Vehicle recall 03V120000 · March 27, 2003

Orion II, V and 1 more model

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…

Source: NHTSA data as of September 22, 2026. Last refreshed Sep 23, 2026, 2:43 AM UTC.

Summary: 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: 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.
Notes: Customers can also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-dash-2-dot (1-888-327-4236).

Recall details

NHTSA campaign: 03V120000
Reported to NHTSA: March 27, 2003
Filed by: ORION BUS INDUSTRIES, INC.
Owner notification: June 2, 2003
Vehicles potentially affected: 4,191
Initiated by: NHTSA’s Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance
Components: Visibility › Glass, side/rear

Recall 03V120000 on nhtsa.gov, with the manufacturer’s documents

Vehicles covered

As listed by NHTSA. A recall usually covers only some vehicles of each model and year, often a production date range.

Orion II (1995-2001): 2001, 2000, 1999, 1998, 1997, 1996, 1995
Orion V (1995-2001): 2001, 2000, 1999, 1998, 1997, 1996, 1995
Orion VI (1995-2001): 2001, 2000, 1999, 1998, 1997, 1996, 1995

Has your Orion been repaired?

Recalls here come from NHTSA’s records for the model and year. Not every vehicle of a model is included in every recall, and this site can’t see whether a repair has been done. Only a VIN lookup can tell you that.

Check your VIN with NHTSA

NHTSA’s VIN search doesn’t show recalls that were already repaired, recalls more than 15 years old, or some small manufacturers’ recalls. A Orion dealer can also check your VIN. Recall repairs are free.