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Campaign 16V038 Posted January 26, 2016 4,848 units

2009-2015 New Flyer Bus Recall 16V038: Seat Bracket Welds

RN
Reviewed by the RecallNotify editorial team
Published May 31, 2026

Recall 16V038 covers 4,848 2009-2015 New Flyer buses with Recaro driver-seat bracket weld defects. Repair is free at any franchised New Flyer dealer.

New Flyer is recalling 4,848 2009-2015 buses, including MD30, XN60, and XN35 models, because certain Recaro driver seats have J-Brackets with missing welds. If the seat belt anchorage separates, the driver is not properly restrained in a crash; New Flyer dealers will complete the free repair.

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What's wrong?

The driver seat in these 2009-2015 New Flyer buses uses a Recaro Ergo-M commercial bus seat. Its seat belt anchorage assembly connects the belt hardware to the seat structure through J-brackets, so belt loads stay tied to the seat frame when the operator is restrained.

On the recalled seats, those J-brackets were built incorrectly by the seating supplier. Some brackets are missing required welds, so the seat belt anchorage assembly separates from the bracket instead of staying fixed to the seat. Seats that have already been corrected have visible welds on the seat belt anchorage brackets.

There is no warning sign before failure. The seat can look and feel normal until the anchorage is loaded, so inspection of the bracket welds is the practical way to identify the defect.

Who's affected?

Covers New Flyer and Nabi bus nameplates across the 2009-2015 model years, all tied to the seat assembly.

2015 New Flyer MD30 seat assembly
2015 New Flyer XN60 seat assembly
2015 New Flyer XN35 seat assembly
2012 New Flyer XDE35 seat assembly
2015 New Flyer XD35 seat assembly
Units affected4,848
Field incidentsNHTSA has logged no field incidents to date.

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?

A separated seatbelt anchorage assembly can leave the bus driver improperly restrained in a crash, increasing injury risk. There is no warning sign before failure, so schedule the seat inspection and bracket replacement soon. Repair is free at any franchised New Flyer dealer.

What should I do?

  1. Check your VIN to confirm your 2009-2015 New Flyer bus is included in this recall.
  2. Contact a franchised New Flyer dealer to schedule the free Recaro driver-seat J-Bracket inspection.
  3. Inspect the Recaro Ergo-M driver seat for missing J-Bracket welds before regular service continues.
  4. Schedule replacement of any missing-weld anchorage brackets so the seat belt anchorage assembly stays attached in a crash.
  5. Bring the recall notice if New Flyer has mailed one. If not, reference recall number 16V038 when you call.

What happens at the repair

At the dealer, a New Flyer technician inspects the Recaro Ergo-M driver seat J-Brackets for missing welds. If welds are missing, the seat belt anchorage brackets are replaced. Recaro supplies the replacement brackets and covers the labor, so parts and labor are free under the recall. New Flyer's general reimbursement plan is on file. If you already paid for a related anchorage bracket repair, contact New Flyer customer service or Recaro with your repair paperwork to ask about reimbursement under that plan.

ReimbursementReimbursement available

Timeline

January 26, 2016 NHTSA published the recall
February 1, 2016 VIN-searchable in NHTSA's database — Check your VIN to see whether this recall applies to your specific vehicle.
February 1, 2016 Interim owner notification (was planned for this date)
February 4, 2016 Owner notification mailed

Frequently asked questions

What is recall 16V038?

Recall 16V038 covers 4,848 2009-2015 New Flyer buses equipped with certain Recaro Ergo-M Commercial Bus Driver Seats. The seat J-brackets have missing welds, which lets the seat belt anchorage assembly separate from the bracket. New Flyer and Recaro will provide the repair for free.

What should I do if my 2009-2015 New Flyer bus is on this recall?

Check your VIN to confirm your specific bus is included in recall 16V038. If it is, arrange the seat inspection with a franchised New Flyer service location or New Flyer customer service. Reference recall number 16V038 and New Flyer recall R16-001 when you call.

Is the recall repair free?

Yes. Federal recall law requires the manufacturer to repair the defect at no cost. New Flyer instructed owners to inspect the affected seats, and Recaro supplies replacement anchorage brackets and covers labor if missing welds are found.

What is the safety risk in recall 16V038?

The risk is driver restraint failure in a crash. If the seat belt anchorage assembly separates from the J-bracket, the bus driver is not properly restrained, increasing injury risk. The fix is inspection of the Recaro seat brackets and free replacement of defective anchorage brackets.

When did the recall repair start?

The recall repair began on February 4, 2016. New Flyer notified owners with instructions to inspect affected seats for missing welds. Owners with included buses can contact New Flyer customer service at 1-204-224-6706 and reference recall R16-001.

More information

NHTSA campaign pagenhtsa.gov/vehicle-recalls/16V038000
New Flyer customer service1-204-224-6706
NHTSA recall #16V038
NHTSA recall # (full)16V038000

Source documents

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 →