Recall 19V478 affects 1,035 2011 IC Bus BE, CE, and RE school buses for cracked seat belt buckles. Repair is free at any franchised IC Bus dealer.
Ic Bus is recalling 1,035 2011 BE, CE, and RE school buses under recall 19V478 because the plastic fingers on the passenger seat belt buckles can crack and break off after repeated use. When that happens, the belt takes excessive force to buckle, raising the risk of injury in a crash, and Ic Bus dealers will repair the buckles free of charge.
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What's wrong?
The passenger seat belts on these 2011 IC Bus BE, CE, and RE school buses are non-retractable two-point lap belts supplied by Amsafe/Shield. The tongue is the metal latch plate a student pushes into the buckle to fasten the belt. Inside that tongue, small plastic fingers compress and spring back each time the belt is latched and released, holding the tongue locked in place until the buckle is pressed.
On affected buses, those plastic fingers fatigue from the repeated buckling and unbuckling of daily school routes. Over time the fingers crack and break off around the radius where they flex. Once the fingers are damaged, the belt takes excessive force to latch, and in some cases will not latch at all.
There is no warning sign before failure. The first sign for a driver or student is the belt refusing to click into the buckle, or pieces of plastic showing up in or around the latch.
Who's affected?
Covers three Ic Bus models (Re, Ce, Be) from the 2011 model year, all built in 2010 with the same seat belt assembly.
| 2011 Ic Bus Re | seat belt |
|---|---|
| 2011 Ic Bus Ce | seat belt |
| 2011 Ic Bus Be | seat belt |
| Units affected | 1,035 |
| 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 in this recall.
What's the safety risk?
A seat belt that does not buckle easily raises the risk of injury in a crash, because an unbuckled or partially latched belt cannot restrain the occupant as designed. Test each belt before every trip and route passengers to belts that latch properly until the repair is complete. Repair is free at any franchised Ic Bus dealer.
What should I do?
- Check your VIN to confirm your 2011 IC Bus BE, CE, or RE school bus is included in this recall.
- Contact your nearest franchised IC Bus dealer to schedule the free seat-belt assembly replacement that fixes the buckles with cracked plastic fingers.
- Call Navistar customer service at 1-800-448-7825 with questions, and reference recall number 19V478 when you call.
- Bring the recall notice to your dealer appointment if Navistar has mailed one; the interim notification went out on August 16, 2019 and the recall began September 23, 2019.
- Inspect each passenger seat belt before the repair and avoid relying on any buckle that requires excessive force to latch.
What happens at the repair
At the dealer, an IC Bus technician replaces the affected non-retractable passenger two-point seat belt assemblies on the bus. Parts and labor are free under the recall. If you previously paid out of pocket to replace these seat belt assemblies before the recall notice, Navistar's reimbursement plan applies and the customer notification includes the instructions for submitting your claim. Bring your repair receipts and the owner letter to the service desk when you arrive so the dealer can process the documentation.
| Reimbursement | Reimbursement available |
|---|
Timeline
| June 21, 2019 | NHTSA published the recall |
|---|---|
| August 20, 2019 | Dealer notification began |
| August 20, 2019 | Dealer notification ended |
| August 20, 2019 | VIN-searchable in NHTSA's database — Check your VIN to see whether this recall applies to your specific vehicle. |
| August 20, 2019 | Interim owner notification (was planned for this date) |
| September 23, 2019 | Owner notification mailed |
Frequently asked questions
What is recall 19V478?
Recall 19V478 covers 1,035 2011 IC Bus BE, CE, and RE school buses with non-retractable passenger two-point seat belts. After repeated use, the plastic fingers on the male portion of the buckle can crack and fall off, requiring excessive force to buckle the belt. IC Bus dealers will replace the affected seat belt assemblies for free.
What should I do if my 2011 IC Bus BE, CE, or RE is on this recall?
Check your VIN to confirm your specific bus is included in recall 19V478. If it is, contact a franchised IC Bus dealer to schedule the seat belt assembly replacement. Reference recall number 19V478 when you call. You can also contact Navistar customer service at 1-800-448-7825. The repair is free.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Federal recall law requires manufacturers to repair the defect at no cost. Navistar will replace the affected seat belt assemblies free of charge at any franchised IC Bus dealer, regardless of where the bus was originally purchased.
What is the safety risk?
If the plastic fingers inside the buckle crack and fall off, the seat belt will not easily latch. A passenger who gives up or rides unbelted is unprotected in a crash, which raises the risk of injury. Replacing the seat belt assembly restores normal buckle function.
What warning signs should I watch for?
The clearest warning is a passenger two-point seat belt that takes excessive force to buckle, or a buckle that will not latch at all. Inspect the male portion of the buckle for cracked or missing plastic fingers. If you see either, take the bus to a franchised IC Bus dealer for the recall 19V478 repair.
More information
| NHTSA campaign page | nhtsa.gov/vehicle-recalls/19V478000 |
|---|---|
| Ic Bus customer service | 1-800-448-7825 |
| NHTSA recall # | 19V478 |
| NHTSA recall # (full) | 19V478000 |
Source documents
-
Download Misc. Document (PDF) - Download Recall Document (PDF) (PDF)
- 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 24, 2026. RecallNotify does not paraphrase NHTSA's consequence language; that text is reproduced as written above. Editorial standards →