Recall 20V661 affects 291 2017-2020 Demers Ambulances Exe and Tse ambulances for seat belt harness separation. Repair is free at any franchised Demers Ambulances dealer.
Demers Ambulances is recalling 291 2017-2020 Exe and Tse ambulances because the upper seat belt harness in the rear medical module can separate from its mounting. That separation increases injury risk for the occupant in a crash, and Demers Ambulances dealers will complete the repair free of charge.
Does this recall apply to your specific vehicle?
The official, free per-VIN recall check is run by NHTSA. Enter your VIN and we'll forward you directly — and add you to a free watchlist so you hear about new recalls for your vehicle.
Check my VIN at NHTSARecallNotify doesn't check your VIN — NHTSA's official tool does. We use your email only to alert you to new recalls.
Watch this vehicle for recalls
Add it to your free watchlist and we will alert you as new federal recalls are posted for your year, make and model. New-recall alerts are rolling out now.
You are on the watchlist.
We will email you as new federal recalls are posted for your vehicle.
What's wrong?
The rear medical module in the 2017-2020 Demers Ambulances Exe and Tse ambulances has optional 6-point seat belts at the side-facing bench seats. This belt setup uses a lower belt anchored to the wall and an upper harness anchored at two wall points. In normal use, the upper harness holds the occupant's torso against the seat during a hard stop or crash.
On affected ambulances, the assembly instructions for the shoulder bolt hardware were wrong. The washer and spacer hardware at the upper harness mounting did not secure the harness the way it was intended to. Continued use can let the upper harness pull partly or completely away from its wall mounting, leaving the belt unable to restrain the occupant as designed.
The warning sign is a loose upper harness anchorage where the harness fastens to the wall. If that wall-mounted connection moves, rattles, or does not stay tight, treat it as a seat belt defect and keep that bench position out of service until repaired.
Who's affected?
Covers the Exe and Tse ambulance configurations across 2017-2020, with the same 6-point harness seat belt part listed for each configuration.
| 2020 Demers Ambulances Exe | seat belt |
|---|---|
| 2019 Demers Ambulances Exe | seat belt |
| 2018 Demers Ambulances Exe | seat belt |
| 2017 Demers Ambulances Exe | seat belt |
| 2020 Demers Tse | seat belt |
| 2018 Demers Tse | seat belt |
| 2019 Demers Tse | seat belt |
| 2017 Demers Tse | seat belt |
| Units affected | 291 |
| Field incidents | NHTSA has logged 2 field incidents to date. |
A matching year and model does not guarantee inclusion. Check your VIN to confirm whether your specific vehicle is included.
What's the safety risk?
A separated upper harness leaves the occupant with less restraint in a crash and increases injury risk. If the upper harness anchorage fastened to the wall feels loose, keep that seating position out of service and call the dealer. Repair is free at any franchised Demers Ambulances dealer.
What should I do?
- Check your VIN to confirm your 2017-2020 Demers Ambulances Exe or Tse ambulance is included in this recall.
- Contact a franchised Demers Ambulances dealer to schedule the free rear-module seat-belt harness bolt repair that re-secures the upper harness at the side-facing bench seats.
- Bring the recall notice to the dealer. Reference recall number 20V661 when you call or arrive.
- Keep the rear medical-module side-facing bench seats out of service until the seat-belt harness repair is complete.
- Call Demers Ambulances customer service at 1-877-344-9990 with questions about scheduling or parts.
What happens at the repair
At the dealer, a Demers Ambulances technician removes and reinstalls the rear medical module seat belt harness mounting bolts using the modified configuration specified for the recall. The repair is available now, and parts and labor are covered by the recall. If you paid out of pocket for this seat belt harness repair before the recall work, Demers Ambulances has a general reimbursement plan on file. Contact Demers Ambulances customer service or ask the service desk what documentation is needed for a reimbursement review.
| Reimbursement | Reimbursement available |
|---|
Timeline
| October 26, 2020 | Dealer notification began |
|---|---|
| October 27, 2020 | NHTSA published the recall |
| November 3, 2020 | Interim owner notification (was planned for this date) |
| November 16, 2020 | Owner notification mailed |
| November 20, 2020 | Dealer notification ended |
Frequently asked questions
What is recall 20V661?
Recall 20V661 covers 291 2017-2020 Demers Ambulances Exe and Tse ambulances with rear medical module side-facing bench seat belts. The upper harness can partially or fully separate from its mounting. Dealers will remove and reinstall the harness mounting bolts in a modified configuration for free.
What should I do if my 2017-2020 Demers Ambulances Exe or Tse is on this recall?
Check your VIN to confirm your specific ambulance is included in recall 20V661. If it is, contact a franchised Demers Ambulances dealer to schedule the seat belt harness bolt repair. Reference recall number 20V661 when you call. The repair is free.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Federal recall law requires the manufacturer to repair the defect at no cost. For recall 20V661, dealers will remove and reinstall the rear medical module seat belt harness mounting bolts with the modified configuration free of charge.
What is the safety risk?
The safety risk is occupant injury during a crash. If the upper seat belt harness separates from its mounting at a side-facing bench seat, the belt loses part or all of its restraint function for that occupant in the rear medical module.
What if our ambulance was bought used?
The free repair still applies. Recall coverage follows the VIN, not the first owner. If your organization did not receive the original notice, check your VIN and give recall number 20V661 to the Demers Ambulances dealer service desk when scheduling the repair.
More information
| NHTSA campaign page | nhtsa.gov/vehicle-recalls/20V661000 |
|---|---|
| Demers Ambulances customer service | 1-877-344-9990 |
| NHTSA recall # | 20V661 |
| NHTSA recall # (full) | 20V661000 |
Source documents
-
Download Quarterly Report (PDF) - Download Owner Notification Letter (PDF)
- Download Owner Notice (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 23, 2026. RecallNotify does not paraphrase NHTSA's consequence language; that text is reproduced as written above. Editorial standards →