What Changed in the HLE Warranty (September 2026), in Plain Language

On September 1, 2026, HLE's 5-year / 100,000-mile warranty moved to Revision 1. The headline terms did not change. What changed is that the document now says plainly what it covers, folds the 7-year subfloor coverage into the same paper, and spells out the one thing an owner has to do to keep that floor coverage alive. Here is the whole thing in the words we would use across a desk.

Three coverages, still

Every HLE shuttle bus ships with three coverages, and that did not change:

• 3 years / 36,000 miles, bumper-to-bumper. Unchanged. The general body coverage for the first three years.
• 5 years / 100,000 miles, body and conversion. This is the document that went to Revision 1.
• 7 years / unlimited miles, subfloor. Now written into the 5-year document instead of being described separately.

Nothing in any of the three prorates. Coverage in year five is worth exactly what it was on delivery day. Several builders in this segment publish paint schedules that step down to 50 percent in year four and 25 percent in year five; read any warranty's proration table before you sign a purchase order. Ours does not have one.

What the 5-year document covers now

The old structural warranty was a paragraph. Revision 1 is a list, and the list is broader than most owners assumed:

• Body structure. Framing, roof structure, sidewalls, floor structure, body attachment to the chassis, and HLE-fabricated exterior panels.
• HLE-built interior conversion. Cabinetry, partitions, trim and installed hardware, when a failure comes from HLE materials or workmanship.
• HLE-installed body electrical. Wiring, harnesses, distribution panels, relays, solenoids, circuit breakers, control panels, connectors and grounding, plus the installation workmanship, for the full five years or 100,000 miles. On most competitor documents electrical is a workmanship line with no term of its own.
• HLE paint-application workmanship. Five years, 100,000 miles, no proration. Ordinary fading, stone chips, collision and road-chemical corrosion are not defects and are not covered, same as every builder.
• Factory-installed LED fixture assemblies. Covered. Bulbs, lamps and fuses are maintenance items.
• HLE installation of third-party equipment. If HLE mounted, wired, routed or integrated a lift, an A/C system or a generator, the installation is covered under the HLE term even though the component itself is on its own manufacturer's warranty.

A covered repair means parts and reasonable labor at no charge, through your selling dealer, another HLE-authorized dealer, or the factory.

The subfloor coverage, and its one condition

The 7-year coverage applies to the PerformMAX 500 (Huber) subfloor panel: material or HLE-installation defects that result in rot or water damage. It has no mileage limit. It has one condition, and we would rather you hear it from us now than from a claims adjuster in year six: the owner inspects and maintains roof, window, door and body sealants at least every six months, corrects deteriorated sealant promptly, and keeps dated records.

That is not a trick clause. Every shuttle bus body on the market has seams that depend on sealant, ours included, and a floor cannot be warranted against water that a neglected seam let in for three years. The resealing guide covers the inspection in about twenty minutes twice a year. Do it, write the date down, and the floor is covered into year seven.

What is not covered, in the same plain language

• The chassis. Engine, drivetrain, chassis suspension, chassis battery and chassis electrical are on the Ford, GM, Freightliner or International warranty and serviced through their dealer networks.
• Third-party components themselves. Wheelchair lifts, HVAC, generators, appliances and aftermarket suspension products carry their own manufacturers' warranties. HLE will help you identify the right claim channel, and the HLE installation of the component stays covered.
• Wear, maintenance and consumables. Filters, fluids, seals, bulbs, fuses, cosmetic aging, ordinary fading.
• Damage. Accident, collision, vandalism, misuse, overloading, acts of nature, road salt and other corrosive substances, and water or freeze damage caused by skipped maintenance.
• Unauthorized alterations. A defect caused by a repair or modification HLE did not authorize.
• Consequential costs. Loss of use, towing, substitute transportation, lodging and lost revenue are excluded, as they are on every warranty in the segment.

Coverage runs to the original owner and is not transferable unless HLE agrees in writing. That is the industry norm; no current builder we are aware of offers a transferable body warranty.

How to file a claim

1. Report the concern within 14 days of discovering it, to your selling dealer or directly to [email protected].
2. Send the VIN, the HLE unit number, current mileage, the first retail delivery date, a description of what the bus is doing, photos, and any relevant maintenance records.
3. HLE responds within two business days and authorizes the repair before work begins. Work done without authorization is the most common reason a valid claim turns into an argument.
4. If the bus cannot run its route, say so in the first line. Vehicle-down claims move to the front.

The full process is on the warranty claims page, and the documents themselves are on the warranty and testing page. Read every line. That is what they are for.

What to do at delivery

Revision 1 has a registration block on the last page. Your dealer should fill it in and register the bus with HLE at delivery, and you should keep a copy. If that step gets missed, it does not cancel your coverage; acceptable proof of purchase and the delivery date will do. But the registration is what lets HLE find your bus in thirty seconds when you call in year four, so make sure it happens.

Quick answers

What does the HLE 5-year / 100,000-mile warranty cover?

As of Revision 1 (effective September 2026): the body structure, framing, roof structure, sidewalls, floor structure and body attachment; HLE-built interior conversion components; HLE-installed body electrical including wiring, harnesses, panels, relays, breakers, controls and connectors; and HLE paint-application workmanship. Parts and reasonable labor at no charge for the full term. Nothing prorates.

Is the HLE 7-year subfloor warranty a separate document?

Not anymore. The 7-year, unlimited-mile coverage on the PerformMAX 500 (Huber) subfloor is written into the 5-year document as its own line. It covers material or installation defects that result in rot or water damage, and it requires the owner to inspect and maintain roof, window, door and body sealants at least every six months and keep dated records.

Did the 3-year / 36,000-mile HLE warranty change?

No. The 3-year / 36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper coverage is unchanged. Every HLE shuttle bus still ships with three coverages: 3-year bumper-to-bumper, 5-year / 100,000-mile body and conversion, and 7-year subfloor.

How do I file an HLE warranty claim?

Report it within 14 days of discovering the problem to your selling dealer or to [email protected] with the VIN, HLE unit number, current mileage, delivery date, a description and photos. HLE authorizes the repair before work begins and responds within two business days.