RECALLS — MAKE · MODEL · YEAR
2018 Nova BUS LFS recalls
36 safety recall campaigns have been filed for the 2018 Nova BUS LFS with Transport Canada and the U.S. NHTSA. Here is what both agencies say.
- Canadian recalls
- 20
- U.S. recalls
- 16
- Total campaigns
- 36
Transport Canada recalls
20- Structure#2026228
1,284 units affected
Issue: On certain transit buses, the plastic glazing panel on the interior door separating the driver from the passengers may not have the required marking. As a result, the missing information could lead you to install the wrong panel. Canadian regulations require a marking to identify the type of glazing panel used. Safety Risk: An incorrect panel could reduce visibility and increase the risk of a crash. Corrective Actions: Nova Bus will notify owners by mail and provide you with instructions for how to replace the plastic glazing panel with one that has the correct markings.
- Seats And Restraints#2026137
528 units affected
Issue: On certain transit buses, the driver's seat belt tension-relieving device may not have been installed properly. As a result, the seat belt may not work properly in a crash, and the buses may not meet certain requirements of Canadian regulations. Safety Risk: A seat belt that doesn't work properly could increase the risk of injury in a crash. Corrective Actions: To reduce the safety risk, Nova Bus recommends not to use the seat belt tension-relieving device until the recall repairs have been completed. Nova Bus will notify owners by mail and provide you with instructions for how to remove the seat belt tension-relieving device.
- Seats And Restraints#2026053
652 units affected
Issue: On certain transit buses, the rails for the wall-mounted double seats may not have been designed correctly. As a result, the mounting rails could crack and the seats could fall. Safety Risk: Seats that fall could create a risk of injury for passengers. Corrective Action: Nova Bus will notify owners by mail and provide you with instructions for how to replace the attachment brackets for the seat(s).
- Structure#2026006
323 units affected
Issue: On certain transit buses, the emergency exit window latch could fail. As a result, the emergency exit window could open during a crash or be difficult to open in an emergency. Safety Risk: An emergency exit window that opens in a crash could increase the risk of injury. An emergency exit that's difficult to open could slow your exit from the bus in an emergency and increase the risk of injury. Corrective Actions: Nova Bus will notify owners by mail and provide you with instructions for how to repair the emergency exit window latch.
- Seats And Restraints#2024499
589 units affected
Issue: On certain transit buses, the recall repairs completed during Transport Canada recall no. 2023-291 may not be effective. As a result, a second repair is required. On certain transit buses, the driver's seat back panel could interfere with the driver's seat belt. As a result, the driver's seat belt may not retract properly. Note: This recall is an expansion of Transport Canada recall no. 2023-291 and only affects certain buses equipped with a Recaro driver's seat. Safety Risk: A loose seat belt could increase the risk of injury in a crash. Corrective Actions: Nova Bus will notify owners by mail. The corrective actions for this recall are under development. Nova Bus advises that if the seat belt is loose after it's buckled, the driver should readjust the seat to eliminate any interference with the seat belt.
- Brakes#2024425
1,686 units affected
Issue: This recall is for brake chambers installed on certain transit buses or sold as a replacement part. On certain transit buses, the brake chamber(s) on the rear axle may be defective. As a result, air could leak from the chamber and cause the parking brake to apply while driving without the brake lights turning on. If this happens, the brakes could overheat. Safety Risk: A parking brake that self-applies while driving without the brake lights turning on could cause a person not to recognize that the vehicle is braking. This could increase the risk of a crash. Additionally, overheated brakes could create the risk of a fire. Corrective Actions: Nova Bus will notify owners by mail and provide you with instructions for how to inspect and, if necessary, replace the brake chamber(s).
- Lights And Instruments#2024066
522 units affected
Issue: On certain transit buses, a software problem could cause various lamps to flash instead of staying on constantly. As a result, the bus may not meet certain requirement of Canadian regulations. Safety Risk: Flashing lamps could distract or confuse other road users and increase the risk of a crash. Corrective Actions: Nova Bus will notify owners by mail and provide you with instructions for how to update the vehicle software.
- Visual System#2024034
Issue: On certain transit buses, the window glass may have an incorrect marking. As a result, this could lead you to install the wrong type of glass. Canadian regulations require a marking to identify the type of glass that is used. UPDATE - After the company notified Transport Canada about this problem, they determined that there are no Canadian buses affected by it. Accordingly, this safety recall was withdrawn. Safety Risk: There is no safety risk, as Canadian vehicles were not built with the recalled parts. Corrective Action: This is not a recall. This notice is for information only.
- Seats And Restraints#2023291
521 units affected
Issue: On certain transit buses, the driver's seat back panel could interfere with the driver's seat belt. As a result, the driver's seat belt may not retract properly. Safety Risk: A loose seat belt could increase the risk of injury in a crash. Corrective Actions: Nova Bus will notify owners by mail and provide you with directions for correcting this issue. This may include limiting the recline angle of the of the seat back or adding a spacer on the driver's rear partition. Nova Bus advises that if the seat belt is loose after it's buckled, the driver should readjust the seat to eliminate any interference with the seat belt.
- Visual System#2023271
3,229 units affected
Issue: On certain buses, the convex passenger-side exterior rearview mirror may not be curved enough. If fitted with a convex passenger-side mirror, Canadian regulations require a minimum and maximum curvature radius of the mirror surface. Safety Risk: This small error does not affect safety, as the visibility out of the vehicle is not limited by the non-compliant mirror assembly. Corrective Actions: This is not a recall. Nova Bus has made production changes to ensure that all new buses have compliant convex passenger-side rear-view mirrors.
- Lights And Instruments#2022696
1,280 units affected
Issue: Certain buses were equipped with front auxiliary lamps of a non-standard colour, such as blue lights next to the front destination sign. Canadian regulations provide requirements for the colours of vehicle lighting. UPDATE - When Nova Bus notified Transport Canada about this problem, they believed the auxiliary lamps could impair the effectiveness of other required lights and cause a distraction or confusion for others. After further investigation, Nova Bus determined that the auxiliary lamps on the subject vehicles do not reduce the effectiveness of lights required by Canadian regulations. Additionally, the auxiliary lamps do not pose a risk of distraction or confusion for others. Accordingly, this safety recall was withdrawn. Safety Risk: This problem does not pose a safety risk. Corrective Actions: This is not a recall. This notice is for information only.
- Lights And Instruments#2022248
406 units affected
Issue: On certain buses, a message board on the rear of the bus displays momentary text when the stop lamps or turn signals are used. These momentary text messages could cause confusion for other road users. Safety Risk: Text messages about the stop lamps and turn signals that are displayed on the rear of the bus could cause confusion for others and increase the risk of a crash. Corrective Actions: Nova Bus will notify owners in writing and provide them with directions for removing the rear message board.
- Steering#2021400
941 units affected
Issue: On certain hybrid buses, a speed sensor fault could cause a loss of power steering assist. Safety Risk: A loss of power steering assist would result in a sudden increase in steering effort, especially at low speeds. This could increase the risk of a crash. Corrective Actions: Nova Bus will notify owners by mail and provide them with instructions for updating the hybrid system software. This update will allow the power steering assist to remain active until the vehicle is stopped.
- Fuel System#2021286
1,671 units affected
Issue: On certain buses, the fuel rail assembly could develop a leak. Note: This recall affects buses equipped with a Cummins L9 diesel engine and spare engines provided by Nova Bus. Safety Risk: A fuel leak can create the risk of a fire. Corrective Actions: Nova Bus will notify owners by mail and instruct you to take your bus to a Cummins authorized service center to inspect the fuel rail. If damage is found, the fuel rail and fuel lines will be replaced. If no damage is found, the fuel rail will be reassembled with new crush washers using a special tool.
- Lights And Instruments#2021128
929 units affected
Issue: On certain transit buses, the stop lamps and tail lamps are located too high above the ground. Canadian regulations provide a maximum mounting height for the stop lamps and tail lamps. Safety Risk: Stop lamps and tail lamps that are mounted too high may cause reduced visibility, which could increase the risk of a crash. Corrective Actions: Nova Bus will notify owners by mail and provide them with directions for changing the mounting position of the stop and tail lamps.
- Structure#2020271
199 units affected
Issue: On certain transit buses, the safety re-opening mechanisms on the rear passenger door may not work properly under certain operating conditions due to a programming error. As a result, the rear passenger door could close on a person. Safety Risk: A rear passenger door that closes on a person could cause an injury. Corrective Actions: Nova Bus will notify owners in writing and provide them with directions for updating the vehicle software.
- Seats And Restraints#2019332
117 units affected
Issue: On certain transit buses, the hardware used to secure some of the seats was not properly tightened. This could cause the hardware or seat mount to fail. As a result, the seat could drop to the floor. Safety Risk: Seats that are not secure could create a risk of injury for passengers. Corrective Actions: Nova Bus will notify owners in writing and provide them with directions for inspecting and replacing the seat rails and hardware.
- Engine#2019171
318 units affected
Issue: On certain buses, the electrical connector for the engine door fan is too small and could overheat. Safety Risk: An electrical connector that overheats could create the risk of a fire. Corrective Actions: The company will notify owners by mail. Owners will be supplied with parts and instructions for replacing the electrical connector for the engine door fan.
- Suspension#2018594
205 units affected
On certain articulated transit buses equipped with a Hubner turntable and Cummins engine, an engine fault code may cause the articulating dampener control unit to misinterpret the vehicle’s speed. This would result in no dampening in the articulation, which would reduce vehicle stability and increase the risk of a crash causing injury and/or damage to property. Correction: The articulating dampener control unit software will be updated to alert the driver in the case of an engine fault and put the vehicle into emergency mode if vehicle speed cannot be interpreted.
- Electrical#2018287
296 units affected
On certain buses, corrosion of the electrical junction stud on the engine cradle could cause an electrical pathway to form between the stud and its attachment screws. If this were to occur, localized heating could cause the stud housing to melt, creating an increased risk of fire causing injury and/or property damage. Correction: Affected junction blocks will be replaced, and anti-corrosion treatment will be applied to the junction block studs and the cable terminals.
Canadian data updated August 24, 2026
U.S. NHTSA recalls
16- SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:SUPPLY:LOW PRESSURE WARNING:SWITCH#26V355000
Nova Bus (US) Inc. (Nova Bus) is recalling certain 1997-2002, 2005-2024 LFS, 2009-2014, and 2016 - 2024 LFS Artic transit buses. The low brake air pressure warning light may fail to illuminate when the engine is off. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 121, "Air Brake Systems."
Risk: A low brake air pressure warning light that fails to illuminate when the engine is off will not alert the driver to a low brake pressure condition, increasing the risk of a crash if the parking brake is disengaged before starting the engine.
Remedy: Nova Bus will update the firmware, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters explaining the safety risk were mailed by July 17, 2026. Owners will receive another notice once remedy becomes available. Owners may contact Nova Bus customer service at 1-450-472-6410. Nova Bus' number for this recall is CR5918. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning October 2, 2026.
- SEAT BELTS:FRONT#26V182000
Nova Bus (US) Inc. (Nova Bus) is recalling certain 2016-2018, 2020, 2022-2023 LFS and 2019-2020 LFS Artic transit buses. The driver's seat belt tension-reliving device may fail to disengage without manual intervention. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Risk: Failure of the tension-reliving device may prevent the seat belt from properly restraining the driver, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.
Remedy: Nova Bus will remove the seat belt tension-reliving device, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 22, 2026. Owners may contact Nova Bus customer service at 1-450-472-6410. Nova Bus' number for this recall is CR5873. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning May 23, 2026.
- SEATS#26V077000
Nova Bus (US) Inc. (Nova Bus) is recalling certain 2013-2019 LFS and 2019-2020 LFS Artic transit buses equipped with Double Transversal seats. The passenger seat mounting rails may crack, causing the seat to detach and fall to the floor.
Risk: A seat that falls unexpectedly increases the risk of injury to passengers in or near to the seat.
Remedy: Nova Bus will replace the attachment brackets, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters explaining the safety risk were mailed by April 10, 2026. Owners will receive another notice once remedy becomes available. Owners may contact Nova Bus customer service at 1-450-472-6410. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning December 4, 2026.
- SEAT BELTS:FRONT#24V647000
Nova Bus (US) Inc. (Nova) is recalling certain 2010-2020 LFS Artic and 2012-2024 LFS vehicles. The driver's seat belt may not retract properly. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 209, "Seat Belt Assemblies."
Risk: A seat belt that does not retract properly may result in a loose seat belt, which can increase the risk of injury in a crash.
Remedy: Nova Bus will install additional seat stoppers to the driver's rear partition, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed July 4, 2025. Nova's number for this recall is CR5635. This recall expands and replaces previous recall number 23V-350. Vehicles that were previously recalled under 23V-350 will need to have the new remedy completed.
- SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:DISC:CHAMBER#24V558000
Nova Bus (US) Inc. (Nova Bus) is recalling certain 2016-2019 LFS and LFS Artic buses. The brake chamber on the rear axle may have been improperly manufactured, which can result in an air leak.
Risk: A brake chamber air leak may cause the brakes to engage unexpectedly, which can overheat the brakes and increase the risk of a fire. Additionally, unexpected braking can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Nova Bus will inspect and replace the brake chamber as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 02, 2024. Owners may contact Nova Bus customer service at 1-800-350-6682. Nova Bus's number for this recall is CR5619.
- VISIBILITY#24V033000
Nova Bus (US) Inc. (Nova Bus) is recalling certain 2017-2019 LFS and LFS Artic buses. The driver's door windows may have been built with the incorrect prime glazing manufacturer DOT code mark. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 205, "Glazing Materials."
Risk: An incorrect DOT code mark may result in the window being replaced with an incorrect type of glass, reducing visibility and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Nova Bus will inspect the windows and either replace the windows or remove the incorrect marking, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 19, 2024. Owners may contact Nova Bus customer service at 1-800-350-6682. Nova Bus number for this recall is CR5546.
- SEATS:CRITICAL FASTENERS#23V714000
Nova Bus (US) Inc. (Nova) is recalling certain 2015-2019 LFS and LFS Artic transit buses. The attachment hardware may have been incorrectly installed beneath the rear wheel well passenger seats, allowing the seat to detach from the frame.
Risk: A detached passenger seat may inadequately restrain a passenger during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the remedy is completed. Nova Bus will inspect and replace the attachment hardware as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 1, 2023. Owners may contact Nova Bus customer service at 1-800-350-6682. Nova Bus number for this recall is CR5500.
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS#23V607000
Nova Bus (US) Inc. (Nova) is recalling certain 2017-2023 LFS and 2017-2022 LFS Artic transit buses. The 24-volt power cable and grounded mounting fastener that secures the fuse holder may short circuit.
Risk: An electrical short circuit can overheat the fuse holder and increase the risk of a fire while driving or parked.
Remedy: Nova will insect, remove, and clean the fuse holder and cable lugs as necessary, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed November 7, 2023. Owners may contact Nova customer service at 1-800-350-6682. Nova's number for this recall is CR5445. This recall replaces and expands recall number 22V-416. Vehicles previously repaired under recall 22V-416 will need to have the new remedy completed.
- SEAT BELTS:FRONT#23V350000
Nova Bus (US) Inc. (Nova) is recalling certain 2012-2022 LFS vehicles. The driver's seat belt may not retract properly. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 209, "Seat Belt Assemblies."
Risk: A seat belt that does not retract properly may result in a loose seat belt, which can increase the risk of injury in a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will adjust the recline angle of the seat-back rest, or add a spacer on the driver's seat, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 14, 2023. Owners may contact Nova customer service at 1-800-350-6682. Nova's number for this recall is CR5419.
- EXTERIOR LIGHTING#22V902000
Nova Bus (US) Inc. (Nova) is recalling certain 2010-2021 LFS and 2009-2012 LFS Artic transit buses. These vehicles are equipped with non-standard color auxiliary lights which may impair the effectiveness of the standard lighting equipment. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamp, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Risk: The colorful lighting may cause confusion by distracting other drivers, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will remove the non-standard color lights, or replace them with white lights, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 31, 2023. Owners may contact Nova's customer service at 1-800-350-6682. Nova's number for this recall is CR5350/5351.
- STEERING:CRITICAL FASTENERS#22V845000
Nova Bus (US) Inc. (Nova Bus) is recalling certain 2018-2022 LFS and 2018-2021 LFS Artic buses equipped with a Bosch steering gear box. The steering gear box may have an insufficient clamp load, which may allow the mounting plate sub-assembly fasteners to loosen and possibly fall out.
Risk: Missing fasteners may cause a of a loss of steering, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the remedy has been completed. Nova Bus will inspect and tighten the fasteners as an interim remedy. The permanent remedy, consisting of replacing and tightening new fasteners to increase the clamp load, is expected to be available November 30, 2022, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 16, 2022. Owners may contact Nova Bus customer service at 1-800-350-6682. Nova Bus's number for this recall is CR5342.
- EXTERIOR LIGHTING#22V323000
Nova Bus (US) Inc. (Nova) is recalling certain 2016-2020 LFS and 2013-2022 LFS Artic buses. The momentary STOP and YIELD text message board is duplicating the stop light and turn signal light signals. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Risk: The momentary text message board duplicating light signals may cause confusion, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Nova will coordinate with Prevost Service Centers to remove the momentary text message board duplicating light signals and associated equipment, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on June 27, 2022. Owners may contact Nova's customer service at 1-800-350-6682. Nova's number for this recall is CR5267/68/69.
- FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:FUEL RAIL#21V351000
Nova Bus is recalling certain 2016-2020 LFS and LFS Artic vehicles. The sealing washer may not seat correctly in the pilot bore holes, allowing the high pressure fuel rail assembly to leak.
Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the rail threads, and replace the rail as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 9, 2021. Owners may contact Nova Bus customer service at 1-800-350-6682.
- EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS#21V151000
Nova Bus (Nova) is recalling certain 2008-2021 LFS Buses. The center-line height of the brake lights and tail lights is too high, exceeding the maximum height standard. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Risk: Reduced visibility of the brake and tail lights can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Nova will notify owners, and provide instructions for interchanging the positions of the brake light and tail light components with the turn signal light components, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin May 2021. Owners may contact Nova customer service at 1-800-350-6682.
- STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS#20V354000
Nova Bus (Nova) is recalling certain 2016-2019 LFS buses. The safety mechanism that automatically re-opens the pneumatic rear passenger door in case of an obstruction may be inactive under certain conditions, allowing the doors to continue to close.
Risk: The rear doors may continue to close while an occupant is in the doorway, increasing the risk of an injury.
Remedy: Nova will notify owners and will update the software for the safety mechanism, free of charge. The recall began July 9, 2020. Owners may contact Nova customer service at 1-800-350-6682.
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM#19V274000
Nova Bus (Nova) is recalling certain 2011-2019 LFS city buses. The engine door fan electrical connector may not be able to handle the required current and may overheat, possibly resulting in a fire.
Risk: A vehicle fire increases the risk of injury.
Remedy: Nova will notify owners, and dealers will replace the connector, free of charge. The recall began May 21, 2019. Owners may contact Nova customer service at 1-800-350-6682. Nova's number for this recall is CR4595.
Does this recall apply to my vehicle?
Matched by make, model, and model year. Many recalls affect only specific VIN ranges — confirm with your dealer using your full VIN.
What to do
Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer in both countries. To confirm a recall applies to your specific vehicle, or to book the work, contact your manufacturer or dealer with your full VIN, or use the official channel:
- NHTSA recall lookup (search by VIN) — U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- Defects and recalls database — Transport Canada
Check a 2018 Nova BUS LFS VIN
A VIN decode confirms your vehicle's exact model year, trim and assembly plant, then runs this same recall check against it.