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2009 Thomas Built Buses Hdx

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 2 of 2 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Electrical System. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Exterior Lighting. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

0 crash reports1 fire reports0 injury reports

Exterior Lighting complaints

1 reports
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26,000 miles · May 5, 2010
Exterior Lighting

I RECEIVED A NOTICE (NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER : 10V177) YESTERDAY REGARDING STOPLAMP FAILURE ON THOMAS C2 BUSES. OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS EXPERIENCED A SIMILAR PROBLEM OF INTERMITTENT STOPLAMP OPERATION ON ONE OF OUR 2009 HDX THOMAS BUSES. A RESISTOR (NOT SHOWN ON THOMAS WIRING DIAGRAMS) WAS PLACED IN THE WIRE FROM THE STOPLA…

Read full complaint

I RECEIVED A NOTICE (NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER : 10V177) YESTERDAY REGARDING STOPLAMP FAILURE ON THOMAS C2 BUSES. OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS EXPERIENCED A SIMILAR PROBLEM OF INTERMITTENT STOPLAMP OPERATION ON ONE OF OUR 2009 HDX THOMAS BUSES. A RESISTOR (NOT SHOWN ON THOMAS WIRING DIAGRAMS) WAS PLACED IN THE WIRE FROM THE STOPLAMP SWITCH AND WAS DEFECTIVE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10328929

Official recalls

6

11V455000 · Engine And Engine Cooling:engine

Aug 31, 2011

DAIMLER TRUCKS NORTH AMERICA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005 THROUGH 2012 FREIGHTLINER M2, STERLING ACTERRA, 7500 & 8500, AND THOMAS BUILT HDX VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM JUNE 23, 2004, THROUGH MARCH 15, 2011, EQUIPPED WITH SPECIFIC MBE900 EPA04 AND EPA07 MODEL ENGINES. THE INTAKE AIR GRID HEATER MAY SHORT CIRCUIT AND FAIL DUE TO EXCESSIVE INTERNAL TEMPERATURES.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A SHORT CIRCUITED GRID HEATER COULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE FIRE AND INJURY TO VEHICLE OCCUPANTS.

Remedy: DAIMLER TRUCKS WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL REPAIR THE VEHICLES FREE OF CHARGE. REPAIRS WILL BE PERFORMED BY DETROIT DIESEL CORPORATION AUTHORIZED REPAIR FACILITIES. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 12, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DAIMLER TRUCKS TOLL-FREE AT 1-800-547-0712. THIS RECALL IS AN EXPANSION OF A PREVIOUS RECALL, CAMPAIGN NUMBER 10V-341.

10V340000 · Engine And Engine Cooling

Jul 27, 2010

DAIMLER TRUCKS IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2007 THROUGH 2011 FCCC B2 106 CH AND THOMAS BUILT SAF-T-LINER C2 AND HDX SCHOOL BUSES MANUFACTURED FROM SEPTEMBER 5, 2006 THROUGH JUNE 30, 2010, EQUIPPED WITH SPECIFIC MBE900 EPA04 AND EPA07 MODEL ENGINES. THE INTAKE AIR GRID HEATER MAY SHORT CIRCUIT AND FAIL DUE TO EXCESSIVE INTERNAL TEMPERATURES.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A SHORT CIRCUITED GRID HEATER COULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE FIRE AND INJURY TO VEHICLE OCCUPANTS.

Remedy: DAIMLER TRUCKS WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND DEALERS WILL REPAIR THE BUSES FREE OF CHARGE. REPAIRS WILL BE PERFORMED BY DETROIT DIESEL CORPORATION AUTHORIZED REPAIR FACILITIES. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OR ABOUT JULY 29, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DAIMLER TRUCKS TOLL-FREE AT 1-800-547-0712.

10V183000 · Electrical System:wiring

May 3, 2010

DTNA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2009 AND 2010 HDX SCHOOL BUSES MANUFACTURED ON NOVEMBER 15, 2007 THROUGH JUNE 15, 2009. THE HEATER COOLANT FLOW VALVE ACTUATOR 0-RING MAY ALLOW COOLANT LEAKAGE INTO THE HEATER CORE COMPARTMENT AND THE ACTUATOR PC BOARD AREA POTENTIALLY CAUSING THE ACTUATOR TO OVERHEAT AND/OR MELT.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: AN OVERHEATED AND/OR MELTED ACTUATOR MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE FIRE.

Remedy: DTNA WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPAIRS WILL BE PERFORMED BY THOMAS BUILT DEALERSHIPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 6, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT THOMAS BUILT AT 1-336-889-4871.

10V184000 · Electrical System:wiring

May 3, 2010

DTNA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2009 AND 2010 HDX NON SCHOOL BUSES MANUFACTURED BEGINNING NOVEMBER 20, 2007 THROUGH MAY 8, 2009. THE HEATER COOLANT FLOW VALVE ACTUATOR 0-RING MAY ALLOW COOLANT LEAKAGE INTO THE HEATER CORE COMPARTMENT AND THE ACTUATOR PC BOARD AREA POTENTIALLY CAUSING THE ACTUATOR TO OVERHEAT AND/OR MELT.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: AN OVERHEATED AND/OR MELTED ACTUATOR MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE FIRE.

Remedy: DTNA WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPAIRS WILL BE PERFORMED BY THOMAS BUILT DEALERSHIPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 6, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT THOMAS BUILT AT 1-336-889-4871.

09V394000 · Other:school Bus Stop Arm Assembly

Oct 2, 2009

DAIMLER TRUCKS IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2009-2010 THOMAS BUILT SCHOOL BUSES MANUFACTURED BETWEEN MARCH 31, 2008 AND FEBRUARY 18, 2009, EQUIPPED WITH SPECIALTY MANUFACTURING, INC. (SMI) 000290 LED LIGHT KITS. A CHANGE TO THE WIRE USED IN THE LED LIGHT KITS MAY REDUCE THE EFFECTIVE LIFE OF THE LIGHTS USED ON THE STOP ARMS. THE LIGHTS MAY STOP FUNCTIONING WITHOUT WARNING.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: SHOULD THE LED LIGHTS STOP FUNCTIONING, VISIBILITY OF A STOPPED BUS WOULD BE DECREASED, POSSIBLY ENDANGERING A CHILD OR PEDESTRIAN TO INJURY BY PASSING VEHICLES.

Remedy: THOMAS BUILT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND LIGHT KITS WILL BE REPLACED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON FEBRUARY 3, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT THOMAS BUILT AT 1-800-547-0712.

08V622000 · Electrical System:wiring:fuses And Circuit Breakers

Nov 26, 2008

DAIMLER TRUCKS IS RECALLING 18,198 MY 2003-2009 THOMAS BUILT ER, MVP-ER, HDX, AND MVP-EF SCHOOL AND TRANSIT BUSES EQUIPPED WITH A DUAL POWER SWITCH AND MANUFACTURED FROM FEBRUARY 1, 2002 THROUGH OCTOBER 17, 2008. SOLID STATE CIRCUIT BREAKERS MAY TRIP UNNECESSARILY POTENTIALLY RESULTING IN A LOSS OF POWER TO THE BUS CHASSIS AND BODY ELECTRICAL CIRCUITS CAUSING AN UNEXPECTED LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AND EXTERIOR LIGHTING.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: UNEXPECTED LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AND EXTERIOR LIGHTING COULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy: THOMAS BUILT BUS DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE SOLID STATE DUAL POWER SWITCH WITH A MECHANICAL CIRCUIT PRODUCTION (MEGA FUSE). THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING APRIL 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT THOMAS BUILT AT 1-336-889-4871.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

1

PE10011 · Dash Fires

Opened Apr 21, 2010 · Closed May 26, 2010

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Electrical System:wiring

This investigation was opened after ODIlearned of two dash fires that occurred on model year 2008 rear engine school buses.This investigation was opened to further study these fires and assess the risk. On April 30, 2010, Daimler filed a defect report concerning this matter. School buses built between November 15, 2007, through June 15, 2009, and non-school buses built between November 20, 2007, through May 8, 2009 will have thedash heater actuator replaced with a more robust actuator to prevent leakage of coolant. This safety recall resolves the issue raised by this investigation and this investigation is closed.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Electrical System:wiring

This investigation was opened after ODIlearned of two dash fires that occurred on model year 2008 rear engine school buses.This investigation was opened to further study these fires and assess the risk. On April 30, 2010, Daimler filed a defect report concerning this matter. School buses built between November 15, 2007, through June 15, 2009, and non-school buses built between November 20, 2007, through May 8, 2009 will have thedash heater actuator replaced with a more robust actuator to prevent leakage of coolant. This safety recall resolves the issue raised by this investigation and this investigation is closed.

Electrical System:wiring

This investigation was opened after ODIlearned of two dash fires that occurred on model year 2008 rear engine school buses.This investigation was opened to further study these fires and assess the risk. On April 30, 2010, Daimler filed a defect report concerning this matter. School buses built between November 15, 2007, through June 15, 2009, and non-school buses built between November 20, 2007, through May 8, 2009 will have thedash heater actuator replaced with a more robust actuator to prevent leakage of coolant. This safety recall resolves the issue raised by this investigation and this investigation is closed.