The Recall Desk
Our severity:SevereNHTSA·26V388000·Announced 2026-06-12

2027 Thomas Built SAF-T-LINER HDX2 School Buses Recalled for Joint Strength

Daimler Trucks North America is recalling 2027 Thomas Built SAF-T-LINER HDX2 school buses because front and mid-body interior joints may have insufficient strength, increasing injury risk in 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 (insufficient joint strength) that fails to meet federal safety standards and increases the risk of injury in a crash, meeting the criteria for a Severe rating.

Plain-English summary

Daimler Trucks North America, LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2027 Thomas Built SAF-T-LINER HDX2 school buses. The recall addresses a defect where front and mid-body interior joints may have been manufactured incorrectly, resulting in insufficient joint strength. As a result, these vehicles fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 221, "School Bus Body Joint Strength."

A school bus with insufficient joint strength may not adequately protect passengers in a crash, increasing the risk of injury. The source text does not report any specific incidents of injury or death associated with this defect.

Dealers will add fasteners to secure the joints, free of charge. Interim notification letters notifying owners of the safety risk are expected to be mailed on July 2, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, which is anticipated in August 2026. Owners may contact DTNA customer service at 1-800-574-0712. DTNA's number for this recall is F1034.

The recalled product

Product
THOMAS BUILT BUSES SAF-T-LINER HDX2
Brand
THOMAS BUILT BUSES
Manufacturer
Daimler Trucks North America, LLC
Category
Vehicle — School Bus
Hazard
Affected units
2

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 (1)

  • SAF-T-LINER HDX2

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

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