Optima: recalls by model and year

Name: Optima recall campaigns
Creator: Recall Register
License: https://www.usa.gov/government-works

NHTSA lists 11 vehicle recall campaigns for Optima. The register has 4 model lines of the make, model years 1998 to 2009. NHTSA has 8 complaints on file for these model lines. NHTSA also lists 1 child seat, tire or equipment campaign for the make. The equipment pages show it.

Select a model line NHTSA VIN lookup

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Complaint information entered into NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation vehicle owner's complaint database is used with other data sources to identify safety issues that warrant investigation and to determine if a safety-related defect trend exists.
NHTSA publishes these words. Source: NHTSA Datasets and APIs, section Complaints, read on 1 Oct 2026. Complaint file through 29 Mar 2018. Recall file through 29 Sep 2026.

Model lines

4 model lines, in the order of the number of complaints.

Optima: recall campaigns and complaints for each model line
Model line	Model years	Campaigns	Complaints	Complaints for each model year	Component with the most mentions
Opus	10	4	8	0.8	Engine and Engine Cooling
Opus 29	8	5	0	0.0
Opus 34	8	5	0	0.0
AH-28	8	3	0	0.0

This table compares the model lines of Optima only. The NHTSA files have no sales figures. A model line with more vehicles on the road gets more complaints. This site does not compare one make with a different make.

Recall campaign: One recall in the NHTSA recall file, with one campaign number. A campaign can name many makes, models and model years.

Complaint: A report about a possible safety problem that a person sends to NHTSA. This site shows the number of complaints and not their text.

Newest recall campaigns

The newest 5 of 11.

13V457000Received 19 Sep 2013. 4,061 units.
Electrical System
Defect, in the NHTSA record
North American Bus Industries (NABI) is recalling certain model year 2000-2011 LFW, CLFW, BRT, 2007-2009 Blue Bird L4RE, and 2000-2009 Optima Opus transit buses equipped with Sure Power battery equalizers containing a particular epoxy sealing, aka 'potting', compound. The specific potting compound used in the subject products for insulation was found to be capable of conducting electricity after being exposed to heat.
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
Once electrically conductive, the material is capable of melting and burning, increasing the risk of a fire.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
NABI will notify owners, and dealers will replace the equalizers, free of charge. An interim letter was mailed to owners on January 27, 2014. Owners may contact NABI at 1-256-831-4296. NABI's recall number is 20136.
Report filed by North American Bus Industries, Inc.. Manufacturer campaign number 20136. The campaign has 49 make, model and year entries.
12V189000Received 2 May 2012. 50 units.
Steering / Column
Defect, in the NHTSA record
North american bus industries (nabi) is recalling certain model year 2007-2009 optima opus29 and opus34 model transit buses, manufactured from august 8, 2007, through september 21, 2009. The pinch bolts in the steering column shaft may loosen to the extent that they may fall out allowing the steering shaft to separate.
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
Separation of the steering shaft will result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Nabi will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and repair vehicles free of charge. The safety recall began on june 7, 2012. Owners may contact nabi at 1-256-831-4296.
Report filed by NORTH AMERICAN BUS INDUSTRIES, INC.. Manufacturer campaign number 20122. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 7 Jun 2012. The campaign has 3 make, model and year entries.
09V495000Received 29 Dec 2009. 2,370 units.
Equipment
Defect, in the NHTSA record
North american bus industries, INC. (nabi) is recalling certain model year 2002 through 2009 transit buses manufactured between january 1, 2002, and september 15, 2009, and equipped with luminator horizon LED side destination signs. The connector board can corrode due to an accumulation of moisture under the connector.
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
The corrosion could cause an electrical short that could result in a fire.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Nabi will notify owners and luminator will repair the buses free of charge. Please see luminator's defect report 09e-054. The safety recall is expected to begin during january 2010. Owners may contact luminator at 1-972-516-3033 or nabi at 1-256-831-4296.
Report filed by NORTH AMERICAN BUS INDUSTRIES, INC.. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 29 Jan 2010. The campaign has 30 make, model and year entries.
07V206000Received 10 May 2007. 85 units.
Service Brakes, Air
Defect, in the NHTSA record
On certain transit buses equipped with graham white air dryers, the air dryer timer modules may allow sufficient quantities of moisture to enter and affect the operation of the vehicle air brake system.
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
Failure of the air brake system due to moisture could result in a crash.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Nabi, in conjunction with graham-white, will replace the air dryer timer module on the affected vehicles. The recall began on may 31, 2007. Owners may contact nabi at 1-256-831-4296 or graham-white at 540-387-5620.
Report filed by NORTH AMERICAN BUS INDUSTRIES, INC.. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 31 May 2007. The campaign has 2 make, model and year entries.
05V405000Received 13 Sep 2005. 167 units.
Fuel System, Other / Delivery / Fuel Pump
Defect, in the NHTSA record
On certain transit vehicles and trolleys equipped with cummins isb-02 diesel engines built with emc controlled fuel lift pumps. Erratic voltage supply to the fuel lift pump causes premature electric brush wear internal to the fuel lift pump. This premature wear could result in fuel lift pump failure and in some cases may cause an engine stall condition.
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
Should the engine stall, a vehicle crash could occur.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Cummins, in conjunction with optima bus, will notify owners and repair the engines by emc recalibration and replacement of the fuel lift pump at no charge to the customer. Owners may contact cummins assistance center at 1-800-diesels or optima bus at 1-316-779-7700.
Report filed by OPTIMA BUS CORP. Manufacturer campaign number SAF05009. The campaign has 6 make, model and year entries.

The list shows the newest 5 of 11 campaigns.

Download all 11 campaigns of Optima (CSV)

Counts by year

Recall campaigns that name Optima vehicles, by the year NHTSA received the report. The largest year is 2005, with 6 campaigns.

Complaints about Optima vehicles, by the year NHTSA received them. The largest year is 2008, with 8 complaints.

Components in the complaints

A complaint can name more than one component. Each component that a complaint names is one component mention. The figure per 1,000 component mentions shows how many of each 1,000 mentions name the component.

Optima: complaints by component, per 1,000 component mentions
Component	Per 1,000	Mentions
Engine and Engine Cooling	666.7	10
Air Bags	66.7	1
Electrical System	66.7	1
Interior Lighting	66.7	1
Latches/Locks/Linkages	66.7	1
Unknown or Other	66.7	1

Official channels

NHTSA VIN lookupNHTSA shows the unrepaired recalls of one vehicle from its VIN or its license plate.
NHTSA: report a safety problemThe NHTSA form for a complaint about a vehicle, a tire, a child seat or equipment.

Cite this page

Recall Register. Optima: recalls by model and year. https://recallregister.com/make/optima/. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, recall, complaint and investigation files. Data through 29 Sep 2026.

Sources

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Licence: US government work, public domain
Recall file through: 29 Sep 2026
Complaint file through: 29 Mar 2018
Investigations that name the make: 0
Units in the campaigns: 7,447

Manufacturers in the recall file: OPTIMA BUS CORP; North American Bus Industries, Inc..

The make name is the name in the NHTSA files. The units of a campaign that names 2 makes are in the figure of each make. How the register is made. Report an error.

Questions

Which Optima model line has the most recall campaigns?: The Opus 29: 5 campaigns for 8 model years. A line with more model years has more campaigns.
Which Optima model line has the most complaints?: The Opus: 8 complaints for 10 model years. A line with more vehicles on the road gets more complaints.
Which components do the complaints about Optima vehicles name?: Engine and Engine Cooling: 10 component mentions. Air Bags: 1 component mention. Electrical System: 1 component mention.
How many units are in the recall campaigns for Optima?: 7,447 units in 11 campaigns. The units of a campaign that names 2 makes are in the figure of each make.