The Recall Desk
Our severity:SevereNHTSA·12V132000·Announced 2012-03-26

New Flyer XDE40 and XDE35 Buses Recalled for Battery Fire Risk

New Flyer is recalling certain XDE40 and XDE35 transit buses because debris in the lithium-ion battery system can breach electrical isolation, increasing the risk of a fire.

What this means for you

Our assessment, not the agency’s: severity 4/5 (Severe).

The hazard poses a serious risk of illness, injury, or structural failure. Stop using the product immediately and contact the manufacturer for a refund or repair.

Our severity reasoning: The recall involves a structural vehicle defect in the propulsion system that explicitly increases the risk of a fire, which aligns with the rubric criteria for a Severe (4) rating.

Plain-English summary

New Flyer Industries Ltd is recalling certain model year 2011 XDE35 and model year 2010-2012 XDE40 heavy duty transit buses. The recall involves the electrical propulsion system, specifically the lithium-ion energy storage system (ESS).

Over time, particulate debris can accumulate in the lithium-ion energy storage system. In conjunction with moisture, this debris can breach the electrical isolation of the high voltage battery pack. If the electrical isolation is breached at both ends of the battery, a conductive path can be created, which can result in the unintentional discharge of the battery's stored energy and increase the risk of a fire.

New Flyer will notify owners, and dealers will install an electrical contactor and modify the lithium-ion ESS free of charge. The safety recall began on April 5, 2012. Owners may contact New Flyer at 1-204-224-6706 or the NHTSA Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236.

The recalled product

Product
NEW FLYER XDE40, XDE35
Brand
NEW FLYER
Manufacturer
NEW FLYER INDUSTRIES LTD
Category
Vehicle — Transit Bus
Hazard
Affected units
89

Is your product affected?

Check your packaging against the codes below. If any of them match, the product is part of this recall.

Model numbers (2)

  • XDE40
  • XDE35

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

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