Recall 25V101 affects 2 2005-2008 Nova Bus Lfs transit buses with too few emergency exits. Repair is free through Nova Bus.
Nova Bus is recalling 2 2005-2008 Lfs transit buses because they were built with too few emergency exits for the federal bus exit standard. An insufficient number of exits can delay passengers trying to leave during an emergency, increasing injury risk, and the Nova Bus dealer repair will be free once available.
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What's wrong?
The emergency exit windows on 2005-2008 Nova Bus Lfs transit buses are part of the bus escape system. In a crash, fire, or other event where the normal doors are blocked or unusable, those windows give passengers and crew another way out. The exit layout has to provide enough usable opening area on each side of the bus.
On the affected buses, the vehicle design included the wrong amount of emergency exits for buses with 40 seats or more. Nova Bus says the total unobstructed opening surface exceeded the required area, but the layout did not provide at least 40% of that required area on each side. That leaves one side of the bus short of the required escape opening area.
There is no warning sign before failure. An owner or operator would not see a dashboard light, noise, or drivability symptom because the issue is the emergency-exit configuration, not a running component.
Who's affected?
Spans four model years of Nova Bus Lfs buses, all tied to the emergency exit window structure.
| 2005 Nova Bus Lfs | body or structural component |
|---|---|
| 2006 Nova Bus Lfs | body or structural component |
| 2008 Nova Bus Lfs | body or structural component |
| 2007 Nova Bus Lfs | body or structural component |
| Units affected | 2 |
| 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 this recall applies to your specific bus.
What's the safety risk?
Too few emergency exits can slow or block passenger evacuation during an emergency, increasing the risk of injury. There is no warning sign before this issue matters, so if your VIN is included, schedule the recall repair promptly. Repair will be free at any franchised Nova Bus dealer once available.
What should I do?
- Check your VIN to confirm your 2005-2008 Nova Bus Lfs is included in this recall.
- Watch for the Nova Bus owner notice if you have not received it, then confirm which repair phase applies to your bus.
- Call Nova Bus customer service at 866-870-2046 before scheduling service and reference recall number 25V101.
- Schedule the free window replacement that adds the required emergency exits for passenger evacuation.
- Bring the recall notice to the Nova Bus service appointment if you received one.
What happens at the repair
Nova Bus has described this as a phased repair. Once the repair is available for an included bus, a Nova Bus technician will replace the affected windows with emergency exit windows. Parts and labor are covered under the recall. The issue involves buses built with the wrong number of emergency exits, so the repair adds the required exit-window function rather than adjusting a cosmetic part. Contact Nova Bus customer service or the servicing dealer with recall number CR5691 to ask where the phased repair stands for your bus.
Timeline
| February 17, 2025 | NHTSA published the recall |
|---|---|
| April 18, 2025 | Dealer notification began |
| April 18, 2025 | Dealer notification ended |
| April 18, 2025 | Interim owner notification (was planned for this date) |
| September 12, 2025 | VIN-searchable in NHTSA's database — Check your VIN to see whether this recall applies to your specific vehicle. |
| December 12, 2025 | Owner notification mailed |
Frequently asked questions
What is recall 25V101?
Recall 25V101 covers 2 2005-2008 Nova Bus Lfs transit buses built with an incorrect number of emergency exits. That defect fails the federal bus emergency-exit standard and can delay passengers during an emergency. Nova Bus will replace selected windows with emergency exit windows for free.
What should I do if my 2005-2008 Nova Bus Lfs is on this recall?
Check your VIN to confirm your specific bus is included in recall 25V101. If it is, contact Nova Bus customer service at 866-870-2046 and reference recall CR5691. Nova Bus will replace the affected windows with emergency exit windows free of charge.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Federal recall law requires the manufacturer to fix the defect at no cost, and Nova Bus states the window replacement is free of charge. Parts and labor are covered for buses included in recall 25V101.
What is the safety risk?
The risk is delayed passenger exit during an emergency. If a bus has too few emergency exits, passengers can have fewer ways out when speed matters, increasing injury risk. The repair path is to replace selected windows with emergency exit windows.
Were owner letters mailed for recall 25V101?
Yes. Nova Bus mailed owner notices in phases, with notices stated for December 12, 2025 and February 16, 2026. If you manage or own one of these buses and never received a notice, check your VIN and call Nova Bus customer service with recall CR5691.
More information
| NHTSA campaign page | nhtsa.gov/vehicle-recalls/25V101000 |
|---|---|
| Nova Bus customer service | 866-870-2046 |
| NHTSA recall # | 25V101 |
| NHTSA recall # (full) | 25V101000 |
Source documents
-
Download Quarterly Report (PDF) - Download Recall Investigation Document (PDF) (PDF)
- Download Owner Notification Letter (PDF)
- Download Recall Report (PDF)
- Download Recall Document (PDF) (PDF)
- Download Recall Acknowledgement (PDF)
This article is generated from NHTSA's primary recall filings and reviewed against the source on May 19, 2026. RecallNotify does not paraphrase NHTSA's consequence language; that text is reproduced as written above. Editorial standards →