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2018 Proterra Catalyst
NHTSA lists 9 recall campaigns for the 2018 Proterra Catalyst, covering electrical system, steering and structure, and 0 consumer complaints received since 1995.
No consumer complaints for this model year are in the NHTSA file.
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation has opened 1 investigation naming this model year.
Complaints are consumer reports and have not been verified by NHTSA. Recall text is the manufacturer's Part 573 report as filed with NHTSA. Complaint file through 15 May 2019; recall file through 29 Sep 2026.
Recalls by model year:
Recall campaigns
Defect, as filed: Proterra Operation Company, Inc. (Proterra) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Catalyst transit buses. One or more battery packs may allow liquid to leak into and accumulate in the battery pack enclosure.
Consequence: The accumulation of liquid inside the battery pack enclosure increases the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Proterra will update software, inspect, and replace the battery pack, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed November 6, 2023. Owners may contact Proterra's customer service at 1-864-438-0000.
Filed by Proterra Operating Company, Inc..
Defect, as filed: Proterra, Inc. (Proterra) is recalling certain 2017-2019 35 foot Catalyst E2, 2017-2019 40 foot E2, 2020-2021 35 foot RR, 2019-2020 40 foot RR, 2019-2022 40 foot ZX5, and 2020-2022 35 foot ZX5 buses. The plexus adhesive between the torque limiter plate and the bus body may be insufficient, causing the bolts that secure the steering gearbox to loosen.
Consequence: A loose steering gearbox can cause a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will install a mechanical fastener and new bolts on the steering gearbox, and install a new torque plate, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 7, 2022. Owners may contact Proterra's customer service at 1-864-438-0000.
Filed by Proterra, Inc. (manufacturer campaign SC-22-040).
Defect, as filed: Proterra Inc. (Proterra) is recalling certain 2018-2020 35 foot and 40 foot Catalyst buses. Lack of plexus adhesive between the torque plate and the vehicle chassis may cause the bolts securing the steering gear box to loosen.
Consequence: An unsecured steering gear box could cause the driver to lose the ability to steer the vehicle, increasing the risk of crash or injury.
Remedy: Proterra will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the steering gear mounting bolts and the plexus adhesive layer between the torque plate and the chassis. If the plexus adhesive layer is missing or insufficient, the components will be repaired, free of charge. The recall began December 10, 2020. Owners may contact Proterra customer service at 1-864-438-0000. Proterra's number for this recall is SC-20-154.
Filed by Proterra Inc. (manufacturer campaign SC-20-154).
Defect, as filed: Proterra, Inc. (Proterra) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Catalyst buses equipped with a certain batch of glass roof hatches. Temperature and vibration stresses may cause the tempered glass roof hatch to shatter.
Consequence: If the tempered glass roof hatch shatters, glass fragments may fall onto passengers, increasing the risk of an injury.
Remedy: Proterra will notify owners, and the glass hatch manufacturer will provide replacement hatch lids, free of charge. The recall began August 13, 2019. Owners may contact Proterra at 1-864-438-0000. Proterra's number for this recall is SC-19-79.
Filed by Proterra Inc. (manufacturer campaign SC-19-79).
Defect, as filed: Proterra, Inc. (Proterra) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Catalyst buses. The vehicles are equipped with swivel valves that may insufficiently protect the air brake system from an air leak between the service reservoir and the source of air pressure. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 121, "Air Brake Systems."
Consequence: If the swivel valves are unable to protect the air brake system against loss of air pressure, this may lead to service brake failure and the possibility for the uncontrolled application of the safety brake. Either condition increases the risk of crash.
Remedy: Proterra will notify owners, and will replace the swivel valve with a check valve that is sufficient to protect the air brake system, free of charge. The recall began July 26, 2019. Owners may contact Proterra customer service at 1-864-438-0000.
Filed by Proterra Inc..
Defect, as filed: Proterra, Inc. (Proterra) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Catalyst 40 buses equipped with an optional tow fitting and airline that allows a tow truck to operate the rear brakes on the vehicle. The mesh cap covering the airline for the tow fitting can be clogged with road debris in inclement weather, possibly resulting in a build up of air pressure in the rear brake system.
Consequence: A build up of air pressure can cause the brakes to drag and possibly overheat, increasing the risk of fire.
Remedy: Proterra will notify owners, and dealers will install an additional shield to the tow fitting that protects the mesh cap, free of charge. The recall began June 4, 2019. Owners may contact Proterra customer service at 1-864-438-0000.
Filed by Proterra Inc..
Defect, as filed: Proterra Inc., (Proterra) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Catalyst 40 and 35 transit buses. The affected vehicles are equipped with a four point height control system that may cause a load imbalance, overloading the front tires.
Consequence: An overloaded front tire may fail unexpectedly, increasing the risk of crash.
Remedy: Proterra will notify owners, and dealers will convert the current four point ride height system into a three point system to prevent the front tires from being overloaded, free of charge. The recall began March 26, 2019. Owners may contact Proterra customer service at 1-864-438-0000.
Filed by Proterra Inc.; components: suspension:front; tires.
Defect, as filed: Proterra Inc., (Proterra) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Catalyst 40 transit buses. The affected vehicles lack a Graham White air brake supply reservoir, possibly resulting in long term moisture build up in the air brake system. As a result, these vehicles fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 121, "Air Brake Systems."
Consequence: Built-up of moisture in the air brake system may lead to brake failure, increasing the risk of crash.
Remedy: Proterra will notify owners, and dealers will install a supply reservoir with a drain between the air dryer and the air supply manifold, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin March 28, 2019. Owners may contact Proterra customer service at 1-864-438-0000.
Filed by Proterra Inc..
Defect, as filed: Proterra, Inc is recalling certain 2015-2018 Catalyst 40, and Catalyst 35 buses. The certification label may list an incorrect gross front axle weight rating and/or incorrect tire pressures. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of 49 CFR Part 567, "Certification."
Consequence: If the tire pressure is understated, an underinflated tire may result in an increased risk of tire failure, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Proterra will notify owners, and dealers will replace the certification labels with correct information for all affected customers, free of charge. The recall began March 12, 2019. Owners may contact Proterra customer service at 1-864-438-0000.
Filed by Proterra Inc..
Each entry links to the NHTSA record. NHTSA states that safety recall repairs are free of charge at an authorised dealer; check a specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Complaints by component
No consumer complaints for this model year are in the NHTSA file.
Investigations
| Action | Type | Subject | Component | Opened | Closed | Recall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RQ25001 | Recall query | Remedy Effectiveness of Recall 22V887 | electrical system:propulsion system:traction battery | 27 Jun 2025 | open | — |
Other Proterra Catalyst model years
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints | Units in campaigns |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 4 | 0 | 1,257 |
| 2016 | 6 | 0 | 1,374 |
| 2017 | 8 | 0 | 1,821 |
| 2018 | 9 | 0 | 1,785 |
| 2019 | 9 | 0 | 1,931 |
| 2020 | 8 | 0 | 2,108 |
| 2021 | 5 | 0 | 2,083 |
| 2022 | 3 | 0 | 1,214 |
Model years with a single campaign and fewer than 25 complaints have no page here; the NHTSA link opens the agency's record for that year.
All Proterra Catalyst model years · Proterra: 2 model lines
Questions and answers
How many recalls does the 2018 Proterra Catalyst have?
9 NHTSA recall campaigns name this model year; the most recent, 22V887000, was reported to NHTSA on 30 Nov 2022 and concerns electrical system:propulsion system:traction battery. Across all model years the Proterra Catalyst line has 17 campaigns.
Is there an open NHTSA investigation into the 2018 Proterra Catalyst?
NHTSA's investigation file lists 1 action naming this model year; the table above shows each action's opening and closing dates. An action with no closing date was still open when the file was produced.
What component do owners of the 2018 Proterra Catalyst complain about most?
No complaints for this model year are in the NHTSA file.
How do I get a recall repaired?
NHTSA states that safety recall repairs are performed free of charge by the manufacturer's authorised dealers. Each campaign's remedy text above is the manufacturer's statement as filed with NHTSA. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.
Where does this data come from?
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation recall, complaint and investigation flat files, public domain, downloaded 29 Sep 2026. Complaint counts are unique complaint numbers per make, model and model year; component figures count each component a complaint names. The NHTSA record linked from each campaign is authoritative.
Provenance
Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Office of Defects Investigation flat files (recalls, complaints, investigations), public domain, files dated 29 Sep 2026 (recalls) and 15 May 2019 (complaints). Complaints since 1 Jan 1995. Counts are unique complaint numbers per make, model and model year; per-1,000 rates divide a component's mentions by all mentions for the same group. Errors in processing are corrected at the next daily build; see corrections and the methodology.