NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Preliminary Evaluation PE09-029: SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER ASSIST STEERING
- Closed
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Preliminary Evaluation PE09-029 on June 5, 2009 and closed it on August 28, 2009. NHTSA's investigations file lists the 2007–2009 Blue Bird Vision for it and links recall 09V-284 to it.
Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file
Key facts
- NHTSA number
- PE09-029 (also written PE09029)
- 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 August 28, 2009
- Opened
- Closed
- Vehicle or equipment manufacturer
- Blue Bird Body Company
- Component
- Steering — Hydraulic Power Assist System
- Recall linked by NHTSA
- 09V-284: LOSS OF POWER STEERING ASSIST, reported
- Vehicles and equipment
- 2007–2009 Blue Bird Vision
NHTSA's summary
As NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation wrote it for Preliminary Evaluation PE09-029.
THIS INVESTIGATION WAS OPENED AFTER ODI RECEIVED SIX FLEET COMPLAINTS (19 BUSES TOTAL) ALLEGING REPEATED ISSUES OF THE POWER STEERING RESERVOIR GASKET FAILING.IT WAS ALLEGED THAT THE DEGRADED GASKET FELL INTO THE POWER STEERING PUMP, RESULTING IN AN INCREASEDSTEERING EFFORT.ODI IS AWARE OF TWO BUSES THAT, WITHOUT WARNING, LOST POWER ASSIST STEERING DURING NORMAL DRIVING OPERATIONS. REPORTEDLY, THE POWER STEERING GASKETS WERE MANUFACTURED WITH INCORRECT MATERIAL SUBSTITUTED BY ONE OF THE GASKET MATERIAL SUPPLIERS. AFTER ANEVALUATION INTO THIS ISSUE, BLUE BIRD AUTHORIZED A SAFETY RECALL. THE ORIGINAL POWER STEERING LID GASKET WILL BE REPLACED WITH NEW GASKET MATERIAL.THE ACTION TAKEN BY BLUE BIRD 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 PE09-029. 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
All Blue Bird recallsWhat 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 PE09-029
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.