NHTSA vehicle safety data
2018 Arboc Specialty Vehicles Spirit Of Freedom Recalls & Complaints
The 2018 Arboc Specialty Vehicles Spirit Of Freedom has 3 NHTSA recall campaigns on file as of October 21, 2026. try.vin has no NHTSA owner complaints on file for the 2018 Arboc Specialty Vehicles Spirit Of Freedom. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized Arboc Specialty Vehicles dealer.
NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 2018 Arboc Specialty Vehicles Spirit Of Freedom. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.
Loss of Rear ABS System
NHTSA #26V137000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic — Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip · NHTSA notice
Reported March 11, 2026 · ARBOC Specialty Vehicles, LLC
Potentially affected: 908 vehicles
Repair completion: 5.62% (latest rate the manufacturer reported to NHTSA; dataset updated October 21, 2026)
Owners notified April 17, 2026
Defect description
ARBOC Specialty Vehicles, LLC (ARBOC) is recalling certain 2018-2026 Spirit of Freedom and Spirit of Mobility transit buses. The rear brake lines may have been installed incorrectly causing the anti-lock brake system (ABS) modulator valve to malfunction. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 105, "Hydraulic and Electric Brake Systems."
Safety consequence
Loss of the rear ABS system can increase the risk of a crash.
Manufacturer remedy
ARBOC will provide instructions to reroute and re-connect the rear brake lines, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 17, 2026. Owners may contact ARBOC customer service at 1-866-953-5555.
Roof Hatch External Handle May Break/FMVSS 217
NHTSA #19V870000 · Structure — Emergency — Escape/Egress/Exit · NHTSA notice
Reported December 9, 2019 · ARBOC Specialty Vehicles, LLC
Potentially affected: 35 vehicles
Owners notified December 19, 2019 · Vehicles built August 1, 2018 – May 20, 2019 (per NHTSA)
Defect description
ARBOC Specialty Vehicles, LLC (ARBOC) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Spirit of Freedom and Spirit of Mobility vehicles equipped with Specialty Prolo Roof Hatches. The roof hatch external handle may unexpectedly break under reasonable use. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 217, "Bus Emergency Exits and Window Retention and Release."
Safety consequence
If the roof hatch external handle breaks, in the event of an emergency, the hatch cannot be easily opened from outside the vehicle, increasing the risk of injury.
Manufacturer remedy
ARBOC will notify owners, and Specialty will replace the roof hatch handles free of charge. The recall began December 19, 2019. Owners may contact ARBOC customer service at 1-866-953-5555 or Specialty customer service at 1-800-951-7867.
Notes
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.
Seat Back may not Stay Upright/FMVSS 207
NHTSA #18V813000 · Seats · NHTSA notice
Reported November 16, 2018 · ARBOC Specialty Vehicles, LLC
Potentially affected: 62 vehicles
Owners notified November 29, 2018 · Vehicles built September 22, 2015 – July 28, 2018 (per NHTSA)
Defect description
ARBOC Specialty Vehicles, LLC (ARBOC) is recalling certain 2015-2018 ARBOC Spirit of Freedom, Spirit of Mobility and Spirit of Independence-Pro Master transit buses, equipped with Freedman GO-ES Foldaway Seats, part numbers 43705, 45467, 48923, and 75719. When the back seat cushion is rotated from the stowed position to the upright position, the seat cushion may not remain locked into place when under load, such as in a crash or a sudden stop. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 207, "Seating Systems."
Safety consequence
In the event of a crash, if the seat back moves, the seat occupant has an increased risk of injury.
Manufacturer remedy
ARBOC has notified owners, directing them to contact Freedman for repairs of the foldaway seat, free of charge. The recall began November 29, 2018. Owners may contact Freedman customer service at 1-800-443-4540 or ARBOC at 1-574-825-4880.
Notes
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.
Other Arboc Specialty Vehicles Spirit Of Freedom model years
Check your 2018 Arboc Specialty Vehicles Spirit Of Freedom VIN
Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Arboc Specialty Vehicles Spirit Of Freedom at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.
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