Recall 13V004 affects 21 2012 Arboc Spirit Of Mobility buses with missing passenger-seat reinforcement plates. Repair is free at any franchised Arboc dealer.
Arboc is recalling 21 2012 Spirit Of Mobility buses because reinforcement plates for the passenger seat base rear bolts were missing on affected buses. In a crash, inadequate reinforcement can let seats pull from the floor and raise injury risk; the Arboc dealer repair will be free once available.
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What's wrong?
The passenger seat base on the 2012 Arboc Spirit Of Mobility bus is the metal support that fastens a passenger seat to the bus floor. Its rear bolts hold the back of the seat base down, and reinforcement plates spread that load across the mounting area instead of leaving it concentrated at the bolt holes.
On affected buses, the rear bolts for the passenger seat base were installed without those reinforcement plates. Without the plates, the bolts do not have the intended backing support. The seat base is still attached, but the rear mounting points are not built the way the seat assembly was designed.
There is no warning sign before failure. An owner or operator should not expect a dashboard light, sound, or visible symptom to confirm that the reinforcement plates are missing.
Who's affected?
| 2012 Arboc Spirit Of Mobility | seat assembly |
|---|---|
| Units affected | 21 |
A matching year and model does not guarantee inclusion. Check your VIN to confirm whether your specific bus is included.
What's the safety risk?
During a crash, inadequate passenger seat reinforcement can let seats rip from the floor and raise the risk of injury for occupants. The year and model are not enough. Confirm with your VIN, then arrange recall service if included. Repair will be free at any franchised Arboc dealer once available.
What should I do?
- Check your VIN to confirm your 2012 Arboc Spirit Of Mobility is included in this recall.
- Use the Arboc owner letter for this recall to confirm the service instructions before scheduling the repair.
- Contact Arboc customer service at 1-575-825-4880 with questions and reference recall number 13V004 when you call.
- Schedule the free seat-base repair that adds the missing reinforcement plates behind the passenger seat-base rear bolts.
- Limit passenger use until the repair is complete because the seat bases lack reinforcement in a crash.
What happens at the repair
The source remedy says Arboc began notifying owners on January 14, 2013. At the dealer, an Arboc technician repairs the affected passenger seat bases, focusing on the rear bolt area where reinforcement plates were missing. The repair is free under the recall. The filing does not give a separate time estimate for the work, so ask the service desk how long the bus needs to stay at the dealer.
Timeline
| January 7, 2013 | NHTSA published the recall |
|---|---|
| January 14, 2013 | Owner notification mailed |
Frequently asked questions
What is recall 13V004?
Recall 13V004 covers 21 2012 Arboc Spirit Of Mobility buses with passenger seat base rear bolts that lack reinforcement plates. In a crash, the seats can rip from the floor and increase injury risk. Arboc dealers repair the affected seat bases for free.
What should I do if my 2012 Arboc Spirit Of Mobility is on this recall?
Check your VIN to confirm your specific bus is included in recall 13V004. If it is, contact an Arboc dealer to schedule the seat-base repair, and reference recall number 13V004 when you call. The dealer repair is free.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Federal recall law requires the manufacturer to repair the defect at no cost. Arboc dealers will repair the affected passenger seat bases free of charge under recall 13V004.
What is the safety risk?
The risk is passenger injury in a crash. Without the required reinforcement plates, the passenger seat base lacks proper support, and the seat can rip from the floor during an accident. Recall 13V004 fixes the affected seat bases at no cost.
What if I bought my Arboc Spirit Of Mobility used?
The free repair still applies. Recall coverage follows the vehicle, not the first owner. Check your VIN to confirm whether your 2012 Arboc Spirit Of Mobility is included, then contact an Arboc dealer and reference recall number 13V004.
More information
| NHTSA campaign page | nhtsa.gov/vehicle-recalls/13V004000 |
|---|---|
| Arboc customer service | 1-575-825-4880 |
| NHTSA recall # | 13V004 |
| NHTSA recall # (full) | 13V004000 |
Source documents
-
Download Recall Investigation Document (PDF) (PDF) - Download Recall Document (PDF) (PDF)
- Download Owner Notification Letter (PDF)
- Download Owner Notice (PDF)
- Download Quarterly Report (PDF)
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 →