Improperly Secured Ceiling Panels – 2019-2022 Starcraft Prodigy School Buses

April 7, 2023 NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 23V254000

Improperly Secured Ceiling Panels/FMVSS 221

Improperly secured ceiling panels may not adequately protect the passengers in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

 

NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V254

Manufacturer Forest RivereBay logo Bus, LLC

Components STRUCTURE

Potential Number of Units Affected 29

 

Summary

Forest RivereBay logo Bus, LLC (Forest RivereBay logo Bus) is recalling certain 2019-2022 StarcrafteBay logo Prodigy school buses. The interior panels on the ceiling may be improperly secured. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 221, “School bus body joint strength.”

 

Remedy

Dealers will inspect the panels and apply adhesive, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 25, 2023. Owners may contact Forest RivereBay logo Bus Customer Service at 1-800-348-7440. Forest RivereBay logo Bus number for this recall is 05-1621.

 

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.

 


RECALL 23V254 REMEDY INSTRUCTIONS

Make(s): STARCRAFTeBay logo BUS
Model(s): PRODIGY
Model Year(s): 2019 – 2021

Concern:
A non-compliance to “FMVSS 221 Joint Strength” was found on two interior panel pieces removed from the ceiling of the bus.

Disconnect the vehicles’ battery Positive and Negative, disconnect any House battery(s) Positive and Negative, if equipped with a generator ensure it is off and lastly, ensure the vehicle is disconnected from shore power. Block any tires/wheels to prevent the vehicle from rolling. Failure to do so may result in electrocution, fire or other personal injury, property damage and/or death.

 

PARTS REQUIRED:

28 – #10-16 X 1” SD SQUARE #2
4 – WOOD SHIMS
1 – SIKA 3131 ADHESIVE

 

INSPECTION PROCESS:

STEP 1: REMOVE ALL SCREWS FROM INTERIOR CEILING PANEL SEAMS;

STEP 2: TRY TO SEPARATE THE PANELS, ENSURING NOT TO DAMAGE CEILING SURFACE;

STEP 3: IF THE PANEL IS ADHERED AND DOES NOT SEPARATE, THE INSPECTION IS COMPLETE AND THE UNIT IS NOT IN NEED OF THE REPAIR;

  • CLAIM THE REPAIR CODE
  • IF THE PANELS ARE ABLE TO BE SEPARATED PROCEED TO REPAIR PROCEDURE BELOW.

 

REPAIR PROCESS:

CONTACT STARCRAFTeBay logo WARRANTY FOR AUTHORIZATION AND TO ALSO ORDER THE PARTS KIT AS NEEDED;

STEP 4: REMOVE THE SIDE ACCESS PANEL SCREWS AND REMOVE THE ACCESS PANELS;

STEP 5: PLACE MASKING TAPE ALONG FRONT EDGE OF SEAM TO MAKE IT EASIER TO CLEAN ACCESS ADHESIVE FROM STEP 8;

STEP 6: PLACE A SMALL SPACER OR WEDGE BETWEEN THE TWO PANELS TO CREATE ADEQUATE SPACE FOR ADHESIVE
APPLICATION;

STEP 7: PLACE A ¼” BEAD OF TWO PART SIKA 3131 PRODUCT ALONG THE ENTIRE UPPER SEAM; ½” FROM THE LEADING EDGE OF THE PANEL;

STEP 8: RE-SEAT THE ORIGINAL SCREWS BACK INTO THE PANEL(S), ADD THE ADDITIONAL SCREWS FROM THE KIT IN BETWEEN EACH OF THE EXISTING SCREWS AND PULL THE MASKING TAPE OFF OF CEILING;

STEP 9: RE-ATTACH THE SIDE ACCESS PANELS;

STEP 10: BE SURE TO WIPE ANY EXCESS ADHESIVE FROM THE SEAM IMMEDIATELY AS THE ADHESIVE WILL BE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO REMOVE ONCE IT IS CURED;

STEP 11: CLAIM REPAIR CODE.

PHOTOS ON FOLLOWING PAGE FOR INSPECTION / REMEDY

 

 


April 2023

This Notice applies to your vehicle VIN listed above.

Dear Forest RivereBay logo Customer:

This notice is sent to you in accordance with the requirements of the Motor Vehicle Safety Act. This notice is also sent to you in accordance with the requirements of the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act. Forest RivereBay logo has decided that a noncompliance, which relates to the motor vehicle safety, exists in certain 2019-2022 StarcrafteBay logo Prodigy School Buses and fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 221, “Joint Strength.” This is to inform you that your vehicle may be non-compliant with the requirements of the Motor Vehicle Safety Regulations and that the non-compliance could affect the safety of a person.

 

WHAT IS THE DEFECT/NONCOMPLIANCE?

A non-compliance to “FMVSS 221 Joint Strength” was found on two interior panel pieces removed from the ceiling of the bus.

 

EVALUATION OF THE RISK TO THE VEHICLE AND OPERATOR(S) RELATED TO THE RECALL.

Improperly secured ceiling panels may not adequately protect the passengers in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

 

WHAT IS FOREST RIVEReBay logo AND OUR DEALERSHIPS GOING TO DO?

The remedy for this recall is included with this notification. Forest RivereBay logo has notified dealerships of this recall and have provided them with remedy instructions to secure the ceiling panels. You may have the recall corrected at any Forest RivereBay logo dealership. However, it is preferable if you have your selling dealership perform the remedy. Forest RivereBay logo completely covers your cost for the remedy; you will not receive any bill of sale for anything covered under the above recall number.

 

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO?

Please contact your dealer immediately and request a service appointment to schedule the free remedy. The vehicle Owner is responsible for arranging to have the work completed. Please state you have been notified by Forest RivereBay logo of having a recall in process for your vehicle and provide the recall number for the dealership. It is also helpful to the dealership to have a copy of this letter when you take your vehicle in for the recall remedy.
You may also visit www.forestriverinc.com for dealer locations.

 

HOW LONG WILL THE REMEDY PROCESS TAKE?

The estimated time of repair is .67 hours. However, the dealership may need to keep your vehicle or schedule an appointment with you for a later date to fit into their regular service schedule.

 

WHAT IF YOU HAVE PREVIOUSLY PAID FOR REPAIRS TO YOUR VEHICLE FOR THIS PARTICULAR CONDITION?

If you have already paid for a repair that is within the scope of this defect under recall, you still need to have this recall inspected and/or performed to ensure the correct parts and procedures were utilized. Additionally, you may be eligible for a refund of previously paid repairs. Refunds will only be provided for within the scope of this defect under recall.

Please send the service invoice to the following address:

StarcrafteBay logo Bus
Forest RivereBay logo Bus, LLC
Attn: WARRANTY MANAGER
2367 Century Drive
Goshen, IN 46528

 


Chronology :

In 2019, NHTSA purchased a StarcrafteBay logo school bus (Prodigy) single rear wheel unit to verify FMVSS compliance.
During this testing process in March, 2023, a non-compliance to “FMVSS 221 Joint Strength” was found on two interior panel pieces removed from the ceiling of the bus.

NHTSA engineer Daniel Lind informed Don Hasty of the non-compliance on March 22nd, 2023. The discussion over the results and reports sent led to further investigation on the application of the adhesive failure of the test component substrates. The adhesive on the test vehicle panels was improperly applied causing the failure to the FMVSS 221 test procedure.

On March 23rd, 2023, Don contacted Daniel to inform him that the data had been received and the review process had been started. Don found that the suspect bus and 28 others may not have had the adhesive in the appropriate location on the panels. Based on the line assembly process flow these units will be recalled and inspected to ensure the adhesive was properly applied on both previously built units and units built after the subject vehicle.

On April 6, 2023, Forest Rivers Office of Corporate Compliance was informed of the failed test results.

On April 7, 2023, Forest Rivers Corporate Recall Committee was informed of the test results and voted to recall.

On April 12, 2023, as per NHTSA’s acknowledgment letter, amended the safety risk to include the risk of injury.

 


4 Affected Products

Vehicle

MAKEMODELYEAR
STARCRAFTeBay logo BUSPRODIGY2019-2022

 


9 Associated Documents

Recall 573 Report – 4/12/2023

RCLRPT-23V254-2865.PDF 214.604KB

 


Noncompliance Notice 573 Report

RCLRPT-23V254-4800.PDF 214.542KB

 


Recall Acknowledgement

RCAK-23V254-9136.pdf 651.723KB

 


Remedy Instructions and TSB

RCRIT-23V254-4620.pdf 190.56KB

 


ISSUED Owner Notification Letter(Part 577)

RCONL-23V254-3991.pdf 182.105KB

 


Manufacturer Notices(to Dealers,etc)

RCMN-23V254-0475.pdf 204.918KB

 


Recall Quarterly Report #2, 2023-3

RCLQRT-23V254-3309.PDF 211.371KB

 


Recall Quarterly Report #3, 2023-4

RCLQRT-23V254-6040.PDF 211.454KB

 


Recall Quarterly Report #4, 2024-1

RCLQRT-23V254-0422.PDF 211.548KB

 


Latest Recalls Documents

https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/acms/cs/documentList.xhtml?docId=23V254&docType=RCL

 


 

Bestseller No. 1
Liquid Nails Heavy Duty Construction Adhesive (LN903), 10 oz
  • Strong bond will outlast project
  • Waterproof and weatherproof
  • Bonds a wide range of construction materials including wood, treated wood, plywood, OSB, drywall, tileboard & more
  • Exceptional holding power
  • For interior or exterior products
SaleBestseller No. 2
Loctite PL Premium Polyurethane Construction Adhesive, 10 fl oz Cartridge, 1 Pack - Versatile Construction Glue for Wood, Concrete, Stone, Metal & More
  • All Purpose: One component polyurethane-based adhesive that covers a wide variety of projects and bonds to most materials for consistently successful results
  • 3X Stronger: 3 times as strong as ordinary construction adhesives and stronger than many substrates it joins together
  • Versatile: Ideal for sub floor installations and bonds to most common construction materials such as wood, OSB, drywall, brick, concrete, masonry, stone, foam insulation, metal, ceramic, PVC, and more
  • Interior and Exterior: Paintable adhesive with no strong solvent odor that sets in 30 minutes and fully cures in 24 hours for projects inside and out
  • Weather Resistant: Waterproof and can be applied directly to wet and frozen surfaces without shrinking and cures in cold temperatures
Bestseller No. 3
Gorilla Max Strength Construction Adhesive; Clear Glue; 7 Ounce Squeeze Tube (Pack of 1) - Gap Filling and Waterproof
  • Our strongest formula: This heavy duty glue is 2x stronger than Gorilla Heavy Duty Construction Adhesive Ultimate
  • Crystal clear: Clear Gorilla glue leaves a discreet finish to keep the focus on your project, not the glue
  • All purpose glue: A waterproof glue formulated for virtually all projects and repairs; this Gorilla glue gives indoor or outdoor projects a Gorilla Tough bond, even under water
  • Paintable: Because this adhesive glue works on so many surfaces, it's paintable for any finish that you prefer
  • Gap filling: Gorilla Glue Construction Adhesive also works as a gap filling adhesive caulk for in-home projects
SaleBestseller No. 4
Gorilla Max Strength Construction Adhesive, Clear Glue, 2.5 Ounce Squeeze Tube (Pack of 1) - Gap Filling and Waterproof
  • Our strongest formula: This heavy duty glue is 2x stronger than Gorilla Heavy Duty Construction Adhesive Ultimate
  • Crystal clear: Clear Gorilla glue leaves a discreet finish to keep the focus on your project, not the glue
  • All purpose glue: A waterproof glue formulated for virtually all projects and repairs; this Gorilla glue gives indoor or outdoor projects a Gorilla Tough bond, even under water
  • Paintable: Because this adhesive glue works on so many surfaces, it's paintable for any finish that you prefer
  • Gap filling: Gorilla Glue Construction Adhesive also works as a gap filling adhesive caulk for in-home projects
Bestseller No. 5
Gorilla Heavy Duty Construction Adhesive, White Glue, 9 Ounce Cartridge (Pack of 1) - Gap Filling and Waterproof
  • All purpose glue: A waterproof glue formulated for virtually all projects and repairs; give indoor or outdoor projects a Gorilla Tough bond with Gorilla glue
  • Fast grab: Despite being a heavy duty glue, this adhesive holds in just 30 seconds
  • Paintable: Because this adhesive glue works on so many surfaces, it's paintable for any finish that you prefer
  • Gap filling: Gorilla Glue Construction Adhesive also works as a gap filling adhesive caulk for in-home projects
  • All surface: Our construction adhesive bonds subfloor, mirrors, masonry, landscaping, brick, tile, metal, decks, drywall, concrete, aluminum, tub & shower, wet surfaces, granite/marble, trim/paneling and more

Last update on 2026-05-25 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API


 

 


This product presentation was made with AAWP plugin.

Leave a Comment

Share to...