NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Official recalls
5Feb 26, 2008
DAIMLER TRUCKS IS RECALLING 243,435 MY 1995-2008 THOMAS BUILT SCHOOL BUSES MANUFACTURED BETWEEN JANUARY 1994, AND MARCH 10, 2008. (ADDITIONAL BUSES HAVE BEEN ADDED TO THIS RECALL CAMPAIGN. PLEASE SEE SUPPLEMENTAL REPORT NO. 4) THE EMERGENCY EXIT DOOR HANDLE BEGINS CORRODING AROUND THE SECURING ROLL PIN AND SQUARE DRIVE MECHANISM CAUSING THE PROTECTIVE FINISH TO CHIP AND FLAKE. CONTINUED CORROSION AND PITTING WEAKENS THE HANDLE. HANDLES WEAKENED BY CORROSION MAY BREAK WHILE TRYING TO OPEN THE DOOR FROM THE EXTERIOR.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY, A PERSON ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE BUS MAY BREAK THE DOOR HANDLE TRYING TO OPEN THE EMERGENCY EXIT POTENTIALLY DELAYING EVACUATION AND INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY TO THE VEHICLE'S OCCUPANTS.
Remedy: DAIMLER TRUCKS WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND WILL REPLACE THE HANDLES WITH A MORE ROBUST HANDLE FREE OF CHARGE. REPAIRS WILL BE PERFORMED BY THOMAS BUILT BUSES DEALERSHIPS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 18, 2008, AND NOTIFICATION FOR THE REVISED POPULATION IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OR ABOUT APRIL 29, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT THOMAS BUILT AT 336-889-4871.
Nov 29, 2007
CERTAIN 2001 THROUGH 2008 THOMAS BUILT FS-56, ER, MVP ER, HDX, AND MVP EF SCHOOL BUSES MANUFACTURED FROM OCTOBER 23, 2000, THROUGH JANUARY 24, 2006, EQUIPPED WITH TYCO PC BOARD AND TYPE II AUTO RESET CIRCUIT BREAKERS. TYPE II AUTO RESET CIRCUIT BREAKER TEMPERATURES MAY EXCEED THE RATING OF THE TYCO PC BOARD CAUSING THE BOARDS TO MELT POTENTIALLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE FIRE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A VEHICLE FIRE CAN OCCUR POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A CRASH.
Remedy: THOMAS BUILT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPAIR THE BUSES BY REPLACING THE TYPE II AUTO RESET CIRCUIT BREAKERS WITH MANUAL CIRCUIT BREAKERS, AND THE JUMPER CABLE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 28, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT THOMAS BUILT CUSTOMER SUPPORT OFFICE AT 336-889-4871.
Aug 3, 2005
CERTAIN 2002-2005 MY THOMAS BUILT MINOTOUR, CONVENTIONAL, MVP-ER, ER, HDX, AND MVP-EF MODEL SCHOOL BUSES MANUFACTURED BETWEEN JANUARY 8, 2002, AND MARCH 8, 2005, EQUIPPED WITH SPECIALTY MFG "5" SERIES STOP ARMS ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN STATES OTHER THAN THE FOLLOWING STATES: ALASKA, COLORADO, CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, IDAHO, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, KANSAS, KENTUCKY, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, MONTANA, NEBRASKA, NEVADA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW MEXICO, NEW YORK, NORTH DAKOTA, OHIO, OREGON, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, SOUTH DAKOTA, TENNESSEE, UTAH, VERMONT, VIRGINIA, WASHINGTON, WEST VIRGINIA, WISCONSIN, WYOMING, AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. IN EXTREMELY COLD WEATHER, THE MICROSWITCHES USED INTERNALLY TO POSITION THE STOP ARM SIGN IN THE OPEN AND CLOSED POSITIONS MAY MALFUNCTION, CAUSING THE SIGN TO OPEN OR CLOSE IN AN IMPROPER POSITION, OR TO NOT OPEN AT ALL.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: SHOULD THE STOP ARM NOT PERFORM PROPERLY, A CHILD OR PEDESTRIAN MAY BE ENDANGERED BY PASSING VEHICLES SHOULD THE MOTORIST NOT STOP AT THE CORRECT LOCATION.
Remedy: FOR THOSE BUSES OPERATED IN OR NEAR ANY OF THE STATES LISTED ABOVE, THOMAS BUILT IS ENCOURAGING THE BUS OWNERS TO OBTAIN THE REPLACEMENT SWITCH. FOR THOSE BUSES OPERATED IN THE WARMER STATES, DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE SWITCH UPON OWNER REQUEST. FOR THOSE CUSTOMERS WHO REQUEST THE REMEDY, THOMAS BUILT WILL REPLACE THE ORIGINAL SWITCH WITH A SWITCH PACK THAT IS NOT SENSITIVE TO EXTREME COLD WEATHER AND WILL INSPECT TO ENSURE THE MICROSWITCH HEATER WIRING IS PROPERLY CONNECTED. THE RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 14, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT THOMAS BUILT'S CUSTOMER SUPPORT OFFICE AT 336-889-4871.
Jul 25, 2005
CERTAIN 2002-2005 MY THOMAS BUILT MINOTOUR, CONVENTIONAL, MVP-ER, ER, HDX, AND MVP-EF MODEL SCHOOL BUSES MANUFACTURED BETWEEN JANUARY 8, 2002, AND MARCH 8, 2005, EQUIPPED WITH SPECIALTY MFG "5" SERIES STOP ARMS ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE FOLLOWING STATES: ALASKA, COLORADO, CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, IDAHO, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, KANSAS, KENTUCKY, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, MONTANA, NEBRASKA, NEVADA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW MEXICO, NEW YORK, NORTH DAKOTA, OHIO, OREGON, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, SOUTH DAKOTA, TENNESSEE, UTAH, VERMONT, VIRGINIA, WASHINGTON, WEST VIRGINIA, WISCONSIN, WYOMING, AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. IN EXTREMELY COLD WEATHER, THE MICROSWITCHES USED INTERNALLY TO POSITION THE STOP ARM SIGN IN THE OPEN AND CLOSED POSITIONS MAY MALFUNCTION, CAUSING THE SIGN TO OPEN OR CLOSE IN AN IMPROPER POSITION, OR TO NOT OPEN AT ALL.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: SHOULD THE STOP ARM NOT PERFORM PROPERLY, A CHILD OR PEDESTRIAN MAY BE ENDANGERED BY PASSING VEHICLES SHOULD THE MOTORIST NOT STOP AT THE CORRECT LOCATION.
Remedy: THOMAS BUILT WILL NOTIFY ITS OWNERS AND REPLACE THE ORIGINAL SWITCH WITH A SWITCH PACK THAT IS NOT SENSITIVE TO EXTREME COLD WEATHER AND WILL INSPECT TO ENSURE THE MICROSWITCH HEATER WIRING IS PROPERLY CONNECTED FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 14, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT THOMAS BUILT'S CUSTOMER SUPPORT OFFICE AT 336-889-4871.
Apr 27, 2005
CERTAIN MY 2002-2005 THOMAS BUILT SAF-T-LINER ER SCHOOL BUSES AND ER TRANSIT BUSES MANUFACTURED BETWEEN NOVEMBER 2002 AND FEBRUARY 2005 AND EQUIPPED WITH JOHN DEERE 8.1L COMPRESSED NATURAL GAS ENGINES MODELS HFN01 AND HFN03. THE ENGINE CONTROL UNIT AND THROTTLE CAN UNEXPECTEDLY SURGE. THESE UNITS FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 124, ACCELERATOR CONTROL SYSTEMS.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A SUDDEN ENGINE SURGE COULD POSSIBLY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: JOHN DEERE WILL NOTIFY THE CUSTOMERS OF FREIGHTLINER/THOMAS BUILT AND WILL UPDATE THE ENGINE CONTROL UNIT SOFTWARE FREE OF CHARGE. OWNERS MAY CONTACT JOHN DEERE AT 1-800-JD-ENGINE.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
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