2014 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner Efx problems, complaints & recalls

Defect: Daimler Trucks North America, LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2011-2023 Thomas Built EFX and HDX school buses. The exterior roof panel was manufactured with insufficient joint strength. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 221, "School Bus Body Joint Strength."

Risk: A school bus exterior roof panel with insufficient joint strength may separate during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Fix: Dealers will add additional mechanical fasteners to secure the joints, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 2, 2023. Owners may contact DTNA customer service at 1-800-547-0712. DTNA's number for this recall is FL957.

Defect: Daimler Trucks North America, LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2014-23 Thomas Built Buses HDX and 2014-22 EFX school buses equipped with 39-inch S3C seat frames and 3-point flex seatbelts. The passenger seat frames may crack and rotate from fatigue.

Risk: Cracked passenger seat frames may not adequately secure passengers in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Fix: Dealers will secure the seat frames with brackets, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mail December 4, 2023. Owners may contact DTNA's customer service at 1-800-547-0712. DTNA's number for this recall is FL946.

Defect: Daimler Trucks North America LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2014-2020 Thomas Built Saf-T-Liner EFX, Minotour, Saf-T-Liner C2, and Saf-T-Liner HDX school buses equipped with SynTec S3B or S3C seats. The seats may have been manufactured with styrene blocks that may not provide sufficient impact absorption in certain specific areas around the steel seat frame of the back support. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number

Risk: The lack of impact absorption increases the risk of injury in the event of a crash.

Fix: DTNA will notify owners, and dealers will install additional impact material between the re-bond back and the vinyl back cover to increase the amount of absorption, free of charge. DTNA issued owners an interim notification on November 29, 2019. The recall began June 22, 2020. Owners may contact DTNA customer service at 1-800-547-0712. DTNA's number for this recall is FL-832.

Defect: Daimler Trucks North America LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2014-2018 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner C2, Saf-T-Liner HDX, Saf-T-Liner EFX, and Minotour school buses equipped with S3B Restraint Wall Mounted Seats. The wall mounting bracket may crack, causing the seat to not remain secured in place in the event of a crash.

Risk: In the event of a crash, if the seat does not remain secured to the wall, the occupant has an increased risk of an injury.

Fix: DTNA will notify owners, and dealers will install an additional wall mounting bracket, free of charge. Daimler issued owners an interim notification on June 12, 2018. The recall began January 3, 2019. Owners may contact DTNA customer service at 1-800-547-0712. DTNA's number for this recall is FL-769.

Defect: Daimler Trucks North America LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2014-2018 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner C2, Saf-T-Liner EFX, Saf-T-Liner HDX, and Minotour transit buses, equipped with certain S3B Restraint Wall Mounted Seats. The wall mounting bracket may crack, causing the seat to not remain secured in place in the event of a crash.

Risk: In the event of a crash, if the seat does not remain secured to the wall, the occupant has an increased risk of an injury.

Fix: DTNA will notify owners, and dealers will install an additional wall mounting bracket, free of charge. Daimler issued an interim notification to owners on June 15, 20 18. The recall began January 3, 2019. Owners may contact DTNA customer service at 1-800-547-0712. DTNA's number for this recall is FL-769.

Defect: Daimler Trucks North America LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2014-2018 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner C2, Saf-T-Liner HDX, Saf-T-Liner EFX, and Minotour school buses, equipped with certain Syntec-brand S3B, Non-Restraint, Wall Mounted Seats. The wall mounting bracket may crack, which may cause the seat to not remain secured in place in the event of a crash.

Risk: In the event of a crash, if the seat does not remain secured to the wall, the occupant has an increased risk of an injury.

Fix: DTNA will notify owners, and dealers will install an additional wall mounting bracket, free of charge. DTNA issued an interim notification to owners on May 9, 2018. The recall began May 10, 2018. Owners may contact DTNA customer service at 1-800-547-0712. DTNA's number for this recall is FL-763.

Defect: Daimler Trucks North America LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2014-2018 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner C2, Saf-T-Liner HDX, Saf-T-Liner EFX, and Minotour transit buses, equipped with certain Syntec-brand S3B, Non-Restraint, Wall Mounted Seats. The wall mounting bracket may crack, which may cause the seat to not remain secured in place in the event of a crash.

Risk: In the event of a crash, if the seat does not remain secured to the wall, the occupant has an increased risk of an injury.

Fix: DTNA will notify owners, and dealers will install an additional wall mounting bracket, free of charge. DTNA issued an interim notification to owners on May 10, 2018. The recall began May 10, 2018. Owners may contact DTNA customer service at 1-800-547-0712. DTNA's number for this recall is FL-763.

Defect: Daimler Trucks North America LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2014-2018 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner EFX and Saf-T-Liner HDX school buses. The occupant seats may have been installed without under-rail washers, reducing their anchorage strength.

Risk: Without under-rail washers, in the event of a crash, the seats may come loose, increasing the risk of injury.

Fix: DTNA will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the seats and replace the mounting hardware, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on June 28, 2017. Owners may contact DTNA Customer Service 1-800-547-0712. DTNA's number for the recall is FL-737.

Defect: Daimler Trucks North America LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain model year 2006-2015 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner HDX, Saf-T-Liner EF, Saf-T-Liner EFX, and Minotour DRW transit buses manufactured January 3, 2006, to August 1, 2014, and equipped with certain Ricon model S2005, S2010, S5005, S5010, S5505, S5510 wheelchair lifts. The affected lifts are equipped with folding link arms that may have pivot holes that are too big, allowing the bearings to move out of position.

Risk: If the bearings move out of position, the stowed platform may have excessive movement resulting in failure of the platform mounting. This failure could cause the wheel chair lift platform to fall out of the vehicle when the doors are opened, increasing the risk of injury for the lift operator.

Fix: DTNA will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the link arms for damage or for displaced bearings. The platform will be inspected for cracks. Any damaged parts will be replaced, free of charge. The recall began on November 2, 2015. Owners may contact DTNA customer service at 1-800-745-8000. DTNA's number for this recall is FL-686.

Defect: Daimler Trucks North America LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain model year 2006-2015 Thomas Built Buses FS-65, Saf-T-Liner C2, Saf-T-Liner EF, Saf-T-Liner EFX, Saf-T-Liner HDX, and Minotour DRW school buses manufactured January 3, 2006, to August 1, 2014, and equipped with certain Ricon model S2005, S2010, S5005, S5010, S5505, S5510 wheelchair lifts. The affected lifts are equipped with folding link arms that may have pivot holes that are too big, allowing the bearings to move out of position.

Risk: If the bearings move out of position, the stowed platform may have excessive movement resulting in failure of the platform mounting. This failure could cause the wheel chair lift platform to fall out of the vehicle when the doors are opened, increasing the risk of injury for the lift operator.

Fix: DTNA will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the link arms for damage or for displaced bearings. The platform will be inspected for cracks. Any damaged parts will be replaced, free of charge. The recall began onNovember 2, 2015. Owners may contact DTNA customer service at 1-800-745-8000. DTNA's number for this recall is FL-686.

Defect: Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 Thomas Built Saf-T-Liner EFX school buses manufactured September 30, 2013, through November 15, 2013. In the affected vehicles, due to an incorrect calibration, the speedometer may display a speed lower than the vehicle is actually traveling.

Risk: With the incorrect calibration, the driver may unknowingly exceed the posted speed limit, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: DTNA will notify owners, and dealers will update the instrument cluster software to correct the calibration, free of charge. Owners may contact DTNA at 1-800-547-0712. DTNA's number for this recall is FL-658.

Defect: Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) is recalling certain model year 2012-2014 Thomas Built Saf-T-Liner HDX and Saf-T-Liner EFX school buses manufactured October 17, 2011, through July 2, 2013. A U-bolt intended to reinforce certain seat installations to the chassis may have been left out of the assembly process.

Risk: In the event of a crash, the seats may not stay mounted to the chassis, increasing the risk of injury.

Fix: DTNA will notify owners and dealers will install the U-bolts as required, free of charge. The recall began on December 13, 2013. Owners may contact DTNA at 1-503-745-5219. DTNA's recall number is FL-650.

Defect: Daimler Trucks North America (Daimler) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Saf-T-Liner (EF, EFX, and HDX) buses equipped with an auxiliary fuel pickup tube for use with an optional chassis coolant heater and manufactured January 1, 2012, through October 4, 2012. An information label affixed to the auxiliary heater fuel pickup tube may detach and fall off into the fuel tank, inhibiting fuel delivery to the engine.

Risk: Insufficient fuel delivery may cause the engine to stumble, run erratically, or stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Daimler will notify owners and dealers will inspect the tanks and auxiliary heater fuel pickup tubes for labels. Any labels will be removed, free of charge. The recall began on October 18, 2013. Owners may contact Daimler at 1-800-716-7466. Daimler's recall number is FL-643.

Defect: Daimler Trucks North America (Daimler) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Saf-T-Liner (EF, EFX, and HDX) buses equipped with an auxiliary fuel pickup tube for use with an optional chassis coolant heater and manufactured January 1, 2012, through October 4, 2012. An information label affixed to the auxiliary heater fuel pickup tube may detach and fall off into the fuel tank, inhibiting fuel delivery to the engine.

Risk: Insufficient fuel delivery may cause the engine to stumble, run erratically, or stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Daimler will notify owners and dealers will inspect the tanks and auxiliary heater fuel pickup tubes for labels. Any labels will be removed, free of charge. The recall began on October 15, 2013. Owners may contact Daimler at 1-800-716-7466. Daimler's recall number is FL-643.

Defect: Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Thomas Built Buses brand Saf-T-Liner EFX school buses manufactured from March 29, 2012, through November 14, 2012 and equipped with 100% Daytime Running Lights (DRL) option code C3676-24-000. The DRL circuit breaker may trip during continuous operation of the headlights in high beam mode. This would result in a loss of power to the headlights, marker lights, tail lights, and dash lighting.

Risk: A loss of power to the bus' lights may reduce the driver's ability to see other vehicles, pedestrians, or objects, as well as reduce the bus' visibility to other drivers or pedestrians, increasing the risk of crash.

Fix: DTNA has notified the affected owners. Dealers will replace the circuit breaker, free of charge. The recall began on December 14, 2012. Owners may contact Thomas Built Buses Warranty Department at 1-366-889-4871.