Recall 16V310 affects 4 2016 Collins DH416 and DE516 school buses for seat bolt failure. Seat replacement is free at any franchised Collins dealer.
Collins is recalling 4 2016 DH416 and DE516 school buses because seat bolts can fail and let the seat separate from its base frame. In a crash, that separation increases injury risk for the seat occupant, and Collins dealers will complete the recall repair free of charge.
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What's wrong?
The passenger seats in the 2016 Collins DH416 and DE516 school buses are bolted to a base frame. That frame is what keeps the seat anchored to the bus body during normal driving and during a crash. The seat studs and fasteners are small parts, but they carry the load that keeps the seat attached.
On the affected buses, defective fasteners supplied for Freedman seating assemblies had reduced strength. During testing, certain seat studs fractured and the seat separated from the base frame. That means the seat assembly did not meet the school bus passenger seating and crash protection requirements in FMVSS 222.
The filing does not describe a normal warning sign that a driver or attendant sees before a stud fractures. There is no stated warning sign before failure. Freedman found the problem when seat studs fractured during testing, not from a listed dashboard light or driver symptom.
Who's affected?
Covers both DH416 and DE516 buses using the same seat assembly.
| 2016 Collins DH416 | seat assembly |
|---|---|
| 2016 Collins DE516 | seat assembly |
| Units affected | 4 |
| 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, the seat can separate from the base frame and increase injury risk for the person sitting there. Until the seat is replaced, use extra care when carrying passengers and schedule the recall repair with the dealer. Repair is free at any franchised Collins dealer.
What should I do?
- Check your VIN to confirm your 2016 Collins DH416 or DE516 school bus is included in this recall.
- Contact a franchised Collins dealer to schedule the free seat replacement that fixes seats that can separate from the base frame.
- Bring the Collins recall notice, or reference recall number 16V310 and Collins recall 16E037 when you call.
- Keep passengers out of the affected seats until the replacement is complete.
What happens at the repair
For the repair, Collins coordinates the owner notice and the seat manufacturer replaces the affected school bus seats free of charge. The work addresses seats that separate from the base frame because of bolt failure, so the repair path is replacement, not an inspection-only visit. Parts and labor are covered under recall 16V310. Collins has a general reimbursement plan on file for documented out-of-pocket seat-related repairs paid before the recall notice. If you already paid for this repair, contact Collins customer service at 1-800-533-1850 and ask what documentation the plan requires.
| Reimbursement | Reimbursement available |
|---|
Timeline
| May 17, 2016 | NHTSA published the recall |
|---|---|
| May 20, 2016 | Dealer notification began |
| May 23, 2016 | Dealer notification ended |
| May 26, 2016 | Interim owner notification (was planned for this date) |
| June 14, 2016 | Owner notification mailed |
Frequently asked questions
What is recall 16V310?
Recall 16V310 covers 4 2016 Collins DH416 and DE516 school buses with passenger seats that can separate from the base frame because of bolt failure. The seat manufacturer will replace the affected seats free of charge.
What should I do if my 2016 Collins DH416 or DE516 is on this recall?
Check your VIN to confirm your specific bus is included in recall 16V310. If it is, contact Collins customer service at 1-800-533-1850 and ask for recall number 16E037. The seat replacement is free.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Federal recall law requires the recall repair to be performed at no cost to the owner. For recall 16V310, the seat manufacturer will replace the affected school bus seats free of charge through Collins.
What is the safety risk in recall 16V310?
In a crash, the affected seat can separate from its base frame and increase the risk of injury to the seat occupant. Recall 16V310 also involves seats that fail to meet Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 222 for school bus passenger seating and crash protection.
More information
| NHTSA campaign page | nhtsa.gov/vehicle-recalls/16V310000 |
|---|---|
| Collins customer service | 1-800-533-1850 |
| NHTSA recall # | 16V310 |
| NHTSA recall # (full) | 16V310000 |
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 →