounting. This failure could cause the wheel chair lift platform to fall out of the vehicle when the doors are opened, increasing the risk of injury for the lift operator.

Remedy

Blue Bird will notify owners, and Ricon dealers will inspect the link arms for damage or for displaced bearings. The platform will be inspected for cracks. Any damaged parts will be replaced, free of charge. The recall began on December 1, 2015. Owners may contact Blue Bird customer service at 1-478-822-2242, or…

EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY 14V510000 2014-08-19 5,114 affected
Defect

Blue Bird Body Company (Blue Bird) is recalling certain model year 2007-2015 All American and Vision, 2007-2011 Micro Bird, and 2007-2008 Conventional school buses equipped with certain model S2005, S2010, S5005, S5010, S5505, and S5510 wheelchair lifts manufactured by Ricon Corporation. The platform side plate of…

Consequence

If the platform side plates crack, the lift platform can separate from the lift and come to rest against the vehicle's lift door. When the doors are opened, the platform may fall out, increasing the risk of injury to the lift operator.

Remedy

Blue Bird will notify owners to take buses to a Ricon dealer or service center who will install supplemental platform support bumpers. Any platform that has already started cracking will be replaced, free of charge. The recall began on October 1, 2014. Owners may contact Blue Bird customer service at…

EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY 10V134000 2010-04-05 23 affected
Defect

BLUE BIRD HAS NOTIFIED NHTSA ABOUT A DEFECT IN CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2008 THROUGH 2010 ALL AMERICAN, CONVENTIONAL, AND MICRO BIRD TRANSI BUSES MANUFACTURED FROM DECEMBER 16, 2007 THROUGH DECEMBER 21, 2009 EQUIPPED WITH RICON MODEL S OR K SERIES PUBLIC USE WHEELCHAIR LIFTS. THE RESTRAINT BELT ON THESE LIFTS WAS…

Consequence

THE USER OF THE LIFT COULD BE INJURED SHOULD THE LIFT MOVE WITHOUT THE RESTRAINT BELT PROPERLY BUCKLED.

Remedy

BLUE BIRD IS WORKING WITH RICON AND RICON WILL BE HANDLING THE REMEDY FOR THIS CAMPAIGN. PLEASE SEE RICON'S DEFECT REPORT 09E-060. RICON WILL PROVIDE CUSTOMERS WITH A WARNING DECAL AND A DVD-BASED TRAINING AID. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 27, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT RICON AT 1-818-267-3000 OR BLUE BIRD AT…

EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY 10V133000 2010-04-05 1,622 affected
Defect

BLUE BIRD HAS NOTIFIED NHTSA ABOUT A DEFECT IN CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2008 THROUGH 2011 ALL AMERICAN, CONVENTIONAL, AND MICRO BIRD SCHOOL BUSES MANUFACTURED FROM DECEMBER 13, 2007 THROUGH JANUARY 18, 2010 EQUIPPED WITH RICON MODEL S OR K SERIES PUBLIC USE WHEELCHAIR LIFTS. THE RESTRAINT BELT ON THESE LIFTS WAS DESIGNED…

Consequence

THE USER OF THE LIFT COULD BE INJURED SHOULD THE LIFT MOVE WITHOUT THE RESTRAINT BELT PROPERLY BUCKLED.

Remedy

BLUE BIRD IS WORKING WITH RICON AND RICON WILL BE HANDLING THE REMEDY FOR THIS CAMPAIGN. PLEASE SEE RICON'S DEFECT REPORT 09E-060. RICON WILL PROVIDE CUSTOMERS WITH A WARNING DECAL AND A DVD-BASED TRAINING AID. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 27, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT RICON AT 1-818-267-3000 OR BLUE BIRD AT…

SEATS 09V328000 2009-08-13 37,095 affected
Defect

BLUE BIRD IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2004 THROUGH 2010 ALL AMERICAN, VISION, MICRO BIRD, AND CONVENTIONAL SCHOOL BUSES MANUFACTURED BETWEEN JANUARY 30, 2003 AND MAY 7, 2009. INCORRECT OFFSET LEG BARRIER PADS OR 2/3 SEAT BACK PADS MAY HAVE BEEN INSTALLED. BUSES WITH INCORRECT PADS INSTALLED FAIL TO CONFORM TO…

Consequence

IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THERE IS AN INCREASED RISK OF INJURY TO THE SEAT OCCUPANT(S).

Remedy

BLUE BIRD WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND THE BUSES WILL BE REPAIRED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 18, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BLUE BIRD AT 1-478-822-2242.

EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY 08V395000 2008-08-12 2,503 affected
Defect

BLUE BIRD IS RECALLING 2,503 MY 2006-2008 ALL AMERICAN, CONVENTIONAL, AND MICRO BIRD SCHOOL AND TRANSIT BUSES EQUIPPED WITH RICON PLATFORM STYLE WHEELCHAIR LIFTS. THESE LIFTS FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 403, "PLATFORM LIFT SYSTEMS FOR MOTOR VEHICLES." THE…

Consequence

A LIFT OCCUPANT CAN BE INJURED SHOULD THE LIFT BEGIN TO STOW UNINTENTIONALLY.

Remedy

BLUE BIRD IS WORKING WITH RICON TO CORRECT THE WHEELCHAIR LIFTS (PLEASE SEE 07E097). THE RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 30, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT RICON AT 1-818-267-3000 OR BLUE BIRD AT 1-478-822-2242.

EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY 08V163000 2008-04-10 2,129 affected
Defect

BLUE BIRD IS RECALLING 2,129 MY 2006-2008 ALL AMERICAN, CONVENTIONAL, AND MICRO BIRD SCHOOL AND TRANSIT BUSES MANUFACTURED BETWEEN MAY 3, 2005 AND FEBRUARY 15, 2008, EQUIPPED WITH RICON MODEL 1200, 2000, AND 5500 PLATFORM STYLE WHEEL CHAIR LIFTS. THESE BUSES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR…

Consequence

THE USER OF THE LIFT COULD BE INJURED SHOULD THE LIFT MOVE UNINTENTIONALLY.

Remedy

BLUE BIRD IS WORKING WITH RICON TO CORRECT THE WHEELCHAIR LIFTS FREE OF CHARGE (PLEASE SEE 07E095). THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OR ABOUT APRIL 28, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT RICON AT 1-800-322-2884 OR BLUE BIRD AT 1-478-822-2242.

Complaints by component

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
1
1fires
ENGINE
1
1fires
Total complaints2

What owners report

Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal information removed.

“Tl* the contact owns a 2008 blue bird conventional. While at a stop sign, the contact heard a loud abnormal noise coming from the vehicle. The contact noticed that there was smoke emitting from the engine compartment and a fire erupted. The fire was extinguished by the fire department. A police…”

ENGINE · reported 2015-06-22

“Tl* the contact owns a 2008 blue bird conventional. While at a stop sign, the contact heard a loud abnormal noise coming from the vehicle. The contact noticed that there was smoke emitting from the engine compartment and a fire erupted. The fire was extinguished by the fire department. A police…”

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM · reported 2015-06-22
Sources & methodology

Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL, FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 2008 Blue Bird Conventional as of July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page contains ads and affiliate links. Full methodology.