2004 Mid Bus GUIDE XL: complaints, problems and recalls

Reported: 2004-10-06 (October 6, 2004)

CERTAIN 2000-2004 MY MID BUS SCHOOL BUSES EQUIPPED WITH SURE-LOK WHEELCHAIR TIE-DOWN SECUREMENT ASSEMBLIES P/N 8625-13 FOR USE ON CERTAIN SCHOOL AND TRANSIT BUSES. THE SPROCKET TEETH OF THE RETRACTOR ASSEMBLY MAY BE OUT OF ALIGNMENT CAUSING THE LOAD PAWL NOT TO FULLY SEAT IN THE SPROCKET TEETH.

Consequence: IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, THE WHEELCHAIR MAY NOT BE ADEQUATELY SECURED POSSIBLY RESULTING IN INJURIES TO THE SEAT OCCUPANT AND/OR OTHER PASSENGERS.

Remedy: ONCE THE BUS OWNERS HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED, SURE-LOK WILL NOTIFY MID BUS' CUSTOMERS AND REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE PART FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN AUGUST 16, 2004. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR BUSES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT SURE-LOK CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 866-787-3565.

Reported: 2005-06-16 (June 16, 2005)

CERTAIN MID BUS 2002-2005 MODEL YEAR GUIDE DX, GUIDE SW, GUIDE XL, AND SC SCHOOL BUSES MANUFACTURED BETWEEN JANUARY 7, 2002, AND APRIL 30, 2005, ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN ALASKA, COLORADO, CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, IDAHO, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, KANSAS, KENTUCKY, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, MONTANA, NEBRASKA, NEVADA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW MEXICO, NEW YORK, NORTH DAKOTA, OHIO, OREGON, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, SOUTH DAKOTA, TENNESSEE, UTAH, VERMONT, VIRGINIA, WASHINGTON, WEST VIRGINIA, WISCONSIN, WYOMING, AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. IN EXTREMELY COLD WEATHER, THE MICROSWITCHES USED INTERNALLY TO POSITION THE SIGN IN THE OPEN AND CLOSED POSITIONS MAY MALFUNCTION, CAUSING THE SIGN TO OPEN OR CLOSE IN AN IMPROPER POSITION, OR TO NOT OPEN AT ALL.

Consequence: SHOULD THE STOP ARM NOT PERFORM PROPERLY, A CHILD OR PEDESTRIAN MAY BE ENDANGERED BY PASSING VEHICLES SHOULD THE MOTORIST NOT STOP AT THE CORRECT LOCATION.

Remedy: MID BUS WILL NOTIFY ITS CUSTOMERS AND REPLACE THE ORIGINAL SWITCH WITH A SWITCH PACK THAT IS NOT SENSITIVE TO EXTREME COLD WEATHER AND WILL INSPECT TO ENSURE THE MICROSWITCH HEATER WIRING IS PROPERLY CONNECTED FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 30, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MID BUS AT 419-358-2500.

Reported: 2005-10-21 (October 21, 2005)

CERTAIN MID BUS 2002-2005 MODEL YEAR GUIDE DX, GUIDE SW, GUIDE XL, AND SC SCHOOL BUSES MANUFACTURED BETWEEN JANUARY 7, 2002, AND APRIL 30, 2005, ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN STATES OTHER THAN THE FOLLOWING: ALASKA, COLORADO, CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, IDAHO, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, KANSAS, KENTUCKY, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, MONTANA, NEBRASKA, NEVADA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW MEXICO, NEW YORK, NORTH DAKOTA, OHIO, OREGON, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, SOUTH DAKOTA, TENNESSEE, UTAH, VERMONT, VIRGINIA, WASHINGTON, WEST VIRGINIA, WISCONSIN, WYOMING, AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. IN EXTREMELY COLD WEATHER, THE MICROSWITCHES USED INTERNALLY TO POSITION THE SIGN IN THE OPEN AND CLOSED POSITIONS MAY MALFUNCTION, CAUSING THE SIGN TO OPEN OR CLOSE IN AN IMPROPER POSITION, OR TO NOT OPEN AT ALL.

Consequence: SHOULD THE STOP ARM NOT PERFORM PROPERLY, A CHILD OR PEDESTRIAN MAY BE ENDANGERED BY PASSING VEHICLES SHOULD THE MOTORIST NOT STOP AT THE CORRECT LOCATION.

Remedy: MID BUS WILL NOTIFY ALL ITS CUSTOMERS OF THIS CAMPAIGN. FOR THOSE BUSES OPERATED IN OR NEAR ANY OF THE STATES LISTED ABOVE, MID BUS IS ENCOURAGING THE BUS OWNERS TO OBTAIN THE REPLACEMENT SWITCH. FOR THOSE BUSES OPERATED IN THE WARMER STATES, MID BUS WILL REPLACE THE SWICH UPON OWNER REQUEST. FOR THOSE CUSTOMERS WHO REQUEST THE REMEDY, MID BUS WILL REPLACE THE ORIGINAL SWITCH WITH A SWITCH PACK THAT IS NOT SENSITIVE TO EXTREME COLD WEATHER AND WILL INSPECT TO ENSURE THE MICROSWITCH HEATER WIRING IS PROPERLY CONNECTED. THE RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 30, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MID BUS AT 877-358-6055.

Reported: 2007-05-17 (May 17, 2007)

CERTAIN MID BUS GUIDE AND GUIDE XL SCHOOL BUSES MANUFACTURED BETWEEN NOVEMBER 3, 2003, AND MARCH 30, 2007. THE 39" AND 45" LEFT HAND BARRIERS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE ENERGY ABSORPTION REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 222, SCHOOL BUS PASSENGER SEATING AND CRASH PROTECTION.

Consequence: THE PURPOSE OF THIS STANDARD IS TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF DEATHS AND THE SEVERITY OF INJURIES THAT RESULT FROM THE IMPACT OF SCHOOL BUS OCCUPANTS AGAINST STRUCTURES WITHIN THE VEHICLE DURING CRASHES AND SUDDEN MANEUVERS.

Remedy: MID BUS WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPAIR THE BUSES FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 13, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MID BUS CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-877-358-6055.