Blue Bird · Model Report
Showing safety data for the 2006 model year only.
ON CERTAIN MY 2005-2007 WANDERLODGE 450 LXI MOTOR HOMES EQUIPPED WITH ARVIN MERITOR AND TRW TIE ROD ENDS, THE TIE ROD ASSEMBLIES WERE PRODUCED WITH STEEL TUBING THAT DID NOT MEET DESIGN SPECIFICATIONS WHICH COULD RESULT IN FAILURE OF THE TIE ROD ASSEMBLY WHEN COACH MILEAGE APPROACHES OR EXCEEDS 100,000 MILES. ALSO THE FRONT AXLE CURB WEIGHT MAY EXCEED THE SPECIFIED 16,000 POUNDS WEIGHT RATING.
ON CERTAIN MOTOR HOMES, A CIRCUIT DESIGN RESULTED IN A 12.1 AMP CIRCUIT DRAW IN THE BRAKE LIGHT CIRCUIT WHEN IT IS PROTECTED BY A 10 AMP CIRCUIT BREAKER.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BLUE BIRD WANDERLODGE M450 LXI RV. IN 2010, THE RV RECEIVED A PARTIAL REPAIR ACCORDING TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 07V586000 (POWER TRAIN). IN 2016, THE OTHER PORTION OF THE REMEDY WAS PERFORMED, WHICH INCLUDED THE APPROPRIATE REPLACEMENT OF THE FRONT TIRES. THE STEERING WHEEL STUDS WERE ALSO REPLACED. THE CONTACT WAS DISPLEASED THAT HE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE LABOR COST, WHICH WAS NOT MENTIONED IN THE RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.
No injuries · No fire · No crash
BLOWN LEFT FRONT TIRE CAUSED LOSS OF STEERING, IMPACT LEFT FRONT OF COACH IN THE CENTER DIVIDER. $87000.00 DAMAGE. THIS COACH IS STILL OUT OF SERVICE AT THIS WRITING. THIS COACH HAS HAD ALL PHASES OF CAMPAIGN 07V-586 BLUEBIRD BODY COMPANY. THIS CAMPAIGN IS DESIGNED TO ADDRESS FRONT AXEL WEIGHT ISSUES. I MADE 3 TRIPS OVER A 1 YEAR PERIOD TO ADDRESS CONCERNS OF BLUEBIRD TO MEET TARGET WEIGHT. LOSS OF SERVICE 6 WEEKS TOTAL. NEW MICHELIN TIRES(SPECIFIED IN CAMPAIGN) JUST LESS THAN 5 YEARS OLD WHEN FAILURE OCCURRED. ALL WHEEL POSITIONS HAD REQUIRED PRESSURE MAINTAINED. CONDITION OF COACH WAS PERFECT, STORED IN TEMPERATURE CONTROLLED BUILDING. *TR
CONSUMER STATES REPLY TO RESPONSE BY BLUE BIRD TO REQUEST DEFECT PETITION. *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE DEFECT IS THE UNDER CAPACITY OF THE FRONT AXLE. THE TRUE FIX, WHICH WAS INITIALLY OFFERED WAS A R REPLACEMENT AXLE. AS A COST SAVING MEASURE, THE NEW AXLE PLAN WAS SCRAPED AND THE RECONFIGURATION OF THE COACH WAS PLANNED. *JB UPDATED 10/25/12
No injuries · No fire · No crash
PETITION FOR THE INCOMPLETE, UNSAFE REPAIRS AND MODIFICATION TO THE 2006 BLUE BIRD WANDERLODGE 450 LXI THAT ARE BEING DONE IN AN ATTEMPT TO REMEDY THE CONDITIONS FOR THE NHTSA RECALL 07V586000. *NJ THE ORIGINAL RECALL STATED THE FRONT AXLE WAS OVERWEIGHT ON THE FRONT AXLE WITHOUT CARGO, BUT WITH THE STANDARD 4 PASSENGERS AND FULL WATER. BLUEBIRD STATED THE TIRES SHOULD HAVE 130 PSI, BUT MICHELIN STATED IS SHOULD BE 120 PSI. MICHELIN STATED IF 130 PSI WAS PUT IN EACH TIRE THEY WOULD BLOW OUT EASILY. IN DOING THE MANY LEVELS OF FIXING THE RV, BLUE BIRD FOUND IT NECESSARY TO REDUCE THE NO CARGO WEIGHT OF THE MOTOR HOME IN ORDER TO SHOW APPARENT DECREASED FRONT AXLE LOAD AND TO SHOW SOME CAPACITY IN THE STORAGE COMPARTMENTS. THE UNLOADED WEIGHT HAS BEEN REDUCED TO A NON-STANDARD, 2 PASSENGER AND 1/2 TANK FRESH WATER. SOME OF THE RV'S THAT ARE BEING RELEASED AS FIXED ARE OVERWEIGHT ON THE FRONT AXLE WHEN THEY ARE WEIGHED WITHOUT CARGO BUT HAVE 4 PASSENGERS AND FULL WATER.
No injuries · No fire · No crash
FAILURE IN THE ATTEMPTS TO REMEDY RECALL 07V586000. *TR THE TIE ROD WEAKNESS WAS NOT A CAUSE OF THE RECALL, BUT WAS A RESULT OF THE NEED TO INCREASE THE AXLE RATING. THE TIE RODS WERE SAFE AT AN AXLE LOAD OF 16,000LBS AND NO TIE ROD RECALL WOULD HAVE OCCURRED IF THE 16,000LB AXLE WAS SUFFICIENT AS ORIGINALLY DESIGNED. THE RECALL WAS BASED ON THE AXLE BEING IN EXCESS OF ITS RATING AND THE MOTORHOME COULD NOT BE SAFELY USED WITH REASONABLE LOADING. SOME OF THE COACHES THAT ARE BEING RELEASED AS FIXED ARE OVERWEIGHT ON THE FRONT AXLE WHEN THEY ARE WEIGHED WITHOUT CARGO, BUT HAVE 4 PASSENGERS AND FULL WATER. THIS OVERWEIGHT STATE WOULD SATISFY THE CONDITIONS AND CAUSE OF THE INITIAL RECALL. UPDATED 11/04/09
No injuries · No fire · No crash