2019 THOMAS BUILT BUSES SAF-T-LINER EFX

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: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.

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.

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.

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.

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: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.