The Recall Desk
SevereNHTSA·11V480000·Announced 2011-09-21

Daimler Trucks Recalls Thomas Built School Buses Due to Exhaust Fire Risk

Daimler Trucks is recalling 1,825 Thomas Built school buses because a faulty exhaust clamp bolt can fracture, causing hot gases to vent and potentially start a fire.

What this means for you

Illness, injury, or structural failure has been reported. Stop using the product immediately and contact the manufacturer for a refund or repair.

Our severity reasoning: The recall involves a structural defect in the exhaust system that creates a risk of fire and road hazards, meeting the criteria for a structural vehicle defect or significant injury/property-damage reports.

Plain-English summary

Daimler Trucks North America is recalling 1,825 model year 2011-2012 Thomas Built Saf-T-Liner C2, Saf-T-Liner MVP-EF, and Saf-T-Liner HDX school buses. These vehicles were manufactured between September 1, 2010, and December 31, 2010, and are equipped with a Cummins ISX or ISL diesel engine.

The recall addresses a defect in the V-band clamp assembly used to connect the inlet and outlet cone sections to the diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC)/diesel particulate filter (DPF). The assembly includes a T-bolt that can fracture and fail when subjected to stress or load. If the T-bolt fails, the clamp may loosen, causing the inlet or outlet sections to disconnect from the DOC/DPF housing.

If these sections disconnect, hot exhaust gases can vent before exiting the tailpipe, creating a risk of combustion and fire. In some applications, if both clamps fail, the DOC/DPF housing may detach completely, creating a road hazard. Daimler Trucks is working with Cummins to identify and notify owners. Repairs will be performed by authorized Cummins dealers free of charge. The safety recall began on October 10, 2011. Owners may contact Cummins at 1-812-377-5000 or Daimler Trucks at 1-800-547-0712.

The recalled product

Product
THOMAS BUILT BUSES, THOMAS BUILT SAF-T-LINER MVP-EF, SAF-T-LINER C2, SAF-T-LINER HDX
Brand
THOMAS BUILT BUSES
Affected units
1,825

Is your product affected?

Check your packaging against the codes below. If any of them match, the product is part of this recall.

Model numbers (3)

  • SAF-T-LINER MVP-EF
  • SAF-T-LINER C2
  • SAF-T-LINER HDX

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.