RoadVitals

Thomas Recalls, Complaints & Safety Data

NHTSA safety recalls, owner-reported complaints and investigations, by model and model year · 1971–2014

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received. This total counts a complaint once for each Thomas model year it names.
69
Safety recallsDistinct NHTSA recall campaigns covering at least one Thomas model year. One campaign can cover several models and many model years; it is counted once here.
156
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
26
Models coveredModels with at least one model year that has enough NHTSA data to publish.
53
37 model years

Overview

Our database holds 69 NHTSA owner-reported complaints filed against Thomas vehicles. Our database also holds 156 safety recall campaigns and 26 NHTSA investigations covering at least one Thomas model year.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Thomas models

Ordered by total owner-reported complaint volume, which is not a ranking of quality

Thomas models with published safety data
ModelModel yearsComplaintsRecalls
School Bus1977–20042122
Thomas1973–20011112
Bus1977–2002714
Mvp Ef1994–2008725
Saf-T-Liner1977–2001525
C22004–200834
Fs-652004–200533
CL1002000–200121
Conventional1977–2004227
Saf-T-Liner Er2002–200521
Er2001–200816
Er Model1996–200114
Mvp Er1996–2008120
Saf-T-Liner Hd2000–200113
Transit Bus1990–199312
Vista1977–2000116
1603197101
1703197101
1803197101
1894197901
1984197901
2124197901
2234197901
2374197901
2444197901
2920S197701
3000S197701
All Star1977–199606
Bus W/R Engin1990–199100
Buses Equip W/8D Batter1983–199000
Chartour1989–199701
Citiliner1989–199704
Citiliner/Chartour1988–199400
CL9601996–200002
Er Transit1994–2002010
Hd2001–200301
Hdx2000–200504
Mighty Mite1977–199603
Minotour1977–2005021
MPV1988–199400
MPV Er1995–199601
Mvp1977–2003018
Mvp Saf-T-Liner1987–199001
Mvp Transit Liner1992–199400
Mybus201401
Pusher1978–198302
Saf-T-Liner C22004–200505
Saf-T-Liner Conventional1998–200506
TL9601996–200003
Transit Liner1980–199405
Transit Liner Er2000–200104
Transit Liner Hd2000–200102
Type D1990–199301

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Complaint totals count a report once for each model year it names; recall totals count a campaign once per model.

Recently issued recalls

The 8 newest campaigns covering a Thomas vehicle in our database

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.gov
16V407000Saf-T-Liner Conventional

STRUCTURE:BODY:DOORDaimler Trucks North America LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain model year 1998-2002 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner Conventional, 2000-2002 Saf-T-Liner ER, 2000-2002 Saf-T-Liner MVP-EF, 2000-2001 CL-960, 1998-1999 Vista, 2000-2002 Saf-T-Liner MVP-ER, and 2000-2002 TL-960 transit buses. In the affected vehicles, the stem that connects the outside emergency door handle to the emergency door opening mechanism may corrode.

16V395000Saf-T-Liner Conventional, Vista

STRUCTURE:BODY:DOORDaimler Trucks North America LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain model year 1998-2002 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner Conventional, 2000-2002 Saf-T-Liner ER, 2000-2017 Saf-T-Liner MVP-EF, 1998-1999 Vista, 2003 Saf-T-Liner FS65, 2013-2017 Saf-T-liner C2, 2000-2002 Saf-T-Liner MVP-ER, 2013-2017 Saf-T-Liner HDX. In the affected vehicles, the stem that connects the outside emergency door handle to the emergency door opening mechanism may corrode.

15V432000Saf-T-Liner Conventional

STRUCTURE:BODY:DOORDaimler Trucks North America LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain model year 2002-2013 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner ER, 2001-2005 Saf-T-Liner Conventional, 2002-2013 Saf-T-Liner MVP-EF, 2013 Saf-T-Liner EFX, 2001-2008 Saf-T-Liner FS65, 2005-2013 Saf-T-Liner C2, 2003-2013 Saf-T-Liner HDX, 2002-2003 Saf-T-Liner MVP-ER, 2002 Vista, and 2002-2003 TL-960 school buses manufactured from February 5, 2001, through May 29, 2012. In the affected vehicles, the stem that connects the outside emergency door handle to the emergency door opening mechanism may corrode.

15V425000Saf-T-Liner Conventional

STRUCTURE:BODY:DOORDaimler Trucks North America LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain model year 2002-2004 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner ER, 2001-2005 Saf-T-Liner Conventional, 2002-2013 Saf-T-Liner MVP-EF, 2013 Saf-T-Liner EFX, 2001-2008 Saf-T-Liner FS65, 2005-2013 Saf-T-Liner C2, 2003-2013 Saf-T-Liner HDX, 2002-2003 Saf-T-Liner MVP-ER, 2002 Vista, and 2002-2003 TL-960 non-school buses. In the affected vehicles, the stem that connects the outside emergency door handle to the emergency door opening mechanism may corrode.

14V423000Mybus

SEAT BELTSAlliance Bus Group, Inc. (Alliance) is recalling certain model year 2014 Thomas MyBus vehicles, equipped with IMMI-brand L9 seat belt buckles. When the button is pressed to release the seat belt, the latch plate can become partially engaged with the buckle, making the seat belt difficult to unlatch. Thus, these vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 209, "Seat Belt Assemblies."

08V6220003 Thomas models

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERSDAIMLER TRUCKS IS RECALLING 18,198 MY 2003-2009 THOMAS BUILT ER, MVP-ER, HDX, AND MVP-EF SCHOOL AND TRANSIT BUSES EQUIPPED WITH A DUAL POWER SWITCH AND MANUFACTURED FROM FEBRUARY 1, 2002 THROUGH OCTOBER 17, 2008. SOLID STATE CIRCUIT BREAKERS MAY TRIP UNNECESSARILY POTENTIALLY RESULTING IN A LOSS OF POWER TO THE BUS CHASSIS AND BODY ELECTRICAL CIRCUITS CAUSING AN UNEXPECTED LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AND EXTERIOR LIGHTING.

08V430000Mvp Ef

EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITYDAIMLER TRUCKS IS RECALLING 1,419 MY 2006 THROUGH 2008 THOMAS BUILT SCHOOL BUSES AND RECREATIONAL VEHICLE CHASSIS MANUFACTURED BETWEEN MARCH 7, 2005 AND MAY 27, 2008, EQUIPPED WITH RICON PLATFORM STYLE WHEELCHAIR LIFTS. THESE BUSES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 404, "PLATFORM LIFT INSTALLATIONS IN MOTOR VEHICLES." THE THRESHOLD WARNING SYSTEM MAY NOT DETECT THE PRESENCE OF A WHEELCHAIR OR MOBILITY AID USER IN A CERTAIN SPOT WITHIN THE DEFINED THRESHOLD AREA.

08V432000Mvp Ef

EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITYDAIMLER TRUCKS IS RECALLING 2,250 MY 2006 AND 2007 THOMAS BUILT MINOTOUR, FS65, C2, HDX, AND MVP EF SCHOOL BUSES AND RECREATIONAL VEHICLE CHASSIS MANUFACTURED BETWEEN MARCH 9, 2005 AND FEBRUARY 23, 2007, EQUIPPED WITH RICON S OR K SERIES WHEELCHAIR LIFTS. THE ANTI-STOW INTERLOCK MAY NOT DETECT THE PRESENCE OF A WHEELCHAIR OR MOBILITY AID USER. THE PRESSURE SENSING SWITCH THAT DETECTS THE PRESENCE OF WEIGHT ON THE PLATFORM WAS NOT ADJUSTED TO THE NECESSARY SENSITIVITY LEVEL. THE LIFT COULD STOW EVEN THOUGH SOMEONE OR SOMETHING IS STILL ON THE LIFT WHICH FAILS TO COMPLY WITH FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 404, "PLATFORM LIFT INSTALLATIONS IN MOTOR VEHICLES."

Browse by model year

Every year with at least one publishable Thomas model year

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .