Recall 18V827 affects 463 2013-2017 New Flyer buses with faulty fire-suppression actuators. Repair is free at any franchised New Flyer dealer.
New Flyer is recalling 463 2013-2017 XN60, XN40, XD40, XDE40, and XD60 buses because the actuator in certain Kidde KDS-25 fire extinguishers can fail, keeping the optional fire suppression system from discharging agent during a fire. If the system does not work as intended, injury risk increases; New Flyer dealers will complete the repair free of charge.
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What's wrong?
The affected 2013-2017 New Flyer XN60, XN40, XD40, XDE40, and XD60 buses use an optional engine fire suppression system with Kidde KDS-25 fire extinguishers. In normal operation, the system detects an engine fire, triggers an electrical piston actuator, and opens the extinguisher valve so fire retardant discharges into the engine area. That discharge is the system's main job when an engine fire starts.
The defect is in the electrical actuator on certain extinguishers. The actuator does not have enough stored energy to keep the fire bottle valve open after the system is triggered. If an engine fire is detected, the extinguisher can fail to release the fire suppression agent, leaving the engine compartment without the suppression the bus was equipped to provide. The suspect actuators are identified by batch codes 042A/15, 639A/17, and 467A/17 on the component label.
There is no warning sign before failure. The problem shows up only when the fire suppression system is called on to discharge during an engine fire.
Who's affected?
Spans five New Flyer bus models across the 2013-2017 model years, all tied to the Equipment component.
| 2017 New Flyer XN60 | Equipment |
|---|---|
| 2017 New Flyer XN40 | Equipment |
| 2017 New Flyer XD40 | Equipment |
| 2016 New Flyer XN60 | Equipment |
| 2016 New Flyer XN40 | Equipment |
| 2016 New Flyer XD40 | Equipment |
| 2015 New Flyer XN60 | Equipment |
| 2015 New Flyer XN40 | Equipment |
| 2015 New Flyer XD40 | Equipment |
| 2015 New Flyer XDE40 | Equipment |
| 2015 New Flyer XD60 | Equipment |
| 2014 New Flyer XN40 | Equipment |
| 2013 New Flyer XN40 | Equipment |
| Units affected | 463 |
| 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 a fire starts, a fire suppression system that fails to work as intended raises the risk of injury. There is no warning sign before the system fails to operate, so schedule the recall repair soon and keep the vehicle available for inspection. Repair is free at any franchised New Flyer dealer.
What should I do?
- Check your VIN to confirm your 2013-2017 New Flyer XN60, XN40, XD40, XDE40, or XD60 is included in this recall.
- Contact a franchised New Flyer dealer to arrange the free KTI inspection and actuator replacement that lets the fire suppression system discharge during a fire.
- Reference recall number 18V827 and New Flyer recall R18-020 when you call.
- Bring the recall notice if New Flyer sent one to your fleet or vehicle owner.
- Keep the bus under your fleet's fire-safety rules until the inspection and repair are complete.
What happens at the repair
At the service visit, a New Flyer technician inspects the Kidde fire suppression system and checks the electrical piston actuators that trigger discharge of the fire suppression agent. If the actuators are affected, they are replaced at no cost. The source remedy says KTI handles the inspection and replacement at customer locations, so fleet operators do not need to pay parts or labor for the recall work. Suspect actuator products sold through the aftermarket are also replaced at no cost.
Timeline
| November 22, 2018 | NHTSA published the recall |
|---|---|
| November 29, 2018 | Owner notification mailed |
| November 30, 2018 | Interim owner notification (was planned for this date) |
Frequently asked questions
What is recall 18V827?
Recall 18V827 covers 463 New Flyer vehicles equipped with certain KTI KDS-25 fire extinguishers in the optional fire suppression system. The extinguisher actuator can fail to discharge the fire suppression agent during a fire, increasing injury risk.
What should I do if my 2013-2017 New Flyer XN60, XN40, XD40, XDE40, or XD60 is on this recall?
Check your VIN to confirm your specific vehicle is included in recall 18V827. If it is, contact New Flyer customer service at 1-204-224-6706 and reference recall R18-020. KTI will inspect the fire suppression system and replace affected electrical piston actuators for free.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Federal recall law requires the defect remedy to be completed at no cost, and New Flyer's remedy says KTI will inspect the fire suppression systems and replace the electrical piston actuators for free.
What is the safety risk?
The safety risk is a fire suppression system that does not work when needed. If the KTI extinguisher actuator fails during a fire, the system will not discharge the fire suppression agent as intended, increasing the risk of injury.
When did the recall repair begin?
The recall repair began on November 29, 2018. New Flyer notified owners, and the repair path is available through New Flyer customer service and KTI inspection of the affected fire suppression systems.
More information
| NHTSA campaign page | nhtsa.gov/vehicle-recalls/18V827000 |
|---|---|
| New Flyer customer service | 1-204-224-6706 |
| NHTSA recall # | 18V827 |
| NHTSA recall # (full) | 18V827000 |
Source documents
-
Download Recall Investigation 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 25, 2026. RecallNotify does not paraphrase NHTSA's consequence language; that text is reproduced as written above. Editorial standards →