2011 MCI D4500 problems, complaints & recalls

2011 MCI D4500 recalls (9)

• Recall 25V853000Dec 10, 202515,454 vehicles
  STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR · VISIBILITY:GLASS, SIDE/REAR

  Motor Coach Industries (MCI) is recalling certain 102DL3, 102D3, MC12PTV, E4500, D4000, 102D3ISTV, D4500, J4500, D4000ISTV, D4005, D4505, and J3500 transit buses. Please refer to MCI's recall report for specific model year information. The front door lower curb view glazing material is incorrect. As such, these vehicles fail to conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 205, "Glazing Materials."

  Risk: The incorrect window glazing material may reduce the driver's visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.

  Remedy: MCI will replace the glass, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 4, 2026. Owners may contact MCI customer service at 1-800-241-2947. MCI's number for this recall is 22-005.

• Recall 18V309000May 13, 20181,123 vehicles
  ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM · ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE

  Motor Coach Industries (MCI) is recalling certain 2011-2016 D4500, D4505, D4000, D4005, and D4000 ISTV motor coaches equipped with ISX engines. Due to vibrations, the exhaust bellow pipes develop a hole.

  Risk: If the pipe develops a hole, during a regeneration cycle, hot exhaust gases may leak out, increasing the risk of a fire.

  Remedy: MCI will notify owners, and dealers will replace the bellows pipe assembly with an improved part, free of charge. The recall began July 10, 2018. Owners may contact MCI customer service at 1-800-241-2947.

• Recall 17V337000May 24, 2017143 vehicles
  ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM

  Motor Coach Industries (MCI) is recalling certain 2011-2012 MCI D4000, D4005, D4500 and D4505 coaches equipped with Cummins ISX 12 liter engines. The vehicles may have an incorrectly installed exhaust bellow pipe, resulting in a bend in the pipe which can cause its premature failure.

  Risk: If the pipe fails and a diesel regeneration cycle occurs, the hot exhaust gases will increase the risk of a fire.

  Remedy: MCI will notify owners and dealers will inspect and replace any deformed or failed bellow pipes if necessary, free of charge. The recall began on June 15, 2017. Owners may contact Motor Industries at 1-800-241-2947. MCI's number for this recall is SB 397B.

• Recall 16V020000Jan 20, 2016607 vehicles
  SEATS

  Motor Coach Industries (MCI) is recalling certain model year 2011-2013 and 2015 J4500 coaches manufactured November 18, 2011, to July 10, 2015, 2011-2012 and 2014-2015 D4000 coaches manufactured manufactured September 24, 2010, to September 5, 2015, 2011-2013 and 2015-2016 D4005 coaches manufactured January 17, 2011, to November 23, 2015, 2012-2014 and 2016 D4000ISTV coaches manufactured July 18, 2012, to December 2, 2015, 2010-2016 D4500 coaches manufactured April 15, 2010, to December 18, 2015 and 2011-2016 D4505 coaches manufactured December 15, 2010, to December 4, 2015. The affected buses are equipped with certain Recaro Ergo-M Commercial Bus Driver Seats that have J-Brackets that may be missing welds which could allow the seat belt anchorage assembly to separate from the J-Bracket.

  Risk: If the seatbelt anchorage assembly separates from the J-Bracket, the bus driver may not be properly restrained in the event of a crash increasing their risk of injury.

  Remedy: MCI will notify owners and dealers will inspect the seats and determined if welds are missing. Any J-Bracket that is missing welds will be removed and replaced, free of charge. The recall began on February 15, 2016. Owners may contact MCI at 1-800-241-2947. MCI's number for this recall is SB 431.

• Recall 14V329000Jun 16, 2014312 vehicles
  ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS · INTERIOR LIGHTING

  Motor Coach Industries, Inc (MCI) is recalling certain model year 2009-2011 D4000 and D4500 and 2010 D4505 motor coaches equipped with LED lights interior lights powered by either a Vansco or IO multiplex system. Due to the excessive power draw of the LED lights, heat may build up at the fuse block and connector, causing the components to melt.

  Risk: If this occurs, the surrounding material may be damaged and will burn, increasing the risk of a fire.

  Remedy: MCI will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuse holders, free of charge. The recall began in July 2014. Owners may contact MCI customer service at 1-847-285-2090. MCI's number for this recall is 388B. Note: This recall supersedes recall 12V-250. Motorcoaches that were remedied under the previous campaign need to be remedied under this campaign as well.

• Recall 13V498000Oct 17, 201310,016 vehicles
  ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  Motor Coach Industries (MCI) is recalling certain model year 2000-2012 D, E, G and J series coaches manufactured January 2000 through June 2011 and 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.

  Risk: Once electrically conductive, the material is capable of melting and burning, increasing the risk of a fire.

  Remedy: MCI will notify owners, and Sure Power will replace the equalizers, free of charge. Owners may contact MCI at 1-847-285-2000. This campaign is MCI service bulletin 401.

• Recall 12V250000May 31, 2012312 vehicles
  INTERIOR LIGHTING

  Motor coach industries, inc (mci) is recalling certain model year 2009-2011 d4000, d4500 and 2010 d4505 motor coaches equipped with led lights interior lights and powered by either a vansco or io multiplex system. Due to excessive power draw of the led lights, heat may build up at the fuse block and connector, causing components to melt.

  Risk: If this occurs, surrounding material may be damaged and will burn, increasing the risk of a fire.

  Remedy: Mci will notify owners, and dealers will install re-designed wiring, free of charge. The recall began on july 17, 2012. Owners may contact mci at 1-866-624-2622.

• Recall 11V524000Oct 26, 20111,962 vehicles
  ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

  Motor coach industries (mci) is recalling certain model year 2003, and 2007-2012 e and j models along with model year 2007-2012 d4000, d4005, d4500, d4505, d4000istv motor coaches equipped with meritor wabco electronic stability control (esc) modules, manufactured from october 2002, through october 2011. Under certain road and driving conditions, vehicle body roll and road inclination characteristics may adversely affect the slip angle calculation of the electronic stability control (esc) system. This might cause the esc to perceive an over steering situation and therefore apply the outer wheel brake on the front axle until the vehicle is perceived to be stable.

  Risk: If the driver is slow to react during this esc intervention, the vehicle may deviate from the intended line of travel, increasing the risk of a crash.

  Remedy: Mci will notify owners and replace the control module free of charge. The safety recall began on january 4, 2012. Owners may contact mci customer service at 1-800-241-2947.

• Recall 11V016000Jan 12, 2011138 vehicles
  ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:FAN

  Mci is recalling certain model year 2010-2011 d4500, d4505, and d4000 motor coaches. The affected pulley covers may lack certain welds required to keep the covers attached to the coach structure.

  Risk: The cover will eventually fail as a result of fatigue, and the cover may become detached from the coach and fall and strike a person or object, resulting in personal injury or property damage.

  Remedy: Mci will inspect and replace as necessary the idler pulley covers free of charge. The safety recall began on february 10, 2011. Owners may contact mci customer service at 1-800-241-2947.

NHTSA defect investigations

• RQ17007Opened Sep 18, 2017Closed Jul 31, 2018led to recall 18V309000

  Exhaust Bellows Pipe Fracture Recall

  By letter dated April 15, 2013, Motor Coach Industries (MCI) notified the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) of a safety defect that may exist in certain model year (MY) 2012 and 2013 MCI D-model coaches built from December 22, 2011 to May 19, 2012 equipped with the Cummins 2010 EPA ISX 12 Liter engine.These vehicles may have had an incorrect installation of the exhaust pipe.If installed incorrectly, the elbow pipe may prematurely fail and if a Diesel Particulate Filter regeneration event occurs, the hot exhaust gases could cause a fire, resulting in injury to persons and/or damage to prope…

• EA12007Opened Sep 13, 2012Closed Dec 3, 2015led to recall 14V335000

  MCI Drive Shaft Safety Loop Failures

  In the fall of 2011, network contacts made ODI aware of four (4) incidents of drive shaft failure on the subject buses involving a loss of vehicle control.Two of the incidents were relatively low speed non-crash events; and two resulted in motor coach rollovers.All four events showed signs of a common failure mode.The incidents and crashes studied during this investigation all resulted from a series of complex events that began with the the yoke journal ears on the drive shafts fracturing.Once the drive shaft failed. it was not adequately contained by a drive shaft safety loop or structure.The…

• PE12007Opened Mar 21, 2012Closed Sep 20, 2012

  MCI Driveshaft Safety Loop Failures

  ODI has identified certain MCI coaches with powertrain configurations that may allow a driveshaft separated at the rearward universal joint to escape the guardian structure of the steerable tag axle and damage steering and braking components.The damaged components may increase the risk of a loss of vehicle control. The subject coaches include 806 model year 1992 through 2012 MCI D and E series motor coaches with steerable tag axles.This Preliminary Evaluation is being upgraded to an Engineering Analysis (EA12-007) to further study the alleged defect and to determine if a safety defect exists. …

Recent 2011 MCI D4500 complaints

Excerpts of the newest owner complaints, lightly cleaned of personal details. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

No narrative complaints on file.

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Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Office of Defects Investigation public data, as of Oct 10, 2026. Complaints are submitted by owners and are not verified by NHTSA or by us; a complaint does not prove a defect exists. View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov Methodology