2027 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner Efx2 problems, complaints & recalls
Safety recalls (2)
Structure:body 2026-10-22 · campaign 26V702000 · 13,593 vehicles
Defect: Daimler Trucks North America, LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2023-2027 Thomas Built SAF-T-LINER C2 Jouley, 2025-2027 Thomas Built SAF-T-LINER C2, 2026-2027 Thomas Built SAF-T-LINER HDX2, and Thomas Built SAF-T-LINER EFX2 school buses. The wheelhouse body interior joints may have been manufactured incorrectly, resulting in 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 with insufficient joint strength may not adequately protect passengers in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: 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.
Structure:body 2026-08-24 · campaign 26V546000 · 65 vehicles
Defect: Daimler Trucks North America, LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2027 Thomas Built SAF-T-LINER HDX2 and Thomas Built SAF-T-LINER EFX2 school buses. The connector plates for the driver's seat belt anchor and an interior body joint seam may be missing, resulting in insufficient structural reinforcements. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard numbers 210, "Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages," and 221, "School Bus Body Joint Strength."
Risk: A seat belt anchor with a missing connector plate may fail to properly restrain the driver and insufficient joint strength may not adequately protect passengers, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the header connectors, as necessary, free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed October 21, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated November 2026. Owners may contact DTNA customer service at 1-800-574-0712. DTNA's number for this recall is F1038.
Service bulletins (2)
Technical service bulletins are repair instructions manufacturers send dealers for known issues. Unlike recalls, the fix is not automatically free — but naming the bulletin at the service desk can save diagnosis time and support goodwill repairs.
Unknown Or Other 2026-04-30 · PAB009-2026 · Other
product awareness bulletin for saf-t-liner c2, saf-t-liner hdx2, saf-t-liner efx2 accoustic headlining
Electrical System 2026-03-20 · SS 308-TBB · Other
service solution for timer relay tbb 202400 replacement
What owners report
No detailed complaint narratives on file.
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.