2020 THOMAS BUILT BUSES SAF-T-LINER C2

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS

Daimler Trucks North America, LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain Thomas Built Buses 2019-2022 Saf-T-Liner C2, Saf-T-Liner EFX, Saf-T-Liner HDX, Minotour DRW, 2020-2022 Saf-T-Liner C2 Jouley, and Minotour SRW school buses. The Emergency Exit Label lettering is too small and may be difficult to read. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 217, "Bus Emergency Exits and Window Retention and Release."

Risk: Emergency exit labels that are difficult to read can prevent or delay the use of the emergency exit, increasing the risk of injury.

STRUCTURE:EMERGENCY:ESCAPE/EGRESS/EXIT:LATCHING/RELEASE SYSTEM

Daimler Trucks North America, LLC. (DTNA) is recalling certain 2019-2024 Thomas Built SAF-T-LINER C2 transit buses. The fasteners for the emergency exit door may loosen and detach, which can allow the emergency exit door to open unexpectedly.

Risk: An emergency exit door opening unexpectedly can increase the risk of an injury.

STRUCTURE:EMERGENCY:ESCAPE/EGRESS/EXIT:LATCHING/RELEASE SYSTEM

Daimler Trucks North America, LLC. (DTNA) is recalling certain 2019-2024 Thomas Built SAF-T-LINER C2 and 2020-2024 Thomas Built SAF-T-Liner Jouley school buses. The fasteners for the emergency exit door may loosen and detach, which can allow the emergency exit door to open unexpectedly.

Risk: An emergency exit door opening unexpectedly can increase the risk of an injury.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECU/ECM)

Daimler Trucks North America, LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Thomas Built C2 Saf-T-Liner school buses equipped with 8.8L LPG engines. The engine control module (ECM) may set a fault code that results in an unexpected engine shut down.

Risk: Unexpected engine shut down can increase the risk of a crash. Additionally, a disabled school bus may require an evacuation procedure in an uncontrolled traffic situation, increasing the risk of injury to passengers.

ENGINE

Daimler Trucks North America, LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner C2 school buses equipped with Cummins B6.7N engines. The engine control module software may be calibrated incorrectly, causing the engine to not limit engine speed or torque as intended for certain safety-related functions such as vehicle braking, traction and stability control, speed control, or collision avoidance.

Risk: If safety-related functions such as vehicle braking, stability, speed, and collision avoidance do not function properly, it can increase the risk of a crash.

SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:DISC:CALIPER

Daimler Trucks North America LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Thomas Built Saf-T-Liner HDX, EFX, and C2 school buses equipped with air disc brakes. The brake caliper mounting bolts may have been insufficiently tightened.

Risk: Loose brake caliper mounting bolts can reduce brake effectiveness, increasing the risk of a crash.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

Daimler Trucks North America LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2017-2020 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner C2 school buses configured with a specific Switch Hub Module (part numbers 204803 and 216434) combined with a 500k Bulk Head Module and a certain 3-position momentary switch warning light package. The Switch Hub Module (SHM) that controls the exterior warning lights and stop sign may fail, resulting in deactivation of the red warning lights, stop sign and system indicator.

Risk: If the exterior warning lights and stop sign indicator stop working, other drivers may inadvertently proceed driving before the school bus loading/unloading of students is complete, increasing the risk of an injury.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:FAN

Daimler Trucks North America LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Thomas Built Saf-T-Liner C2 school buses equipped with Detroit Diesel DD5 engines. The fan hub bolts may have been may have been insufficiently tightened.

Risk: The loose bolts can cause the fan to damage surrounding components and/or detach from the engine, disabling the bus and resulting in an evacuation in an uncontrolled traffic situation, thereby increasing the risk of an injury.

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:TORQUE CONVERTER

Daimler Trucks North America LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2017-2020 Saf-T-Liner C2 school buses equipped with Detroit DD5 engines and Allison transmissions. The Flex-Plate/Torque Converter fasteners may have been insufficiently tightened.

Risk: The loose bolts may lead a disabled school bus and result in a school bus evacuation procedure in an uncontrolled traffic situation, increasing the risk of an injury.

STRUCTURE:EMERGENCY:ESCAPE/EGRESS/EXIT

Daimler Trucks North America LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Thomas Built Minotour, Saf-T Liner C2, Saf-T Liner EFX, and Saf-T Liner HDX school buses equipped with Safe Fleet Prolo Roof Escape hatches. Due to a manufacturing issue, the roof hatch external handle may unexpectedly break under reasonable use.

Risk: If the roof hatch external handle breaks, in the event of an emergency, the hatch cannot be easily opened from outside the vehicle, increasing the risk of injury.

SEATS

Daimler Trucks North America LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2014-2020 Thomas Built Saf-T-Liner EFX, Minotour, Saf-T-Liner C2, and Saf-T-Liner HDX school buses equipped with SynTec S3B or S3C seats. The seats may have been manufactured with styrene blocks that may not provide sufficient impact absorption in certain specific areas around the steel seat frame of the back support. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 222, "School Bus Passenger Seating and Crash Protection."

Risk: The lack of impact absorption increases the risk of injury in the event of a crash.

STRUCTURE:EMERGENCY:ESCAPE/EGRESS/EXIT

Daimler Trucks North America LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2020 Thomas Built Minotour, 2019-2020 Saf-T Liner C2, and 2019 Saf-T Liner HDX buses equipped with Safe Fleet Roof Escape hatches. Due to a manufacturing issue, the roof hatch external handle may unexpectedly break under reasonable use.

Risk: If the roof hatch external handle breaks, in the event of an emergency, the hatch cannot be easily opened from outside the vehicle, increasing the risk of injury.

STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS

Daimler Trucks North America LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Thomas Built C2 Saf-T-Liner school buses built on an FCCC chassis. The clamp for the steering gear return hose may have been improperly installed, allowing the hose to separate from the steering gear.

Risk: If the hose separates from the steering gear, there may be a loss of steering assist which could result in a potentially disabled school bus. If the school bus is occupied when the steering assist is lost, the occupants would need to exit the vehicle and be transferred to another vehicle, increasing the risk of injury.

SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:ANTILOCK:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE

Daimler Trucks North America LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Thomas Built Saf-T-Liner C2 school buses. The affected school buses may have been built without Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) modules. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 121, "Air Brake Systems."

Risk: The operator may not be aware of the absence of ABS function. Unknowingly operating the vehicle without ABS function may increase risk of a crash.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS

Daimler Trucks North America, LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Thomas Built Saf-T-Liner C2 school buses equipped with an optional auxiliary outlet powered by the ignition and accessory power circuits. An electrical overload on the auxiliary circuit may cause the ignition fuse to open and the engine to shut down.

Risk: An engine shutdown without the ability to restart increases the risk of a crash.