The Recall Desk
SevereNHTSA·23V697000·Announced 2023-10-17

Proterra Transit Buses Recalled for Inverter Power Loss Risk

Proterra is recalling 2019-2022 ZX5 and Catalyst 800V transit buses due to inverter transistor overheating risk. A transistor failure can cause loss of power steering and drive power, increasing crash risk.

What this means for you

Illness, injury, or structural failure has been reported. Stop using the product immediately and contact the manufacturer for a refund or repair.

Our severity reasoning: This is a structural vehicle defect affecting critical power systems (inverter transistor failure). Loss of power steering and drive power on a transit bus presents significant crash risk, meeting the Severe criterion despite no reported injuries or deaths.

Plain-English summary

Proterra Operating Company, Inc. is recalling certain 2019-2022 ZX5 and Catalyst 800V transit buses equipped with ProDrive 1.0 inverters. A transistor inside the inverter may overheat and fail, resulting in loss of power steering and drive power.

Loss of power steering and drive power increases the risk of a crash. The recall affects 238 transit buses total, including both 40-foot and 35-foot models spanning model years 2019 through 2022.

Owners should contact Proterra customer service at 1-864-438-0000 to arrange free inverter replacement. Owner notification letters were mailed December 16, 2023. For more information, contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153) or visit www.nhtsa.gov.

The recalled product

Product
2021 PROTERRA ZX5
Brand
PROTERRA
Manufacturer
Proterra Operating Company, Inc.
Category
Vehicle — Transit Bus
Hazard
  • transistor-failure
  • power-steering-loss
  • drive-power-loss
  • crash-risk
Affected units
238

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)

  • ZX5
  • CATALYST

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

Related recalls

Same brand · PROTERRA

Same category