Recall 16V309 affects 2 2016 Eldorado Aerotech and Advantage buses for seat-base bolt failure. Repair is free at any franchised Eldorado dealer.
Eldorado is recalling 2 2016 Aerotech and Advantage transit buses built on Ford chassis because seat bolts can fail and allow seats to separate from the base frame. In a crash, that separation increases injury risk for the seat occupant, and Eldorado dealers will complete the recall repair free of charge.
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What's wrong?
The seats in the 2016 Eldorado Aerotech and Advantage buses are bolted to a base frame on the Ford chassis. Those bolts and seat studs hold the seat structure in place during normal riding and during a crash, so the seat stays attached while the passenger seating system absorbs force.
On affected buses, the hex head cap screws used in certain Freedman seat assemblies were improperly manufactured. The material flaw reduces the screw's strength. In testing, seat studs fractured and the seat separated from the base frame, which means the seating system did not meet the required school bus passenger seating and crash protection standard.
What an owner or operator notices before failure is limited. The filing says seat studs can fracture during normal use, and Freedman did not reproduce that condition in fatigue testing. Treat any loose seat, shifting seat base, unusual movement, or broken seat hardware as a reason to stop using that seat and have it inspected.
Who's affected?
Aerotech and Advantage are both listed with the same seat assembly component.
| 2016 Eldorado Aerotech | seat assembly |
|---|---|
| 2016 Eldorado Advantage | seat assembly |
| Units affected | 2 |
| Field incidents | NHTSA 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?
In a crash, a seat with fractured studs can separate from its base frame. That increases the risk of injury to the person in that seat. Because the defect involves the seat attachment, schedule the replacement soon and ask the dealer if you have noticed any seat movement. Repair is free at any franchised Eldorado dealer.
What should I do?
- Check your VIN to confirm your 2016 Eldorado Aerotech or Advantage is included in this recall.
- Contact a franchised Eldorado dealer to schedule the free seat replacement that fixes the bolt failure that lets the seat separate from its base frame.
- Bring the recall notice if Eldorado mailed one. If not, reference recall number 16V309 when you call.
- Ask the dealer whether the bus should stay out of passenger service until the seat replacement is complete.
What happens at the repair
At the dealer, an Eldorado technician replaces the affected passenger seats because the original seat bolts can fail and let the seat separate from its base frame. The replacement seats, parts, and labor are free under recall 16V309. Eldorado has a general reimbursement plan on file for owners who paid for this seat repair before the recall notice. If you paid out of pocket, contact Eldorado customer service or Freedman Seating Company with your repair documentation.
| Reimbursement | Reimbursement available |
|---|
Timeline
| May 17, 2016 | NHTSA published the recall |
|---|---|
| June 6, 2016 | Owner notification mailed |
| June 8, 2016 | Dealer notification began |
| June 8, 2016 | Dealer notification ended |
| June 8, 2016 | Interim owner notification (was planned for this date) |
Frequently asked questions
What is recall 16V309?
Recall 16V309 covers 2 2016 Eldorado Aerotech and Advantage transit buses built on Ford chassis with seats that can separate from the base frame because of bolt failure. Eldorado dealers will replace the seats for free.
What should I do if my 2016 Eldorado Aerotech or Advantage is on this recall?
Check your VIN to confirm your specific bus is included in recall 16V309. If it is, contact an Eldorado dealer to schedule the seat replacement. Reference recall number 16V309 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 Eldorado's remedy says dealers will replace the seats free of charge. Parts and labor are covered for included vehicles.
What is the safety risk?
The risk is seat separation during a crash. If the seat separates from the base frame, the seat occupant faces a higher risk of injury. The fix is the free seat replacement described in recall 16V309.
What if I bought this Eldorado bus used?
The free recall repair still applies. Recall coverage follows the vehicle, not the first owner. Check your VIN to confirm whether your specific 2016 Eldorado Aerotech or Advantage is included, then call an Eldorado dealer with recall number 16V309.
More information
| NHTSA campaign page | nhtsa.gov/vehicle-recalls/16V309000 |
|---|---|
| Eldorado customer service | 1-773-524-2440 |
| NHTSA recall # | 16V309 |
| NHTSA recall # (full) | 16V309000 |
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 →