Auto Recall Watch
U.S. public vehicle records

Proterra CATALYST recalls by model year

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

1 owner complaints analyzed

17 distinct recall campaigns

15,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2015 to 2022 model years. Data updated: . 1 complaints include usable failure mileage. View data status.

Compare model years

Recalls by model year

All campaigns in the snapshot affecting each model year, including recalls announced years later.

Recall campaigns

Shared campaigns appear once in each affected model year.

2015
4
2016
6
2017
8
2018
9
2019
9
2020
8
2021
5
2022
3
Recall campaigns data
CategoryCount
20154
20166
20178
20189
20199
20208
20215
20223

2015: 4; 2016: 6; 2017: 8; 2018: 9; 2019: 9; 2020: 8; 2021: 5; 2022: 3

Year-by-year records

Proterra CATALYST model-year comparison
Model yearComplaintsRecallsChange in recalls
201504Not available
201606+2
201708+2
201809+1
2019090
202008-1
202115-3
202203-2

Recall history

17 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.

19V034000 · Equipment:Other:Labels

Reported: 2019-01-16 (January 16, 2019) · Model years: 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018

Proterra, Inc is recalling certain 2015-2018 Catalyst 40, and Catalyst 35 buses. The certification label may list an incorrect gross front axle weight rating and/or incorrect tire pressures. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of 49 CFR Part 567, "Certification."

Consequence: If the tire pressure is understated, an underinflated tire may result in an increased risk of tire failure, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Proterra will notify owners, and dealers will replace the certification labels with correct information for all affected customers, free of charge. The recall began March 12, 2019. Owners may contact Proterra customer service at 1-864-438-0000.

NHTSA campaign record ↗
19V062000 · Tires | Suspension:Front

Reported: 2019-01-30 (January 30, 2019) · Model years: 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018

Proterra Inc., (Proterra) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Catalyst 40 and 35 transit buses. The affected vehicles are equipped with a four point height control system that may cause a load imbalance, overloading the front tires.

Consequence: An overloaded front tire may fail unexpectedly, increasing the risk of crash.

Remedy: Proterra will notify owners, and dealers will convert the current four point ride height system into a three point system to prevent the front tires from being overloaded, free of charge. The recall began March 26, 2019. Owners may contact Proterra customer service at 1-864-438-0000.

NHTSA campaign record ↗
19V283000 · Service Brakes

Reported: 2019-04-09 (April 9, 2019) · Model years: 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018

Proterra, Inc. (Proterra) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Catalyst 40 buses equipped with an optional tow fitting and airline that allows a tow truck to operate the rear brakes on the vehicle. The mesh cap covering the airline for the tow fitting can be clogged with road debris in inclement weather, possibly resulting in a build up of air pressure in the rear brake system.

Consequence: A build up of air pressure can cause the brakes to drag and possibly overheat, increasing the risk of fire.

Remedy: Proterra will notify owners, and dealers will install an additional shield to the tow fitting that protects the mesh cap, free of charge. The recall began June 4, 2019. Owners may contact Proterra customer service at 1-864-438-0000.

NHTSA campaign record ↗
22V114000 · Steering:Gear Box (Other Than Rack And Pinion)

Reported: 2022-02-28 (February 28, 2022) · Model years: 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022

Proterra, Inc. (Proterra) is recalling certain 2017-2019 35 foot Catalyst E2, 2017-2019 40 foot E2, 2020-2021 35 foot RR, 2019-2020 40 foot RR, 2019-2022 40 foot ZX5, and 2020-2022 35 foot ZX5 buses. The plexus adhesive between the torque limiter plate and the bus body may be insufficient, causing the bolts that secure the steering gearbox to loosen.

Consequence: A loose steering gearbox can cause a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will install a mechanical fastener and new bolts on the steering gearbox, and install a new torque plate, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 7, 2022. Owners may contact Proterra's customer service at 1-864-438-0000.

NHTSA campaign record ↗
18V750000 · Service Brakes, Air:Disc:Caliper

Reported: 2018-10-23 (October 23, 2018) · Model years: 2016, 2017

Proterra is recalling certain 2016-2017 Proterra Catalyst 40 transit buses equipped with axles with radial air disk brakes. Surface roughness of a guide pin in the radial brake calipers may cause the brake carriage guide pin support bolt to break.

Consequence: Breakage of the guide pin can cause loss of braking ability or loss of tire pressure, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Proterra will notify owners and have them replace the calipers on the affected axles, free of charge. Owners may contact Proterra customer service at 1-864-438-0000.

NHTSA campaign record ↗
19V061000 · Service Brakes, Air:Supply:Reservoir/Tank

Reported: 2019-01-29 (January 29, 2019) · Model years: 2016, 2017, 2018

Proterra Inc., (Proterra) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Catalyst 40 transit buses. The affected vehicles lack a Graham White air brake supply reservoir, possibly resulting in long term moisture build up in the air brake system. As a result, these vehicles fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 121, "Air Brake Systems."

Consequence: Built-up of moisture in the air brake system may lead to brake failure, increasing the risk of crash.

Remedy: Proterra will notify owners, and dealers will install a supply reservoir with a drain between the air dryer and the air supply manifold, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin March 28, 2019. Owners may contact Proterra customer service at 1-864-438-0000.

NHTSA campaign record ↗
19V402000 · Service Brakes, Air:Supply:Check Valve

Reported: 2019-05-30 (May 30, 2019) · Model years: 2017, 2018

Proterra, Inc. (Proterra) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Catalyst buses. The vehicles are equipped with swivel valves that may insufficiently protect the air brake system from an air leak between the service reservoir and the source of air pressure. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 121, "Air Brake Systems."

Consequence: If the swivel valves are unable to protect the air brake system against loss of air pressure, this may lead to service brake failure and the possibility for the uncontrolled application of the safety brake. Either condition increases the risk of crash.

Remedy: Proterra will notify owners, and will replace the swivel valve with a check valve that is sufficient to protect the air brake system, free of charge. The recall began July 26, 2019. Owners may contact Proterra customer service at 1-864-438-0000.

NHTSA campaign record ↗
22V887000 · Electrical System:Propulsion System:Traction Battery

Reported: 2022-11-30 (November 30, 2022) · Model years: 2017, 2018, 2019

Proterra Operation Company, Inc. (Proterra) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Catalyst transit buses. One or more battery packs may allow liquid to leak into and accumulate in the battery pack enclosure.

Consequence: The accumulation of liquid inside the battery pack enclosure increases the risk of a fire.

Remedy: Proterra will update software, inspect, and replace the battery pack, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed November 6, 2023. Owners may contact Proterra's customer service at 1-864-438-0000.

NHTSA campaign record ↗
19V460000 · Structure:Emergency:Escape/Egress/Exit

Reported: 2019-06-14 (June 14, 2019) · Model years: 2018, 2019

Proterra, Inc. (Proterra) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Catalyst buses equipped with a certain batch of glass roof hatches. Temperature and vibration stresses may cause the tempered glass roof hatch to shatter.

Consequence: If the tempered glass roof hatch shatters, glass fragments may fall onto passengers, increasing the risk of an injury.

Remedy: Proterra will notify owners, and the glass hatch manufacturer will provide replacement hatch lids, free of charge. The recall began August 13, 2019. Owners may contact Proterra at 1-864-438-0000. Proterra's number for this recall is SC-19-79.

NHTSA campaign record ↗
20V664000 · Steering:Gear Box (Other Than Rack And Pinion)

Reported: 2020-10-28 (October 28, 2020) · Model years: 2018, 2019, 2020

Proterra Inc. (Proterra) is recalling certain 2018-2020 35 foot and 40 foot Catalyst buses. Lack of plexus adhesive between the torque plate and the vehicle chassis may cause the bolts securing the steering gear box to loosen.

Consequence: An unsecured steering gear box could cause the driver to lose the ability to steer the vehicle, increasing the risk of crash or injury.

Remedy: Proterra will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the steering gear mounting bolts and the plexus adhesive layer between the torque plate and the chassis. If the plexus adhesive layer is missing or insufficient, the components will be repaired, free of charge. The recall began December 10, 2020. Owners may contact Proterra customer service at 1-864-438-0000. Proterra's number for this recall is SC-20-154.

NHTSA campaign record ↗
19V871000 · Electrical System:Software

Reported: 2019-12-09 (December 9, 2019) · Model years: 2019

Proterra, Inc. (Proterra) is recalling certain 2019 Catalyst buses. A body controller software update may have disabled the audible and visible warnings that notifies the operator that the brake interlock could be engaged.

Consequence: If the vehicle does warn the driver that the brake interlock is engaged, the rear brakes may overheat, increasing the risk of a fire or crash.

Remedy: Proterra will notify owners, and dealers will update the body controller software, free of charge. The recall began January 16, 2020. Owners may contact Proterra customer service at 1-864-438-0000.

NHTSA campaign record ↗
20V621000 · Steering:Hydraulic Power Assist:Hose, Piping, And Connections

Reported: 2020-10-07 (October 7, 2020) · Model years: 2019, 2020

Proterra Inc. (Proterra) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Battery-Electric 40' Catalyst and 2020 Battery-Electric 35' Catalyst buses. The power steering hose located at the pump and reservoir may leak and sweat fluid through the hose.

Consequence: A power steering fluid leak can increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Proterra will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the power steering hose, free of charge. The recall began October 6, 2020. Owners may contact Proterra customer service at 1-864-438-0000. Proterra's number for this recall is SC-20-141.

NHTSA campaign record ↗
21V268000 · Electrical System:Software

Reported: 2021-04-19 (April 19, 2021) · Model years: 2019, 2020

Proterra, Inc. (Proterra) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Catalyst 40 foot buses. A software defect in the body controller that operates the door motor may allow the rear door to open unexpectedly.

Consequence: The rear door may open without the driver's awareness, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy: Proterra will notify owners, and dealers will update the software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on June 11, 2021. Owners may contact Proterra customer service at 1-864-438-0000.

NHTSA campaign record ↗
23V697000 · Electrical System

Reported: 2023-10-17 (October 17, 2023) · Model years: 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022

Proterra Operating Company, Inc. (Proterra) is recalling certain 2019-2022 40' and 35' Catalyst 800V transit buses equipped with ProDrive 1.0, and 40' and 35' ZX5 800V transit buses equipped with ProDrive 1.0. A transistor inside the inverter may overheat and fail, which can result in a loss of power steering and drive power.

Consequence: A loss of power steering and/or drive power increases the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the inverter, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 16, 2023. Owners may contact Proterra customer service at 1-864-438-0000.

NHTSA campaign record ↗
24V655000 · Electrical System

Reported: 2024-09-06 (September 6, 2024) · Model years: 2019, 2020, 2021

Phoenix Motorcars (Phoenix) is recalling certain 2019-2021 800V Catalyst and 2020-2022 ZX5 transit buses. The vehicle controller software may allow the electrical circuit for the radiator fan to overheat.

Consequence: Electrical circuits that overheat increase the risk of a fire.

Remedy: Dealers will update the vehicle software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 15, 2024. Owners may contact Phoenix customer service at 1-909-987-0815.

NHTSA campaign record ↗
22V855000 · Parking Brake

Reported: 2022-11-18 (November 18, 2022) · Model years: 2020, 2021

Proterra Operating Company, Inc. (Proterra) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Catalyst and 2019-2022 ZX5 transit buses. Back pressure in the shared air exhaust for the pneumatic ride height system and parking brake control valve may engage the parking brake while the vehicle is in motion.

Consequence: Unintentional engagement of the parking brake increases the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Proterra will install a redesigned air circuit, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on December 21, 2022. Owners may contact Proterra's customer service at 1-864-438-0000.

NHTSA campaign record ↗
23V078000 · Visibility:Windshield Wiper/Washer:Motor

Reported: 2023-02-13 (February 13, 2023) · Model years: 2020, 2021, 2022

Proterra Operating Company, Inc. (Proterra) is recalling certain 2020-2022 35" Catalyst, 35" ZX5, and 40" ZX5 vehicles. The windshield wiper motors may operate intermittently or may fail to operate. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 104, "Windshield Wiping and Washing Systems."

Consequence: Inoperative windshield wipers can reduce visibility in certain driving conditions, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the wiper motors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 3, 2023. Owners may contact Proterra customer service at 1-864-438-0000.

NHTSA campaign record ↗
Explore the data

Vehicle analysis explorer

Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.

Data completeness

1 unique complaints in this selection. Analysis snapshot: 2026-10-01.

100.0%Usable mileage1 / 1 records
100.0%Valid incident date1 / 1 records
100.0%Valid filing date1 / 1 records
100.0%Ordered incident and filing dates1 / 1 records

Missing, zero and invalid mileage is excluded. Dates after the snapshot are excluded. Examples are limited selections, not a representative sample.

Problems by model year

Model-wide comparison of the eight most reported components across the model. Cells show counts and shares within each model year. Open a cell for source examples.

Component complaint heatmap
Component20152016201720182019202020212022
Electrical System
0Unavailable

No examples available for this selection.

0Unavailable

No examples available for this selection.

0Unavailable

No examples available for this selection.

0Unavailable

No examples available for this selection.

0Unavailable

No examples available for this selection.

0Unavailable

No examples available for this selection.

1100.0%
ODI 11616330 · 15,000 mi

The contact called on behalf of the University that owns several 2021 Proterra Catalyst Transit Bus. The University received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V697000 (Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact stated that there was an unstated electrical fa…

Look up ODI 11616330 at NHTSA ↗

0Unavailable

No examples available for this selection.

Darker cells indicate a larger share of submitted complaints. Components overlap. This measures complaint composition, not failure probability.

Failure mileage by component

Median and middle 50% of usable owner-reported mileages. Ranges require at least five records.

Component failure mileage distribution
ComponentMileage range (25th–75th percentile)MedianUsable recordsExamples
Electrical SystemToo few reports for a range15,000 mi1 (sparse)
ODI 11616330 · 15,000 mi

The contact called on behalf of the University that owns several 2021 Proterra Catalyst Transit Bus. The University received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V697000 (Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact stated that there was an unstated electrical fa…

Look up ODI 11616330 at NHTSA ↗

Complaint and recall timeline

Explore monthly filing activity alongside recall announcements. Up to ten years of monthly history is available.

1 reports2024-112026-10

Solid line: filed complaints. Dashed amber lines: recall announcement dates for this vehicle selection; markers include all recall components. The latest month is partial. Temporal proximity does not establish causation.

Monthly counts, recall campaigns and complaint examples
Monthly complaint and recall timeline
MonthComplaintsCampaigns announcedExamples
2024-110None

No examples available for this selection.

2024-120None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-010None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-020None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-030None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-040None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-050None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-060None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-070None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-080None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-090None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-100None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-110None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-120None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-010None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-020None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-030None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-040None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-050None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-060None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-070None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-080None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-090None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-10 (partial)0None

No examples available for this selection.

Emerging complaint spikes

Complete months in the latest six months with at least 10 complaints, at least twice the preceding 12-month average, and at least three square-root deviations above that average.

This is a descriptive screening rule, not a statistical defect finding. Publicity and reporting changes can increase submissions.

No complete months meet the spike thresholds for this selection.

Equal-age model-year comparison

Model-wide cumulative reports during the first three or five calendar years, starting with the model year (age 0). Only fully elapsed windows are compared.

Age 0Age 1Age 21 reports

2021: 0 complaints · 2022: 0 complaints

Equal observation windows
Model yearThrough age 0Through age 1Through age 2
2021000
2022000
Date coverage across each selected cohort
Date basis for all complaints in selected model years
YearIncident dates usedFiling date fallbacksExcluded dates
2021100
2022000

Incident date is preferred when valid and no later than filing; otherwise filing date is used. Model year approximates age. Equal observation time does not adjust for sales, distance driven or reporting delays. One complaint linked to multiple model years can appear in each cohort.

Components reported together

Each cell counts unique complaints naming both components. Open a nonzero cell for examples.

Component co-occurrence matrix
ComponentElectrical System
Electrical System—

Co-reporting does not establish that one component caused another concern.

Recurring narrative patterns

Specific keyword mentions beyond broad component labels. Matching includes negations and comparisons and does not confirm a diagnosis.

0 patterns with matching reports.

No narratives match the published patterns.