The Recall Desk
Our severity:SevereNHTSA·26V702000·Announced 2026-10-22

Thomas Built School Buses Recalled for Weak Body Joints

Daimler Trucks is recalling certain Thomas Built school buses because body interior joints may be too weak to protect passengers 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 addresses a structural defect where insufficient body joint strength may fail to protect passengers in a crash, increasing the risk of injury. The source does not report any illnesses, injuries, or deaths.

Plain-English summary

Daimler Trucks North America, LLC is recalling certain 2023-2027 Thomas Built SAF-T-LINER C2 Jouley, 2025-2027 SAF-T-LINER C2, 2026-2027 SAF-T-LINER HDX2, and 2026-2027 SAF-T-LINER EFX2 school buses. The recall involves 13,593 vehicles.

The wheelhouse body interior joints on these vehicles may have been manufactured incorrectly, resulting in insufficient joint strength. This defect means the 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.

Dealers will add fasteners to secure the joints free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed December 21, 2026. Owners may contact DTNA customer service at 1-800-574-0712. DTNA's number for this recall is F1044.

The recalled product

Product
THOMAS BUILT BUSES SAF-T-LINER HDX2, SAF-T-LINER EFX2, SAF-T-LINER C2 JOULEY, SAF-T-LINER C2
Brand
THOMAS BUILT BUSES
Manufacturer
Daimler Trucks North America, LLC
Category
Vehicle — School Bus
Hazard
Affected units
13,593

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 (4)

  • SAF-T-LINER HDX2
  • SAF-T-LINER EFX2
  • SAF-T-LINER C2 JOULEY
  • SAF-T-LINER C2

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

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