NHTSA safety recall
Recall 05V347000: OTHER:SCHOOL BUS STOP ARM ASSEMBLY
FREIGHTLINER LLC · Reported to NHTSA Aug 3, 2005
Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.
Check a VIN on NHTSA.govWhat this recall covers
NHTSA's campaign record, quoted as published
The defect
CERTAIN 2002-2005 MY THOMAS BUILT MINOTOUR, CONVENTIONAL, MVP-ER, ER, HDX, AND MVP-EF MODEL SCHOOL BUSES MANUFACTURED BETWEEN JANUARY 8, 2002, AND MARCH 8, 2005, EQUIPPED WITH SPECIALTY MFG "5" SERIES STOP ARMS ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN STATES OTHER THAN THE FOLLOWING STATES: ALASKA, COLORADO, CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, IDAHO, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, KANSAS, KENTUCKY, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, MONTANA, NEBRASKA, NEVADA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW MEXICO, NEW YORK, NORTH DAKOTA, OHIO, OREGON, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, SOUTH DAKOTA, TENNESSEE, UTAH, VERMONT, VIRGINIA, WASHINGTON, WEST VIRGINIA, WISCONSIN, WYOMING, AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. IN EXTREMELY COLD WEATHER, THE MICROSWITCHES USED INTERNALLY TO POSITION THE STOP ARM SIGN IN THE OPEN AND CLOSED POSITIONS MAY MALFUNCTION, CAUSING THE SIGN TO OPEN OR CLOSE IN AN IMPROPER POSITION, OR TO NOT OPEN AT ALL.
The risk
SHOULD THE STOP ARM NOT PERFORM PROPERLY, A CHILD OR PEDESTRIAN MAY BE ENDANGERED BY PASSING VEHICLES SHOULD THE MOTORIST NOT STOP AT THE CORRECT LOCATION.
The remedy
FOR THOSE BUSES OPERATED IN OR NEAR ANY OF THE STATES LISTED ABOVE, THOMAS BUILT IS ENCOURAGING THE BUS OWNERS TO OBTAIN THE REPLACEMENT SWITCH. FOR THOSE BUSES OPERATED IN THE WARMER STATES, DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE SWITCH UPON OWNER REQUEST. FOR THOSE CUSTOMERS WHO REQUEST THE REMEDY, THOMAS BUILT WILL REPLACE THE ORIGINAL SWITCH WITH A SWITCH PACK THAT IS NOT SENSITIVE TO EXTREME COLD WEATHER AND WILL INSPECT TO ENSURE THE MICROSWITCH HEATER WIRING IS PROPERLY CONNECTED. THE RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 14, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT THOMAS BUILT'S CUSTOMER SUPPORT OFFICE AT 336-889-4871.
Notes
THIS ACTION IS DEEMED A SAFETY IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN AND IS NOT BEING CONDUCTED UNDER THE SAFETY ACT.FREIGHTLINER/THOMAS BUILT RECALL NO. FL-454.CUSTOMERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236; (TTY: 1-800-424-9153); OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV.
A safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
Campaign details
Identifiers and dates as filed with NHTSA
- Manufacturer
- FREIGHTLINER LLC
- Manufacturer's campaign number
- FL-454
- NHTSA campaign number
- 05V347000
- Units potentially affected
- 5,954
- Report received
- Aug 3, 2005
- Production range
- Jan 8, 2002 – Mar 8, 2005
- Campaign type
- Vehicle
- Federal safety standard (FMVSS)
- Not recorded
Vehicles covered
24 model years across 7 models
- Thomas Conventional
- Thomas Er
- Thomas Hdx
- Thomas Minotour
- Thomas Mvp Ef
- Thomas Mvp Er
- Thomas Saf-T-Liner Conventional
Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.