2018 THOMAS BUILT BUSES SAF-T-LINER EFX

STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS

Daimler Trucks North America, LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2011-2023 Thomas Built EFX and HDX school buses. The exterior roof panel was manufactured with insufficient joint strength. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 221, "School Bus Body Joint Strength."

Risk: A school bus exterior roof panel with insufficient joint strength may separate during a crash, 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.

SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:DISC

Daimler Trucks North America LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2010-2020 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner C2, 2016-2019 HDX, and 2017-2019 EFX school buses equipped with Bendix Air Disc Brakes. The driver side rear brakes may drag.

Risk: The dragging brakes may lead to high temperatures at the wheel end, increasing the risk of smoke and fire, possibly resulting in the bus having to be evacuated, which can increase the risk of injury.

SEATS

Daimler Trucks North America LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2014-2018 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner C2, Saf-T-Liner HDX, Saf-T-Liner EFX, and Minotour transit buses, equipped with certain Syntec-brand S3B, Non-Restraint, Wall Mounted Seats. The wall mounting bracket may crack, which may cause the seat to not remain secured in place in the event of a crash.

Risk: In the event of a crash, if the seat does not remain secured to the wall, the occupant has an increased risk of an injury.

STEERING

Daimler Trucks North America LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Thomas Built Saf-T-Liner HDX, C2, and EFX School Buses, equipped with Detroit Axle axles. The affected vehicles may have loose steering tie rod arm bolts.

Risk: Loose tie rod arm bolts may lead to separation of the tie rod arm, affecting vehicle steering, and increasing the risk of a crash.

SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:SUPPLY:CHECK VALVE

Daimler Trucks North America LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner EFX transit buses. The check valve for the air brake system may not be plumbed correctly which can cause the primary air system to not be isolated from the secondary air system.

Risk: In the event of a rapid loss of air pressure in the secondary system, the incorrectly plumbed check valve can cause rapid air loss in both secondary and primary system, causing the parking brakes to activate suddenly. This will increase the risk of a crash.

SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:DISC:CALIPER

Daimler Trucks North America, LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Thomas Built school buses Saf-T-Liner C2, Saf-T-Liner HDX and Saf-T-Liner EFX school buses. 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.

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER

Daimler Trucks North America LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner C2, Saf-T-Liner EFX and Saf-T-Liner HDX school buses equipped with air disc brakes. The brake caliper mounting bolts on these vehicles may be insufficiently tightened, allowing the bolts to loosen.

Risk: If the brake caliper mounting bolts come loose, braking performance may be reduced, increasing the risk of a crash.

SEATS

Daimler Trucks North America LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2014-2018 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner C2, Saf-T-Liner HDX, Saf-T-Liner EFX, and Minotour school buses equipped with S3B Restraint Wall Mounted Seats. The wall mounting bracket may crack, causing the seat to not remain secured in place in the event of a crash.

Risk: In the event of a crash, if the seat does not remain secured to the wall, the occupant has an increased risk of an injury.

SEATS

Daimler Trucks North America LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2014-2018 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner C2, Saf-T-Liner HDX, Saf-T-Liner EFX, and Minotour school buses, equipped with certain Syntec-brand S3B, Non-Restraint, Wall Mounted Seats. The wall mounting bracket may crack, which may cause the seat to not remain secured in place in the event of a crash.

Risk: In the event of a crash, if the seat does not remain secured to the wall, the occupant has an increased risk of an injury.

SEATS

Daimler Trucks North America LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2014-2018 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner C2, Saf-T-Liner EFX, Saf-T-Liner HDX, and Minotour transit buses, equipped with certain S3B Restraint Wall Mounted Seats. The wall mounting bracket may crack, causing the seat to not remain secured in place in the event of a crash.

Risk: In the event of a crash, if the seat does not remain secured to the wall, the occupant has an increased risk of an injury.

SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:SUPPLY:CHECK VALVE

Daimler Trucks North America LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner EFX school buses. The check valve for the air brake system may not be plumbed correctly which can cause the primary air system to not be isolated from the secondary air system.

Risk: In the event of a rapid loss of air pressure in the secondary system, the incorrectly plumbed check valve can cause rapid air loss in both secondary and primary system, causing the parking brakes to activate suddenly. This will increase the risk of a crash.