Safety recall Electrical system

Blue Bird recall 26V-641: High Voltage Battery Mounting Bolts May Be Loose or Missing

Report received last month

A high voltage battery with loose or missing mounting bolts can cause a loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash.

Campaign facts

NHTSA campaign
26V641000 (26V-641)
Manufacturer number
R26AK
Filed by
Blue Bird Body Company
Report received
October 2, 2026
Component
Electrical system:propulsion system:critical fasteners
Vehicles potentially affected
1,590
Model years
2018–2026
Built between
July 11, 2018 and June 17, 2025
Recall initiated by
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation

What is wrong

Blue Bird Body Company (Blue Bird) is recalling certain 2018-2024, 2026 Vision and All American Electric school buses. The high voltage battery system mounting bolts may be loose or missing.

The risk

A high voltage battery with loose or missing mounting bolts can cause a loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash.

Why electrical defects matter: A short circuit is a fire risk and a module fault can switch off systems the driver depends on.

The remedy

Dealers will inspect and reinstall bolts with thread locker. Damaged or missing bolts will be replaced. All repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed December 1, 2026. Owners may contact Blue Bird customer service at 1-478-822-2242. Blue Bird's number for this recall is R26AK.

About the electrical system

Electrical campaigns cover wiring, fuses, connectors, control modules, batteries and software across the vehicle.

Vehicles covered by campaign 26V-641

  • Blue Bird All American School Bus (Electric) 20262024202320222021202020192018
  • Blue Bird Vision School Bus (Electric) 20262024202320222021202020192018

What to do

  1. Enter your VIN in NHTSA’s lookup (below) to confirm that your vehicle is included and that the repair has not already been done.
  2. Call a dealer for the brand and book the repair. Quote NHTSA campaign 26V-641 and the manufacturer’s number R26AK.
  3. If you notice burning smells, flickering power or warning lamps, have the vehicle checked before continuing to use it.
  4. Safety recall repairs are carried out free of charge by the manufacturer’s dealers. If you already paid for this repair yourself, ask the manufacturer about reimbursement and keep your receipt.

Check by VIN

A campaign rarely covers every vehicle of a model year. Enter your 17-character VIN to find the recall campaigns filed for your make, model and model year. The VIN is on the driver’s side of the dashboard (visible through the windshield), on the door-jamb label, and on your registration and insurance documents.

Is a recall still open on your vehicle? Only NHTSA’s official VIN check can say whether a campaign applies to your exact vehicle and whether the repair has already been done.

Your VIN is decoded with NHTSA’s public vPIC service to identify the make, model and year. It is not stored and is not added to any page address.

The official record

This page reproduces the campaign as filed with NHTSA. The NHTSA record is authoritative — if anything here differs, follow the agency.

Open campaign 26V-641 on NHTSA.gov

Other Blue Bird electrical system recalls