The Recall Desk
HighNHTSA·23V669000·Announced 2023-03-10

Thomas Built SAF-T-LINER school buses: emergency exit door fastener defect

Daimler Trucks is recalling certain 2019-2024 Thomas Built SAF-T-LINER school buses because the emergency exit door fasteners may loosen and detach, potentially allowing the door to open unexpectedly.

What this means for you

Real risk of harm even if no illness or injury has been reported yet. Stop using the product and follow the agency's guidance.

Our severity reasoning: This is a structural vehicle safety defect in an emergency egress system affecting school buses. The fasteners may loosen, allowing the emergency exit door to open unexpectedly, creating a risk of injury. No illnesses or injuries have been reported, placing this in the High severity category per the rubric for risk-of-harm products where injury has not yet been reported.

Plain-English summary

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 securing the emergency exit door may loosen and detach over time.

If the fasteners loosen or detach, the emergency exit door may open unexpectedly while the bus is in operation. An unexpected opening increases the risk of injury to passengers.

Approximately 20,668 units are affected by this recall. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning December 1, 2023.

Owners should contact DTNA customer service at 1-800-547-0712 to arrange an inspection and repair. Dealers will tighten the emergency exit door fasteners at no charge. Additional information is available from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153) or www.nhtsa.gov.

The recalled product

Product
2023 THOMAS BUILT BUSES SAF-T-LINER C2
Brand
THOMAS BUILT BUSES
Manufacturer
Daimler Trucks North America, LLC
Category
Vehicle — School Bus
Hazard
  • door-fastener-failure
  • emergency-exit-defect
Affected units
20,668

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 C2
  • SAF-T-LINER C2 JOLEY
  • SAF-T-LINER C2 JOULEY

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

Related recalls

Same brand · THOMAS BUILT BUSES

Same category