NHTSA campaign 13V543000 · Blue Bird campaign R13WR
Blue Bird Recall 13V-543: Front Suspension Bolts may Break
NHTSA recall 13V543000 (Blue Bird campaign R13WR) was reported by Blue Bird Body Company on October 31, 2013, with 1,747 vehicles potentially affected (per NHTSA). NHTSA's record lists the Blue Bird All American and Blue Bird Conventional for the 2014 model year. Owners were notified on December 10, 2013, per NHTSA.
Updated daily from NHTSA's recall files
Is my vehicle included?
This page lists, by model year, the vehicles NHTSA's recall record names for campaign 13V543000 in the model years try.vin imports (1995 and later); NHTSA's own record can list more. A model year on the list doesn't mean every vehicle of that year is included, and some may already have been repaired.
To see whether a specific vehicle is included and still needs the repair, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Free VIN check: decode a VIN to see its year, make and model.
Key facts
- NHTSA campaign
- 13V543000 (also written 13V-543 or 13V543)
- Filed by
- Blue Bird Body Company
- Blue Bird campaign number
- R13WR
- Report received
- Potentially affected
- 1,747 vehicles (per NHTSA)
- Component
- Suspension — Front
- Owners notified
Repair completion: 80.92% (latest rate the manufacturer reported to NHTSA; dataset updated October 21, 2026)
NHTSA cautions against comparing completion rates across recalls or manufacturers. How try.vin reads them.
Vehicles listed for this recall
NHTSA's recall record lists these vehicles for recall 13V543000. try.vin imports model years 1995 and later, so NHTSA's own list can be longer. Model years with a try.vin recall page link to it. Build dates are NHTSA's range for a model year (per NHTSA); a vehicle built in that range is not necessarily included.
Blue Bird
Blue Bird All American
- 2014 · Vehicles built July 2, 2013 – October 3, 2013 (per NHTSA)
Blue Bird Conventional
- 2014 · Vehicles built July 2, 2013 – October 3, 2013 (per NHTSA)
NHTSA's recall notice
As NHTSA's recall record states it for campaign 13V543000.
Defect description
Blue Bird Corporation (Blue Bird) is recalling certain model year 2014 All American and Conventional school buses manufactured July 2, 2013, through October 3, 2013 and equipped with front suspension bolts marked with a "ZY" code on the bolt head. Due to a problem in the bolt manufacturing process, the bolts that hold the front suspension may break.
Safety consequence
A broken suspension bolt would require greater steering input to control the bus, thereby increasing the risk of a crash.
Manufacturer remedy
Blue Bird will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front suspension bolts. Any bolts with a "ZY" code will be replaced free of charge. The recall began on December 10, 2013. Owners may contact Blue Bird at 1-478-822-2242. Blue Bird's number for this recall is R13WR.
Notes
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.
Sources
Official NHTSA notice for recall 13V543000
Campaign details come from NHTSA's recall files, which try.vin imports once a day. The plain-language subject and the completion rate come from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Recalls Data dataset. How try.vin reads recall data.