The contact called on behalf of the University that owns several 2021 Proterra Catalyst Transit Bus. The University received notification of the federal safety agency 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 failure with one of the buses, rendering the bus inoperable. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that there were seven additional buses included in the fleet. The failure mileage was 15,000. Parts distribution disconnect.
The worst 2021 Proterra Catalyst problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
- Electrical1
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Electrical1
Recalls 5
Electrical system
- What is wrong
- 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.
- Risk
- 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.
Recall number 24V655000 · Recall details
Electrical system
- What is wrong
- 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.
- Risk
- 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.
Recall number 23V697000 · Recall details
Visibility: windshield wiper/washer: motor
- What is wrong
- 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."
- Risk
- 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.
Recall number 23V078000 · Recall details
Parking brake
- What is wrong
- 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.
- Risk
- 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.
Recall number 22V855000 · Recall details
Steering: gear box (other than rack and pinion)
- What is wrong
- 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.
- Risk
- 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.
Recall number 22V114000 · Recall details
Technical service bulletins for the 2021 Proterra Catalyst 55
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- Software update for the 800vRRs Vehicle and Body Software to reduce the radiator fan current draw to 80%....
- BMS software update to the latest version
- Relocation of the air compressors intake as well as adding a preliminary filter at the top of the air intake.
- The procedure describes the process of updating the Customer CAN Gateway to improve data retrieval on...
- This procedure adds improved caps to the coolant system for 800V buses.
- This procedure describes the process for updating the 800VRR Prodrive Vehicle, Powertrain, Body...
- This procedure describes the process for updating the Vehicle and Body Controller software to the latest...
- Bulletin instructions for rotating the ambient temp sensor 180deg on transit buses to reduce road debris...
- Relocation of the air compressors intake as well as adding a preliminary filter at the top of the air intake..
- Bulletin to add shim under the steering TLP due to build variances of the bodies and bond gaps.
What 2021 Proterra Catalyst owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
Compare the 2021 Proterra Catalyst
Other model years
2021
Questions about the 2021 Proterra Catalyst
Is the 2021 Proterra Catalyst reliable?
Owners have filed 1 complaint about the 2021 Proterra Catalyst, close to a typical Catalyst model year.
What is the most common problem with the 2021 Proterra Catalyst?
Electrical system, with 1 complaint.
How many recalls does the 2021 Proterra Catalyst have?
5 recalls, covering electrical system, visibility and parking brake.
Was there a recall on the 2021 Proterra Catalyst electrical?
Yes, 2 recalls: 24V655000, 23V697000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.
VIN decoder
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