Recall 14V523 affects 281 2014 Collins school buses for weak interior body-panel joints. Repair will be free at any franchised Collins dealer once available.
Collins is recalling 281 2014 school buses, including DE416WR, DH416, and SL408 models, because some interior side panel joints were built with too little adhesive. In a side collision, an exposed panel edge can increase passenger injury risk, and the dealer repair will be free once Collins makes it available.
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What's wrong?
The interior side body panels on these 2014 Collins school buses are part of the bus body structure, not trim alone. Their joints are supposed to be bonded with enough adhesive so the panels stay attached and meet the school bus body joint strength standard during a side impact.
On the affected buses, some interior side panel joints were assembled with less adhesive than Collins' internal specification required. That weaker bond leaves the joint with less strength than intended. In a collision to the side of the bus, the edge of an interior panel can become exposed instead of staying covered by the bonded joint.
There is no warning sign before failure. The issue is inside the body joint, so an owner or driver is not expected to feel a change in steering, braking, or normal operation before a side impact exposes the panel edge.
Who's affected?
Includes Collins and Mid Bus badging, with the body structure component common across the listed models.
| 2014 Collins DE416WR | body structure |
|---|---|
| 2014 Collins DH416 | body structure |
| 2014 Mid Bus SL408 | body structure |
| 2014 Collins DE516WR | body structure |
| 2014 Collins SL400 | body structure |
| 2014 Collins SL408 | body structure |
| 2014 Mid Bus DH400 | body structure |
| 2014 Mid Bus DE516WR | body structure |
| 2014 Mid Bus DE416WR | body structure |
| 2014 Collins DH516 | body structure |
| 2014 Collins DH500 | body structure |
| 2014 Mid Bus SL400 | body structure |
| 2014 Mid Bus DH516 | body structure |
| 2014 Mid Bus DH500 | body structure |
| 2014 Mid Bus DH416 | body structure |
| 2014 Collins DH400 | body structure |
| Units affected | 281 |
A matching 2014 Collins or Mid Bus model does not guarantee inclusion. Check your VIN to confirm whether your specific bus is included.
What's the safety risk?
An exposed edge interior panel raises the risk of passenger injury inside the vehicle. If you see exposed panel edges or body panel joints that look loose, keep passengers away from that area and schedule service promptly. Repair will be free at any franchised Collins dealer once available.
What should I do?
- Check your VIN to confirm your 2014 Collins DE416WR, DH416, SL408, DE516WR, SL400, DH400, DH516, or DH500 school bus is included in this recall.
- Confirm whether Collins has repair instructions ready for your VIN before booking service.
- Contact Collins customer service at 1-800-533-1850 and reference recall number 14V523 when you call.
- Ask about the free structural fastener repair that reinforces the interior side panel joints.
- Bring the owner notice dated October 8, 2014, if you have it, when the bus goes in for service.
What happens at the repair
Collins has identified the dealer repair, but do not assume scheduling is open until Collins or the dealer confirms it. Once available, a Collins technician will install additional structural fasteners on the applicable body panel joints to reinforce the interior side panel joints. The recall repair is free, with parts and labor covered. Collins says any customer who paid to repair this defect before the recall notice will be reimbursed for the cost of those repairs. Bring repair invoices and payment documentation when you contact Collins customer service or the service desk.
| Reimbursement | Reimbursement available |
|---|
Timeline
| September 3, 2014 | NHTSA published the recall |
|---|---|
| September 16, 2014 | Dealer notification began |
| September 18, 2014 | Interim owner notification (was planned for this date) |
| September 19, 2014 | Dealer notification ended |
| October 8, 2014 | Owner notification mailed |
Frequently asked questions
What is recall 14V523?
Recall 14V523 covers 281 2014 Collins school buses with interior side panel joints that received too little adhesive. In a side collision, an edge interior panel can become exposed, increasing passenger injury risk. Collins dealers install additional structural fasteners free of charge.
What should I do if my 2014 Collins DE416WR, DH416, SL408, DE516WR, SL400, DH400, DH516, or DH500 is on this recall?
Check your VIN to confirm your specific bus is included in recall 14V523. If it is, contact a franchised Collins dealer to schedule installation of the added structural fasteners. Reference recall number 14V523 when you call. The repair is free.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Federal recall law requires manufacturers to repair safety defects at no cost, and Collins dealers install the additional structural fasteners free of charge. You can also contact Collins customer service at 1-800-533-1850 for recall repair coordination.
What is the safety risk in recall 14V523?
The risk is passenger injury during a side collision. The affected buses received too little adhesive on some interior side panel joints, so an edge interior panel can become exposed if the side of the bus is hit. The dealer repair adds structural fasteners to those joints.
What if I bought this Collins bus used?
The free recall repair still applies. Recall coverage follows the VIN, not the original owner. Check your VIN to confirm whether the bus is included, then give recall number 14V523 to a Collins dealer or Collins customer service when arranging the repair.
More information
| NHTSA campaign page | nhtsa.gov/vehicle-recalls/14V523000 |
|---|---|
| Collins customer service | 1-800-533-1850 |
| NHTSA recall # | 14V523 |
| NHTSA recall # (full) | 14V523000 |
Source documents
-
Download Recall Document (PDF) (PDF) - Download Owner Notice (PDF)
- Download Recall Report (PDF)
- Download Quarterly Report (PDF)
- Download Defect / Noncompliance Notice (PDF) (PDF)
- Download Recall Acknowledgement (PDF)
This article is generated from NHTSA's primary recall filings and reviewed against the source on June 1, 2026. RecallNotify does not paraphrase NHTSA's consequence language; that text is reproduced as written above. Editorial standards →