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1997 Orion Vi

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

No component reports in this snapshot.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 0 of 0 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

0 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports

What owners actually said

0 reports

No matching complaints in this snapshot.

Official recalls

6

10V538000 · Equipment Adaptive/mobility

Nov 2, 2010

DAIMLER BUS IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 1995 THROUGH 2000 TRANSIT BUSES MANUFACTURED FROM JANUARY 1996 THROUGH DECEMBER 2000. THESE BUSES ARE CONFIGURED WITH A TAPPED FITTING FOR THE HYDRAULIC WHEELCHAIR RAMP. IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT CONNECTED TO THE HYDRAULIC PUMP IS A FITTING WITH AN ADAPTER FOR THE WHEELCHAIR RAMP OPERATION. THE FITTING CAN CRACK AND CAUSE HYDRAULIC FLUID TO LEAK INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: HYDRAULIC FLUIDS LEAKING INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT CAN BE IGNITED BY THE HOT TURBOCHARGER AND CAUSE AN ENGINE FIRE.

Remedy: BUS OWNERS WILL BE INSTRUCTED ON HOW TO REPAIR THE BUSES FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON 3, DECEMBER 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DAIMLER BUSES AT 1-800-716-7566.

03V120000 · Visibility:glass, Side/rear

Mar 27, 2003

CERTAIN TRANSIT BUSES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 217, "BUS EMERGENCY EXITS AND WINDOW RETENTION AND RELEASE." THE HANDLE PULL FORCE EXCEEDS THE 89N FORCE TO RELEASE THE EMERGENCY WINDOW. ADDITIONAL FORCE IS REQUIRED TO RELEASE THE WINDOW.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, AN OCCUPANT MAY HAVE DIFFICULTY OPENING THE EMERGENCY EXIT WINDOW, INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY OR DEATH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPAIR THESE WINDOWS. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JUNE 1, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT ORION AT 1-800-492-2116.

98V331000 · Steering:linkages:knuckle:spindle:arm

Dec 22, 1998

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: LOW-FLOOR TRANSIT BUSES EQUIPPED WITH A CAST STEEL STEERING RELAY ARM. THE STEERING ARMS CAN FAIL WITHOUT WARNING.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN LEAVE THE BUS WITH NO STEERING CONTROL, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THESE STEERING ARMS.

98V210000 · Unknown Or Other

Sep 21, 1998

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: TRANSIT BUSES EQUIPPED WITH WHEEL CHAIR BARRIERS. THE WHEEL CHAIR BARRIERS ARE ATTACHED TO THE FLOOR STRUCTURE WITH A BOLT THREADED INTO THE FLOOR STRUCTURE. IN THE CASE OF A FRONTAL CRASH, WITH THE WHEEL CHAIR POSITION OCCUPIED, THE BOLT THREADS COULD STRIP ALLOWING MOVEMENT OF THE WHEEL CHAIR BARRIER.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS CONDITION COULD ALLOW MOVEMENT OF THE WHEEL CHAIR WHICH COULD CAUSE PERSONAL INJURY, OR DEATH, TO THE WHEEL CHAIR OCCUPANT.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE EXISTING WHEEL CHAIR BARRIER LEG MOUNTING BOLTS WITH NEW BOLTS, NUTS AND WASHERS.

98V166000 · Suspension:front

Jul 20, 1998

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: TRANSIT BUSES BUILT WITH ZF FRONT AXLES EQUIPPED WITH LUCAS DISC BRAKES. THE BRAKE LEVER CONNECTING THE BRAKE CHAMBER PUSHROD TO THE DISC BRAKE ACTUATOR CAN CONTACT THE AIR BAG SUPPORT GUSSET DURING APPLICATION OF THE BRAKES AND BECOME JAMMED AND WILL NOT RELEASE THE BRAKE WHEN THE DRIVER REMOVES THEIR FOOT FROM THE BRAKE PEDAL.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: SINCE THIS IS A STEERING AXLE, UNWANTED APPLICATION OF THE BRAKE CAN CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO TURN IN THE DIRECTION OF THE LOCKED WHEEL INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REWORK THE BRAKE LEVERS ON THE SUBJECT BUSES.

97V129000 · Steering:linkages

Aug 28, 1997

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: LOW FLOOR TRANSIT BUSES. DUE TO MACHINING AND CASTING VARIANCES, TWO OF THE STEERING RELAY ARMS ON THESE VEHICLES CAN FRACTURE.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: FAILURE OF THE STEERING ARM LEAVES THE BUS WITH NO STEERING CONTROL INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THESE STEERING ARMS.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

1

PE10041 · Hydraulic Auxiliary Pump Fitting Failure

Opened Oct 20, 2010 · Closed Nov 9, 2010

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Equipment; Equipment Adaptive/mobility

ODI became aware of a fire involving a Washington Metro Area Transit Authority (WMATA) bus.A WMATA contracted vehicle inspection identified the failure of a tapped hydraulic fitting to have caused the fire. Orion VI buses were built from 1994 to 2002.This investigation is specific to 1995, 1997-2000 production.Daimler Bus informed ODI that 1994 & 1996 model year buses were either prototypes or sold only in Canada; buses built after 2000 had a tee fitting in lieu of the tapped fitting in question.On October 20, 2010 Daimler Bus informed ODI that an internal meeting was planned to discuss the same concern as the one that prompted this investigation.ODI agreed to delay formally requesting information; an IR letter was to be mailed on November 9, 2010 if needed. On November 2, 2010 ODI received a 573 Defect Report (Recall 10V-538) that addresses the concerns of this investigation.This investigation will be closed.There is no associated IR letter.A copy of the defect report is attached.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Equipment Adaptive/mobility

ODI became aware of a fire involving a Washington Metro Area Transit Authority (WMATA) bus.A WMATA contracted vehicle inspection identified the failure of a tapped hydraulic fitting to have caused the fire. Orion VI buses were built from 1994 to 2002.This investigation is specific to 1995, 1997-2000 production.Daimler Bus informed ODI that 1994 & 1996 model year buses were either prototypes or sold only in Canada; buses built after 2000 had a tee fitting in lieu of the tapped fitting in question.On October 20, 2010 Daimler Bus informed ODI that an internal meeting was planned to discuss the same concern as the one that prompted this investigation.ODI agreed to delay formally requesting information; an IR letter was to be mailed on November 9, 2010 if needed. On November 2, 2010 ODI received a 573 Defect Report (Recall 10V-538) that addresses the concerns of this investigation.This investigation will be closed.There is no associated IR letter.A copy of the defect report is attached.

Equipment

ODI became aware of a fire involving a Washington Metro Area Transit Authority (WMATA) bus.A WMATA contracted vehicle inspection identified the failure of a tapped hydraulic fitting to have caused the fire. Orion VI buses were built from 1994 to 2002.This investigation is specific to 1995, 1997-2000 production.Daimler Bus informed ODI that 1994 & 1996 model year buses were either prototypes or sold only in Canada; buses built after 2000 had a tee fitting in lieu of the tapped fitting in question.On October 20, 2010 Daimler Bus informed ODI that an internal meeting was planned to discuss the same concern as the one that prompted this investigation.ODI agreed to delay formally requesting information; an IR letter was to be mailed on November 9, 2010 if needed. On November 2, 2010 ODI received a 573 Defect Report (Recall 10V-538) that addresses the concerns of this investigation.This investigation will be closed.There is no associated IR letter.A copy of the defect report is attached.