The Recall Desk
Our severity:HighNHTSA·26V086000·Announced 2026-02-13

Thomas Built Buses Recalls 2023-2026 Models for Heater Hose Clamp Defect

Daimler Trucks North America is recalling 2,843 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner EFX and HDX school buses because improperly tightened heater hose clamps may cause hot coolant to leak inside the passenger compartment.

What this means for you

Our assessment, not the agency’s: severity 3/5 (High).

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: The recall involves a risk-of-harm product (hot coolant leak) where injury has not yet been reported, fitting the 'High' severity criteria for potential burn injuries without confirmed fatalities or hospitalizations.

Plain-English summary

Daimler Trucks North America, LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2023-2026 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner EFX and Saf-T-Liner HDX school buses. The recall involves 2,843 vehicles where the heater hose clamps may not have been tightened properly. This defect can cause the hose to disconnect and leak heating coolant inside the passenger compartment.

Contact with the hot heating coolant may burn occupants, increasing the risk of injury. No specific dates of occurrence or geographic distribution are provided in the source text.

Dealers will inspect and replace the heater hose clamps, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on April 10, 2026. Owners may contact DTNA customer service at 1-800-547-0712. DTNA's number for this recall is F1030.

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
2,843

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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