NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation

Preliminary Evaluation PE09-007: COOLING FAN SEPARATION

Closed

NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Preliminary Evaluation PE09-007 on February 12, 2009 and closed it on April 9, 2009. NHTSA's investigations file lists the 2008–2009 Blue Bird Vision for it and links recall 09V-075 to it.

Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file

Key facts

NHTSA number: PE09-007 (also written PE09007)
Investigation type: Preliminary Evaluation The first stage of most defect investigations: NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation gathers basic information about a possible safety defect, including from the manufacturer.
Status: Closed April 9, 2009
Opened: February 12, 2009
Closed: April 9, 2009
Vehicle or equipment manufacturer: Blue Bird Body Company
Component: Engine and Engine Cooling — Cooling System — Fan
Recall linked by NHTSA: 09V-075: FAN CLUTCH BOLTS AND SPACERS, reported March 9, 2009
Vehicles and equipment: 2008–2009 Blue Bird Vision

NHTSA's summary

As NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation wrote it for Preliminary Evaluation PE09-007.

A BLUE BIRD CORPORATION SERVICE BULLETIN DATED DECEMBER 18, 2008, WARNS OWNERS THAT THE RADIATOR COOLING FAN ASSEMBLY MAY HAVE BEEN INSTALLED USINGINCORRECTLY SIZED BOLTS AND SPACERS ONMODEL YEARS 2008 AND 2009 VISION SCHOOL BUSES. THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE FAN BLADE MAY SEPARATE FROM THE CLUTCH MOUNTING POSITION. AFTER FURTHER REVIEW, ON MARCH 3, 2009, BLUE BIRD FILED A SAFETY RECALL TO INSPECT ALL INVOLVED BUSES. BLUE BIRD WILL REPLACED THE EXISTING SPACERS AND BOLTS IF FOUND TO BE THE INCORRECT HARDWARE.THIS RECALL ACTION RESOLVES THE ISSUES RAISED BY THIS INVESTIGATION. ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.

Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation

NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Preliminary Evaluation PE09-007. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. Model years with a try.vin recall page link to that page's NHTSA investigations section.

Blue Bird

Blue Bird Vision
- 2008, 2009

All Blue Bird recalls

What an NHTSA investigation is

NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) looks into possible safety defects in vehicles and equipment, often after owner complaints. An investigation usually starts as a Preliminary Evaluation, or as a Recall Query when it concerns whether an existing recall covers the right vehicles or fixes the problem, and ODI can upgrade it to a more detailed Engineering Analysis. A Defect Petition asks NHTSA to open an investigation, and Audit and Equipment Queries are administrative investigations into whether companies complied with federal vehicle safety requirements, such as reporting, recall and certification rules.

An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.

To see whether a specific vehicle has an open recall, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Free VIN check: decode a VIN to see its year, make and model.

Sources

NHTSA's investigation record for PE09-007

Investigation details come from NHTSA's investigations file, which try.vin imports once a day. The investigation types are described from the U.S. Department of Transportation Inspector General's May 2023 report on NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation, NHTSA's petition rules (49 CFR Parts 552 and 557) and NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation procedures. How try.vin reads NHTSA investigations.