Recall 19V824 affects 356 2018-2019 Glaval Bus shuttle buses with roof escape hatch handles that can break. Repair is free at any franchised Glaval Bus dealer.
Forest River is recalling 356 2018-2019 Glaval Bus shuttle buses, including the Apollo, Concorde Ii, Legacy, and Titan, because the Safe Fleet Prolo roof escape hatch external handle can break under normal use. If the handle fails during an emergency, rescuers cannot easily open the hatch from outside, and Glaval Bus dealers will replace the handle free of charge.
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What's wrong?
The roof escape hatch on these Glaval Bus shuttle buses is a ceiling-mounted emergency exit. The external handle is the lever someone outside the bus pulls to open the hatch from above during a rollover, fire, or other emergency that blocks the regular doors. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 217 requires that handle to work reliably under reasonable force.
On affected buses, the steel shaft inside the handle has porosity, small voids in the metal left over from manufacturing. Those voids weaken the shaft. Under normal pulling force during an emergency exit attempt, the handle can break off in the responder's hand instead of releasing the hatch. When that happens, the escape route fails at the moment it is needed.
There is no warning sign before failure. The handle looks and feels normal during routine inspection. The defect lives inside the steel itself, and it only shows up when someone tries to use the handle to get out.
Who's affected?
Spans nine Glaval Bus models (Apollo, Commute, Concorde Ii, Entourage, Legacy, Primetime, Titan, Titan Ii Low Floor, Universal) across the 2018 and 2019 model years, all sharing the same emergency egress concern.
| 2018 Glaval Bus Concorde Ii | body or structural component |
|---|---|
| 2019 Glaval Bus Legacy | body or structural component |
| 2019 Glaval Bus Entourage | body or structural component |
| 2019 Glaval Bus Commute | body or structural component |
| 2019 Glaval Bus Concorde Ii | body or structural component |
| 2018 Glaval Bus Universal | body or structural component |
| 2019 Glaval Bus Primetime | body or structural component |
| 2018 Glaval Bus Titan | body or structural component |
| 2019 Glaval Bus Apollo | body or structural component |
| 2019 Glaval Bus Titan | body or structural component |
| 2019 Glaval Bus Titan Ii Low Floor | body or structural component |
| 2018 Glaval Bus Apollo | body or structural component |
| 2018 Glaval Bus Commute | body or structural component |
| 2018 Glaval Bus Entourage | body or structural component |
| 2018 Glaval Bus Legacy | body or structural component |
| 2018 Glaval Bus Primetime | body or structural component |
| 2018 Glaval Bus Titan Ii Low Floor | body or structural component |
| 2019 Glaval Bus Universal | body or structural component |
| Units affected | 356 |
| 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?
If the roof hatch external handle breaks, the hatch cannot be opened easily from outside the bus during an emergency, which raises the risk of injury to anyone trying to exit or assist passengers. Treat a loose, cracked, or non-functioning handle as a reason to schedule the repair soon and keep the interior release path clear. Repair is free at any franchised Glaval Bus dealer.
What should I do?
- Check your VIN to confirm your 2018-2019 Glaval Bus shuttle is included in this recall.
- Contact your nearest franchised Glaval Bus dealer to schedule the free roof-escape-hatch replacement that fixes the breakable external handle.
- Reference recall number 19V824 (Forest River recall 05-1115) when you call so the service desk pulls the right parts.
- Call Forest River customer service at 1-800-748-3440 with questions about parts availability or scheduling.
- Avoid relying on the roof escape hatch as the primary emergency exit until the hatch is replaced, and brief drivers and passengers on the side and rear emergency exits.
What happens at the repair
At the dealer, a Glaval Bus technician replaces the Safe Fleet Prolo roof escape hatch on the affected shuttle bus. Parts and labor are free under the recall. The general reimbursement plan on file applies, so if you have already paid out of pocket to replace or repair the roof hatch since the bus was built, bring your receipts and any related paperwork to the service desk when you arrive. You can also contact Forest River customer service at 1-800-748-3440 with questions about the repair or the reimbursement process before scheduling.
| Reimbursement | Reimbursement available |
|---|
Timeline
| November 18, 2019 | NHTSA published the recall |
|---|---|
| December 10, 2019 | Owner notification mailed |
| December 27, 2019 | Dealer notification began |
| December 27, 2019 | Dealer notification ended |
| December 27, 2019 | Interim owner notification (was planned for this date) |
Frequently asked questions
What is recall 19V824?
Recall 19V824 covers 356 2018-2019 Glaval Bus shuttle buses, including Apollo, Commute, Concorde II, Entourage, Legacy, Primetime, Titan, Titan II Low Floor, and Universal models, equipped with Safe Fleet Prolo roof escape hatches. The external handle can break under reasonable use, which prevents the hatch from opening from outside in an emergency.
What should I do if my 2018-2019 Glaval Bus is on this recall?
Check your VIN to confirm your specific bus is included in recall 19V824. If it is, contact a Glaval Bus dealer to schedule the roof hatch replacement. Reference recall number 19V824 and Forest River's internal number 05-1115 when you call. You can also reach Forest River customer service at 1-800-748-3440. The repair is free.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Federal recall law requires manufacturers to perform the recall repair at no cost. Forest River dealers will replace the Safe Fleet Prolo roof escape hatch free of charge, including parts and labor, regardless of where the bus was originally purchased.
What is the safety risk from the broken roof hatch handle?
If the external handle breaks, the roof escape hatch cannot be easily opened from outside the bus during an emergency. That delays rescue access for passengers, which increases the risk of injury. The bus also fails to meet Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 217 for bus emergency exits and window retention.
What if I bought my Glaval Bus used?
The free repair still applies. Federal recall law requires manufacturers to honor the recall regardless of ownership history. If Forest River never mailed you a notice, check your VIN to confirm your bus is included in recall 19V824, then contact a Glaval Bus dealer or call Forest River at 1-800-748-3440 to schedule the hatch replacement.
More information
| NHTSA campaign page | nhtsa.gov/vehicle-recalls/19V824000 |
|---|---|
| Glaval Bus customer service | 1-800-748-3440 |
| NHTSA recall # | 19V824 |
| NHTSA recall # (full) | 19V824000 |
Source documents
-
Download Quarterly Report (PDF) - Download Recall Document (PDF) (PDF)
- Download Recall 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 →