The Recall Desk
Our severity:SevereNHTSA·25V604000·Announced 2025-09-11

Thomas Built Buses Recalls School Buses Due to Steering Defect

Daimler Trucks North America is recalling certain 2025-2026 Thomas Built Buses school buses because improperly installed steering fasteners may cause a loss of steering control.

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 in the steering system that can result in a loss of vehicle steering control, which increases the risk of a crash. This aligns with the rubric criterion for 'structural vehicle defect' or 'significant injury/property-damage reports' (implied by crash risk), warranting a score of 4.

Plain-English summary

Daimler Trucks North America, LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2025-2026 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner HDX, Saf-T-Liner C2, 2026 Saf-T-Liner EFX, and Saf-T-Liner C2 Jouley school buses. The recall involves the tie rod castle nut and cotter pin, which may not be installed properly. This defect can result in a loss of vehicle steering control, which increases the risk of a crash.

The affected vehicles include 2025-2026 Saf-T-Liner C2, 2026 Saf-T-Liner C2 Jouley, 2026 Saf-T-Liner EFX, 2025 Saf-T-Liner HDX, and 2026 Saf-T-Liner HDX2 models. Owner notification letters were mailed on November 10, 2025.

Dealers will inspect and replace the tie rod assembly, as necessary, free of charge. Owners may contact DTNA customer service at 1-800-547-0712. DTNA's number for this recall is D25R2.

The recalled product

Product
THOMAS BUILT BUSES SAF-T-LINER C2 JOULEY, SAF-T-LINER C2, SAF-T-LINER HDX, SAF-T-LINER EFX
Brand
THOMAS BUILT BUSES
Manufacturer
Daimler Trucks North America, LLC
Category
Vehicle — School Bus
Hazard
Affected units
99

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 (5)

  • SAF-T-LINER C2 JOULEY
  • SAF-T-LINER C2
  • SAF-T-LINER HDX
  • SAF-T-LINER EFX
  • SAF-T-LINER HDX2

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

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