Blue Bird School BUS Problems by Year
NHTSA has 22 owner complaints and 1 safety recall on file for the Blue Bird School BUS, across 7 model years (1995–2009). The 1996 model year has the most complaints (7). The most reported problem area overall is structure.
Blue Bird School BUS years to avoid? What the complaint data shows
No School BUS model year stands out with more than twice the complaints of a typical year.
Model years with the most complaints
- 1996 School BUS: 7 complaints, 0 recalls
- 1995 School BUS: 4 complaints, 0 recalls
- 2000 School BUS: 3 complaints, 0 recalls
Model years with the fewest complaints
- 2001 School BUS: 2 complaints, 0 recalls
- 1997 School BUS: 3 complaints, 0 recalls
- 1998 School BUS: 3 complaints, 0 recalls
Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold or how long each year has been on the road, so newer and less popular years naturally have fewer complaints. Use them to spot problem patterns, not as a safety ranking.
Most common Blue Bird School BUS problems (all years)
| Problem area | Complaints | Model years | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Structure | 7 | 3 | 0 |
| Visibility | 5 | 2 | 0 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| Electrical System | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Fuel System, Other | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Power Train | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Back Over Prevention | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Interior Lighting | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Suspension | 1 | 1 | 0 |
All Blue Bird School BUS model years
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Crash rating | Top problem | Compared with other years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 School BUS | 0 | 1 | — | — | |
| 2001 School BUS | 2 | 0 | — | Engine and Engine Cooling | |
| 2000 School BUS | 3 | 0 | — | Visibility | |
| 1998 School BUS | 3 | 0 | — | Structure | |
| 1997 School BUS | 3 | 0 | — | Back Over Prevention | |
| 1996 School BUS | 7 | 0 | — | Visibility | |
| 1995 School BUS | 4 | 0 | — | Structure |
More from Blue Bird: all Blue Bird models · VIN decoder
Frequently asked questions
Which Blue Bird School BUS years should you stay away from?
No year stands out at twice the typical count; the most complaints are for 1996 (7), 1995 (4), 2000 (3). Counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, and newer years have had less time to collect complaints.
What is the biggest problem with the Blue Bird School BUS?
Structure, with 7 complaints across 3 model years.
How many recalls does the Blue Bird School BUS have?
1 safety recall across all model years. Each model year page lists its recalls and fixes.