Bus roof escape hatch/fmvss 217
Defect Summary
Specialty manufacturing, inc. (smi) is recalling certain prolo bus roof escape hatches installed as original equipment on various school and transit buses shipped from april 1, 2011, through march 25, 2012. these hatches may have also been used as service replacement parts. increased friction between the rear plate assemblies, p/no. 009327, and the nylon rear pop-up support, p/no. 008956, may result in an opening force of the prolo roof hatches that exceeds federal standard requirements. thus, these hatches fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 217, "bus emergency exits and window retention and release."
Safety Consequence
In the event of an emergency, a noncompliant hatch may not provide a means of readily accessible egress, increasing the risk of injury to the vehicle occupants.
Corrective Action
Smi is working with the bus manufacturers to identify and notify the owners of the recall campaign. the buses will be repaired free of charge. in order to determine if your hatch affected, please review the list of prolo model and part number provided to us by smi by clicking on the hyperlink affected model list. the safety recall began on may 24, 2012. owners may contact smi at 1-800-951-7867 or their vehicle manufacturer.
Similar Recalls
Other recalls from Safe Fleet or involving Structure.
FAQ: Recall 12E017000
Your rights, the repair process, and what each field on this page means.
What is recall 12E017000?
NHTSA recall 12E017000 was issued by Safe Fleet on May 7, 2012. It addresses: Bus roof escape hatch/fmvss 217. The recall affects approximately 15,462 vehicles, with the defect involving the Structure component.
How do I get this recall repaired?
Contact any authorized Safe Fleet dealer and reference NHTSA recall ID 12E017000 or the manufacturer campaign number NR (Not Reported). Under federal law, the repair is completely free regardless of vehicle age or owner history.
Is my vehicle included in this recall?
The only way to confirm is to look up your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. NHTSA's tool will tell you if VIN-by-VIN this exact recall applies.
How long do I have to get a recall repair done?
There is no expiration on most federal safety recalls. Even if your vehicle is years old and you bought it used, the manufacturer is required to perform the repair at no cost.
Where does the data on this page come from?
All information on this page is sourced directly from the U.S. Department of Transportation public dataset for NHTSA recalls. Last refreshed: 2026-05-22. For the most current official notice, visit nhtsa.gov/recalls.