CleanFuel USA has issued a voluntary recall notice through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) regarding the propane fuel hose fittings it provides on all Blue Bird Propane Vision school buses.
Though no accidents have been reported associated with this recall, CleanFuel determined a potential safety-related condition exists with a faulty conical hose fitting. In partnership with Blue Bird, CleanFuel is pursuing a 100% recall of all Propane Vision school buses built before August 2011 within the affected population and will replace faulty fittings with a new crimp hose fitting design at no charge
“It is a paramount concern for the company to uphold the integrity of our engine systems and ensure the safety, performance and longevity of our products,” said Curtis Donaldson, president of CleanFuel, in a statement. “These parts will no longer be used in future models and we are working with Blue Bird closely to identify and notify affected dealers and owners.”
The company noted that during an independent quality review, evidence surfaced that the conical hose fitting separated in some cases from the fuel line, which could potentially cause a small amount of propane fuel to be released. Though several mechanisms are in place to safely stop the fuel flow, CleanFuel noted that the cutoff of fuel from these safety mechanisms may result in a vehicle stall.
