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Campaign 12V591 Posted December 17, 2012 2,048 units

2004-2011 New Flyer Bus Recall 12V591: Access Panel

RN
Reviewed by the RecallNotify editorial team
Published June 2, 2026

Recall 12V591 covers 2,048 New Flyer transit buses with a weak drive shaft access panel. Free steel-plate repair at any franchised New Flyer dealer.

New Flyer is recalling 2,048 model year 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 transit buses, including DE40LFR, D40LFR, and XDE40 models, because the drive shaft access panel lacks enough strength or is not secured to the floor. If the drive shaft fails, debris can enter the passenger compartment and injure occupants; the dealer repair will be free once available.

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What's wrong?

The drive shaft access panel is a section of the floor over the driveline on affected New Flyer transit buses. It gives service technicians access to the drive shaft area while keeping the passenger compartment separated from rotating driveline parts below the floor. The panel has to stay strong and fastened during normal bus operation.

In this recall, the panel has insufficient strength or is not secured properly to the floor. If the drive shaft fails, debris from that failure is the concern: the access panel is the path into the passenger area. That is why the defect is listed under structure, even though the event starts with the drive shaft.

There is no warning sign before failure. An operator or rider is not expected to hear, see, or feel a clear early symptom from the access panel itself before the hazard occurs.

Who's affected?

Covers New Flyer DE, D, C, and XDE bus variants across the listed model years, all tied to body or structural components.

2009 New Flyer DE40LFR body or structural component
2008 New Flyer DE40LFA body or structural component
2009 New Flyer D40LFR body or structural component
2008 New Flyer D40LFR body or structural component
2009 New Flyer D60LF body or structural component
Units affected2,048

The year and model narrow the scope, but the VIN decides. Check your VIN to confirm whether your specific bus is included.

What's the safety risk?

If a drive shaft fails, debris can enter the passenger compartment and injure bus occupants. Keep affected buses in service only with caution and schedule the recall work promptly, especially for buses carrying passengers. Repair will be free at any franchised New Flyer dealer once available.

What should I do?

  1. Check your VIN to confirm your 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, or 2011 New Flyer transit bus is included in this recall.
  2. Confirm with New Flyer whether the free repair is open for your VIN before scheduling service.
  3. Schedule the steel-plate installation under the drive shaft access panel, which helps block drive shaft debris from entering the passenger compartment.
  4. Reference recall number 12V591 when you call New Flyer or the service location.
  5. Bring the owner notice if the operator received one from New Flyer.

What happens at the repair

At the dealer, a New Flyer technician will install a steel plate under the drive shaft access panel on affected buses. That plate is meant to strengthen the panel area and help keep it secured to the floor if a drive shaft failure sends debris toward the passenger compartment. The dealer repair will be free once available, with parts and labor covered under recall 12V591. Ask the service desk to confirm that the bus VIN is included before scheduling the repair.

Timeline

December 17, 2012 NHTSA published the recall
January 3, 2013 Owner notification mailed

Frequently asked questions

What is recall 12V591?

Recall 12V591 covers 2,048 New Flyer transit buses from 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011 with a drive shaft access panel that has insufficient strength or is not properly secured. New Flyer dealers install a steel plate under the access panel for free.

What should I do if my 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, or 2011 New Flyer transit bus is on this recall?

Check your VIN to confirm the bus is included in recall 12V591. If it is, contact a franchised New Flyer dealer or New Flyer at 1-204-224-6706 to arrange the steel plate installation under the drive shaft access panel. The repair is free.

Is the recall repair free?

Yes. Federal recall law requires the manufacturer to repair the defect at no cost, and New Flyer's remedy states that dealers install the steel plate under the access panel free of charge on affected buses.

What is the safety risk in recall 12V591?

The risk is injury to bus occupants if a drive shaft failure sends debris into the passenger compartment through the access panel. The repair adds a steel plate under the panel, which protects the passenger area from that failure path.

What if I operate more than one affected New Flyer bus model?

Check each VIN separately. Recall 12V591 includes multiple New Flyer models, including C35LF, C40LFR, D35LFR, D40LF, D40LFR, D60LF, D60LFA, D60LFR, DE40LF, DE40LFA, DE40LFR, DE60LF, DE60LFA, DE60LFR, DE35LFA, and XDE40.

More information

NHTSA campaign pagenhtsa.gov/vehicle-recalls/12V591000
New Flyer customer service1-204-224-6706
NHTSA recall #12V591
NHTSA recall # (full)12V591000

Source documents

This article is generated from NHTSA's primary recall filings and reviewed against the source on June 2, 2026. RecallNotify does not paraphrase NHTSA's consequence language; that text is reproduced as written above. Editorial standards →