Recall 16V011 covers 6,734 2010-2015 Gillig Low Floor transit buses for missing seat J-Bracket welds. Repair is free at any franchised Gillig dealer.
Gillig is recalling 6,734 2010-2015 Low Floor transit buses equipped with Recaro Ergo-M driver seats because missing welds on the seat J-brackets can let the seat belt anchorage separate. If that happens, the driver is not properly restrained in a crash, increasing injury risk; the Gillig dealer repair will be free once available.
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What's wrong?
The driver seat in a 2010-2015 Gillig Low Floor bus uses a seat belt anchorage assembly to hold the belt to the seat structure. On buses equipped with Recaro Ergo-M Commercial Bus Driver Seats, that anchorage depends on a metal J-Bracket welded to the seat frame. The bracket gives the belt a fixed, reinforced attachment point when the driver is seated.
On affected seats, the J-Bracket has missing welds. That leaves the bracket weaker than designed, so the seat belt anchorage assembly can separate from the bracket instead of staying locked to the seat. The issue traces to Recaro seat assemblies installed as original equipment on new buses and also sold through Gillig's aftermarket parts department.
There is no warning sign before failure. The seat can look normal in daily use, and the missing welds are not something a driver is expected to feel from the seat or belt.
Who's affected?
Covers the Low Floor bus across six model years, all tied to the seat assembly.
| 2015 Gillig Low Floor | seat assembly |
|---|---|
| 2014 Gillig Low Floor | seat assembly |
| 2013 Gillig Low Floor | seat assembly |
| 2010 Gillig Low Floor | seat assembly |
| 2011 Gillig Low Floor | seat assembly |
| 2012 Gillig Low Floor | seat assembly |
| Units affected | 6,734 |
| Field incidents | NHTSA has logged no field incidents to date. |
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 the seatbelt anchorage assembly separates from the J-Bracket, the driver is not properly restrained in a crash, which raises the driver's injury risk. There is no warning sign before separation, so confirm whether the bus is included and arrange the inspection. Repair will be free at any franchised Gillig dealer once available.
What should I do?
- Check your VIN to confirm your 2010-2015 Gillig Low Floor bus is included in this recall.
- Contact Gillig customer service at 1-800-735-1500 for current repair timing before scheduling service.
- Reference recall number 16V011 when you call Gillig or a franchised Gillig dealer.
- Ask about the seat inspection and J-Bracket replacement that fixes missing welds which can let the seat belt anchorage separate.
- Keep the bus driver informed that the seat belt anchorage is the concern until the inspection and repair are complete.
What happens at the repair
Gillig's filing says the dealer repair is to inspect the Recaro Ergo-M driver seats for missing welds on the J-Brackets. If a J-Bracket is missing welds, a Gillig technician removes and replaces that bracket. Because the remedy status is not listed as available, treat the final dealer repair as free once available, and confirm timing with Gillig customer service before arranging service. Gillig has a general reimbursement plan on file. If you already paid for a related seat or J-Bracket repair, contact Gillig with your repair documentation.
| Reimbursement | Reimbursement available |
|---|
Timeline
| January 13, 2016 | NHTSA published the recall |
|---|---|
| January 15, 2016 | Dealer notification began |
| January 15, 2016 | Dealer notification ended |
| March 1, 2016 | Owner notification mailed |
| March 11, 2016 | Interim owner notification (was planned for this date) |
Frequently asked questions
What is recall 16V011?
Recall 16V011 covers 6,734 2010-2015 Gillig Low Floor transit buses with Recaro Ergo-M Commercial Bus Driver Seats. The seat J-Brackets can have missing welds, allowing the seat belt anchorage assembly to separate from the bracket during a crash.
What should I do if my 2010-2015 Gillig Low Floor is on this recall?
Check your VIN to confirm your specific bus is included in recall 16V011. If it is, contact a Gillig dealer or Gillig customer service at 1-800-735-1500 to schedule the seat inspection. Any J-Bracket with missing welds gets replaced for free.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Federal recall law requires the manufacturer to repair the defect at no cost. Gillig dealers will inspect the affected Recaro driver seats and replace any J-Bracket with missing welds free of charge.
What is the safety risk in recall 16V011?
The safety risk is loss of driver restraint in a crash. If the seat belt anchorage assembly separates from the J-Bracket, the bus driver is not properly restrained, increasing the risk of injury. The repair path is a free dealer inspection and bracket replacement when needed.
When did the Gillig Low Floor seat recall begin?
Gillig began the recall on March 1, 2016. Owners should still check the VIN for any bus without documented completion, especially fleet vehicles that changed operators or service records after the original notice.
More information
| NHTSA campaign page | nhtsa.gov/vehicle-recalls/16V011000 |
|---|---|
| Gillig customer service | 1-800-735-1500 |
| NHTSA recall # | 16V011 |
| NHTSA recall # (full) | 16V011000 |
Source documents
-
Download Misc. Document (PDF) - Download Recall Report (PDF)
- Download Quarterly Report (PDF)
- Download Recall Acknowledgement (PDF)
This article is generated from NHTSA's primary recall filings and reviewed against the source on May 31, 2026. RecallNotify does not paraphrase NHTSA's consequence language; that text is reproduced as written above. Editorial standards →