Recall 18V209 covers 1,528 2015-2018 Van Hool motorcoaches with exposed aisle-side seat belt buckles. Repair is free at franchised Van Hool dealers.
Van Hool is recalling 1,528 2015-2018 CX45, TD925, TDX25, TX40, TX45, and CX35 motorcoaches because the outer casing on passenger seat belt buckles can fail, leaving the buckles exposed. Exposed buckles can discourage seat belt use and raise injury risk in a crash; the Van Hool dealer repair will be free once available.
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What's wrong?
The passenger seat belt buckle on 2015-2018 Van Hool TX40, TX45, CX45, TD925, TDX25, and CX35 motorcoaches is the latch point that holds the belt tongue after a passenger clicks the belt closed. The outer casing is the cover around that buckle. It helps keep the release button and latch hardware enclosed so passengers can buckle and unbuckle the belt normally.
On affected motorcoaches, the buckle's outer casing can fail. When that cover breaks or separates, the buckle mechanism is left exposed instead of protected inside its housing. The recall is about the buckle assembly casing, not the belt webbing itself, so the visible problem is at the latch point where the belt fastens.
There is no warning sign before failure. An owner or operator discovers the issue when the buckle casing is already cracked, broken, missing, or exposing the buckle hardware.
Who's affected?
Spans six coach models across 2015-2018, all tied to the front seat belt buckle assembly.
| 2015 Van Hool TX40 | seat belt |
|---|---|
| 2015 Van Hool TX45 | seat belt |
| 2015 Van Hool CX45 | seat belt |
| 2015 Van Hool TD925 | seat belt |
| 2015 Van Hool TDX25 | seat belt |
| 2016 Van Hool TD925 | seat belt |
| 2016 Van Hool TDX25 | seat belt |
| 2016 Van Hool CX45 | seat belt |
| 2016 Van Hool CX35 | seat belt |
| 2017 Van Hool CX35 | seat belt |
| 2017 Van Hool TD925 | seat belt |
| 2017 Van Hool TDX25 | seat belt |
| 2016 Van Hool TX40 | seat belt |
| 2016 Van Hool TX45 | seat belt |
| 2017 Van Hool TX45 | seat belt |
| 2018 Van Hool CX35 | seat belt |
| 2017 Van Hool CX45 | seat belt |
| 2018 Van Hool CX45 | seat belt |
| 2017 Van Hool TX40 | seat belt |
| 2018 Van Hool TX40 | seat belt |
| 2018 Van Hool TX45 | seat belt |
| 2018 Van Hool TDX25 | seat belt |
| 2018 Van Hool TD925 | seat belt |
| Units affected | 1,528 |
| 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?
The risk is tied to exposed aisle-side seat belt buckles: occupants are less likely to use belts when the buckle is exposed, which increases injury risk in a crash. Confirm your VIN and ask the dealer for the current repair path. Repair will be free at any franchised Van Hool dealer once available.
What should I do?
- Check your VIN to confirm your 2015-2018 Van Hool TX40, TX45, CX45, TD925, TDX25, or CX35 motorcoach is included in this recall.
- Check for Van Hool's owner notice before scheduling service.
- Contact a franchised Van Hool dealer to ask about the free seatbelt-buckle replacement that covers exposed passenger buckle casings.
- Bring the recall notice if you have it. If not, reference recall number 18V209 when you call.
- Use the seat belts on every trip and keep passengers out of seats with exposed buckle casings until the dealer repair is complete.
What happens at the repair
Van Hool has identified the dealer remedy: a Van Hool technician replaces the defective aisle-side passenger seatbelt buckles with flexible buckles. The dealer repair will be free once available, with parts and labor covered under the recall. Owner notification began on May 16, 2018. Van Hool also has its standard reimbursement plan on file for this campaign. If you already paid for a related seatbelt buckle repair before the recall work, contact Van Hool customer service with your repair documentation and ask how to submit it for review.
| Reimbursement | Reimbursement available |
|---|
Timeline
| March 30, 2018 | NHTSA published the recall |
|---|---|
| May 16, 2018 | Owner notification mailed |
Frequently asked questions
What is recall 18V209?
Recall 18V209 covers 1,528 2015-2018 Van Hool TX40, TX45, CX45, TD925, TDX25, and CX35 motorcoaches with passenger seat belt buckle outer casings that can fail and leave the buckles exposed. Van Hool dealers replace the defective aisle-side buckles with flexible buckles for free.
What should I do if my 2015-2018 Van Hool TX40, TX45, CX45, TD925, TDX25, or CX35 is on this recall?
Check your VIN to confirm your specific motorcoach is included in recall 18V209. If it is included, contact a franchised Van Hool dealer to schedule the seat belt buckle replacement. Reference recall number 18V209 when you call. The repair is free.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Federal recall law requires manufacturers to perform recall repairs at no cost, and Van Hool dealers replace the defective aisle-side seat belt buckles with flexible buckles free of charge. The recall repair began May 16, 2018.
What is the safety risk?
The risk is lower seat belt use, which increases injury risk in a crash. Recall 18V209 concerns buckle outer casings that can fail and leave passenger seat belt buckles exposed. The repair replaces those defective aisle-side buckles with flexible buckles.
What if I bought my Van Hool motorcoach used?
The free recall repair still applies. Federal recall law follows the vehicle, not the first owner. Check your VIN to confirm whether your specific motorcoach is included in recall 18V209, then call a franchised Van Hool dealer or Van Hool customer service at 1-877-427-7278.
More information
| NHTSA campaign page | nhtsa.gov/vehicle-recalls/18V209000 |
|---|---|
| Van Hool customer service | 1-877-427-7278 |
| NHTSA recall # | 18V209 |
| NHTSA recall # (full) | 18V209000 |
Source documents
-
Download Recall Investigation Document (PDF) (PDF) - Download Owner Notification Letter (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 25, 2026. RecallNotify does not paraphrase NHTSA's consequence language; that text is reproduced as written above. Editorial standards →