Recall 16V191 affects 430 2010-2015 Nova Bus Lfs transit buses for missing seat J-Bracket welds. Repair is free at any franchised Nova Bus dealer.
Nova Bus is recalling 430 2010-2015 Lfs transit buses because missing welds in the seat J-Brackets can allow the driver's seat belt anchorage assembly to separate. If that happens in a crash, the driver is not properly restrained and faces a higher injury risk; Nova Bus dealers will complete the repair free of charge.
Does this recall apply to your specific vehicle?
The official, free per-VIN recall check is run by NHTSA. Enter your VIN and we'll forward you directly — and add you to a free watchlist so you hear about new recalls for your vehicle.
Check my VIN at NHTSARecallNotify doesn't check your VIN — NHTSA's official tool does. We use your email only to alert you to new recalls.
Watch this vehicle for recalls
Add it to your free watchlist and we will alert you as new federal recalls are posted for your year, make and model. New-recall alerts are rolling out now.
You are on the watchlist.
We will email you as new federal recalls are posted for your vehicle.
What's wrong?
The 2010-2015 Nova Bus Lfs uses a Recaro ERGO-M operator seat in the driver's position. The seat belt anchorage is the hard mounting point that holds the belt structure to the seat, so the belt stays tied to the seat frame when the driver is restrained. On these buses, that anchorage depends on welded J-Brackets inside the seat assembly.
On affected buses, the J-Brackets on certain operator seats were built with missing welds. A bracket that is not fully welded does not hold the anchorage assembly the way the design requires. During a crash or a hard restraint load, the seat belt anchorage assembly can separate from the J-Bracket, leaving the belt attachment weaker than intended.
The recall filing does not list an owner-visible symptom before the bracket separates. There is no warning sign before failure.
Who's affected?
The included Lfs buses were built from August 10, 2010, through November 5, 2015, and all are tied to the seat assembly.
| 2013 Nova Bus Lfs | seat assembly |
|---|---|
| 2014 Nova Bus Lfs | seat assembly |
| 2015 Nova Bus Lfs | seat assembly |
| 2010 Nova Bus Lfs | seat assembly |
| 2011 Nova Bus Lfs | seat assembly |
| 2012 Nova Bus Lfs | seat assembly |
| Units affected | 430 |
| 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 seat belt anchorage assembly separates from the J-Bracket, the driver is not properly restrained in a crash, increasing injury risk. Schedule the seat inspection soon and have missing welds repaired before returning the bus to regular service. Repair is free at any franchised Nova Bus dealer.
What should I do?
- Check your VIN to confirm your 2010-2015 Nova Bus Lfs is included in this recall.
- Contact a franchised Nova Bus dealer to schedule the free seat inspection and missing-weld repair for the J-Bracket seat belt anchorage.
- Bring any owner letter to the appointment. If you do not have it, reference recall number 16V191 when you call.
- Ask the dealer to inspect the affected seats and repair missing welds free of charge if needed.
- Call Nova Bus customer service at 1-450-472-6410 with questions about recall number 16V191.
What happens at the repair
At the dealer, a Nova Bus technician inspects the affected seats for missing welds on the J-Brackets. If missing welds are found, the technician repairs the seats so the seat belt anchorage assembly stays attached as designed. The inspection and seat repair are free under the recall. Nova Bus has a general reimbursement plan on file for documented repairs paid before the recall. Ask Nova Bus customer service or the dealer service desk how to submit prior seat repair paperwork for review.
| Reimbursement | Reimbursement available |
|---|
Timeline
| April 5, 2016 | NHTSA published the recall |
|---|---|
| April 29, 2016 | VIN-searchable in NHTSA's database — Check your VIN to see whether this recall applies to your specific vehicle. |
| April 29, 2016 | Interim owner notification (was planned for this date) |
| June 8, 2016 | Owner notification mailed |
Frequently asked questions
What is recall 16V191?
Recall 16V191 covers 430 2010-2015 Nova Bus Lfs transit buses with driver seats that have J-Brackets missing welds. The defect can allow the seat belt anchorage assembly to separate from the bracket. Nova Bus dealers will inspect the seats and repair missing welds for free.
What should I do if my 2010-2015 Nova Bus Lfs is on this recall?
Check your VIN to confirm your specific bus is included in recall 16V191000. If it is, contact a franchised Nova Bus dealer to schedule the seat inspection. Reference recall number 16V191000 or Nova Bus recall CR3632 when you call. The repair is free.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Federal recall law requires the manufacturer to repair the defect at no cost, and Nova Bus says dealers will inspect the seats and repair any missing welds free of charge. The remedy has been available since the recall began on June 8, 2016.
What is the safety risk?
The safety 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 during a crash, increasing injury risk. Nova Bus dealers fix this by inspecting the seat and repairing missing welds.
More information
| NHTSA campaign page | nhtsa.gov/vehicle-recalls/16V191000 |
|---|---|
| Nova Bus customer service | 1-450-472-6410 |
| NHTSA recall # | 16V191 |
| NHTSA recall # (full) | 16V191000 |
Source documents
-
Download Recall Investigation Document (PDF) (PDF) - Download Owner Notification Letter (PDF)
- Download Recall Document (PDF) (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 →