The Recall Desk
Our severity:SevereNHTSA·22V762000·Announced 2022-10-12

Thomas Built Buses Recall School Buses for Weak Roof Joints

Daimler Trucks North America is recalling 2011-2023 Thomas Built EFX and HDX school buses because exterior roof panels may separate during a crash.

What this means for you

Our assessment, not the agency’s: severity 4/5 (Severe).

The hazard poses a serious risk of illness, injury, or structural failure. Stop using the product immediately and contact the manufacturer for a refund or repair.

Our severity reasoning: The recall involves a structural vehicle defect (roof panel joint strength) that may separate during a crash, increasing the risk of injury, which aligns with the 'Severe' criteria for structural defects.

Plain-English summary

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

The defect poses a safety risk because a school bus exterior roof panel with insufficient joint strength may separate during a crash, increasing the risk of injury. No specific injuries or fatalities are reported in the source text.

Dealers will add additional mechanical fasteners to secure the joints, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on June 2, 2023. Owners may contact DTNA customer service at 1-800-547-0712 or the NHTSA Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236. DTNA's number for this recall is FL957.

The recalled product

Product
THOMAS BUILT BUSES SAF-T-LINER EFX, SAF-T-LINER HDX
Brand
THOMAS BUILT BUSES
Manufacturer
Daimler Trucks North America, LLC
Category
Vehicle — School Bus
Hazard
Affected units
17,613

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 (2)

  • SAF-T-LINER EFX
  • SAF-T-LINER HDX

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

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