2018 New Flyer Xcelsior Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2018 New Flyer Xcelsior, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Electrical150.0%
- Engine150.0%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
Greensboro Transit Agency (GTA), operated by RATP Dev USA, is formally notifying you of an engine compartment fire involving one of our transit vehicles. Vehicle Information: •Fleet Number: 764 •Manufacturer: New Flyer •Vehicle Type: Heavy-Duty Transit Bus •Incident Date: [XXX] •Location: Greensboro, North Carolina Summary of Incident: While in revenue service, the operator reported hearing an abnormal noise and observed white smoke coming from the rear engine compartment area. The operator safely evacuated passengers and emergency responders arrived quickly to suppress the fire. No injuries or fatalities occurred. A third-party fire investigation was conducted by Halsey King & Associates. Based on the preliminary findings, the fire is believed to have originated from a catastrophic failure of the Thermo King A/C compressor clutch bearing assembly. The bearing reportedly overheated, seized, and caused the compressor belt to ignite while still being driven by the engine. The investigation identified evidence consistent with: •A seized A/C compressor clutch bearing •Extreme heat generation within the clutch assembly •Belt ignition and progression of fire through engine compartment components At this time, our maintenance records do not indicate any previously documented defects associated with this specific Thermo King assembly prior to the incident. Our fleet currently has inspection and preventive maintenance procedures in place related to belt alignment, pulley alignment, belt tension, clutch air gap measurement, and related A/C system inspections. We are providing this notification for awareness, documentation, and any further review deemed appropriate. Please let us know if additional information, photographs, maintenance records, or investigative documentation are required. Respectfully, [XXX] Assistant General Manager / Maintenance Director Greensboro Transit Agency RATP Dev USA [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
Greensboro Transit Agency (GTA), operated by RATP Dev USA, is formally notifying you of an engine compartment fire involving one of our transit vehicles. Vehicle Information: •Fleet Number: 764 •Manufacturer: New Flyer •Vehicle Type: Heavy-Duty Transit Bus •Incident Date: [XXX] •Location: Greensboro, North Carolina Summary of Incident: While in revenue service, the operator reported hearing an abnormal noise and observed white smoke coming from the rear engine compartment area. The operator safely evacuated passengers and emergency responders arrived quickly to suppress the fire. No injuries or fatalities occurred. A third-party fire investigation was conducted by Halsey King & Associates. Based on the preliminary findings, the fire is believed to have originated from a catastrophic failure of the Thermo King A/C compressor clutch bearing assembly. The bearing reportedly overheated, seized, and caused the compressor belt to ignite while still being driven by the engine. The investigation identified evidence consistent with: •A seized A/C compressor clutch bearing •Extreme heat generation within the clutch assembly •Belt ignition and progression of fire through engine compartment components At this time, our maintenance records do not indicate any previously documented defects associated with this specific Thermo King assembly prior to the incident. Our fleet currently has inspection and preventive maintenance procedures in place related to belt alignment, pulley alignment, belt tension, clutch air gap measurement, and related A/C system inspections. We are providing this notification for awareness, documentation, and any further review deemed appropriate. Please let us know if additional information, photographs, maintenance records, or investigative documentation are required. Respectfully, [XXX] Assistant General Manager / Maintenance Director Greensboro Transit Agency RATP Dev USA [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .