Stop using nowVehicle recall · NHTSA · Published August 24, 2026
Thomas Built SAF-T-LINER HDX2 Recall: Missing Seat Belt Anchors
DTNA recalls 2027 Thomas Built SAF-T-LINER HDX2 and EFX2 school buses due to missing connector plates that may compromise seat belt anchors and body joint strength.
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.
✎ GovInfoNow plain-language explainer
Daimler Trucks North America is recalling certain 2027 Thomas Built SAF-T-LINER HDX2 and EFX2 school buses because connector plates for the driver's seat belt anchor and an interior body joint seam may be missing. This defect means the vehicles fail to meet federal safety standards for seat belt anchorages and body joint strength, potentially increasing injury risk in a crash. Dealers will inspect and replace the header connectors free of charge. Read more at govinfonow.com/recall/1387677-thomas-built-saf-t-liner-hdx2-recall-missing-seat-belt.
“Thomas Built SAF-T-LINER HDX2 Recall: Missing Seat Belt Anchors.” GovInfoNow, updated October 10, 2026. https://govinfonow.com/recall/1387677-thomas-built-saf-t-liner-hdx2-recall-missing-seat-belt. Based on NHTSA recall #26V546000 (https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=26V546000).
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced on August 24, 2026, that Thomas Built Buses is recalling certain 2027 SAF-T-LINER HDX2 and EFX2 school buses due to a potential seat belt anchor failure. Dealers will inspect and replace header connectors as necessary at no cost to owners.
How to tell if you have it
Thomas Built Buses SAF-T-LINER HDX2, 2027
Thomas Built Buses SAF-T-LINER EFX2, 2027
What to do
Dealers will inspect and replace the header connectors, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed October 23, 2026. Owners may contact DTNA customer service at 1-800-574-0712.
The hazard
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. The vehicles fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard numbers 210 and 221.
Context
GovInfoNow's records show Daimler Trucks North America, LLC has 272 other recalls on record since 2011-07-06. Other recent recalls of similar products include Volvo VAH 2023 Seat Belts Recall (2025-11-03), Nova Bus 2023 LFS Buses: Seat Belts May Fail in Crashes (2026-03-24), and International IC Bus CESB (2023-2027) recall (2026-03-19). Manufacturers have sent NHTSA 4 technical service bulletins or other communications covering the 2027 THOMAS BUILT BUSES SAF-T-LINER HDX2 with a latest date of 2026-04-30.
How to tell if you have this one
Check if you own a 2027 Thomas Built SAF-T-LINER HDX2 or EFX2 school bus. Look for an owner notification letter expected to be mailed October 23, 2026. You can also contact DTNA customer service at 1-800-574-0712 and reference recall number F1038.
Brand
Thomas Built Buses
Category
Vehicle
Based on the official NHTSA remedy
What to do — step by step
Wait for Notification
Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed October 23, 2026.
2026-10-23
Contact Dealer
Dealers will inspect and replace the header connectors as necessary, free of charge.
Official remedy
What NHTSA says to do
Dealers will inspect and replace the header connectors, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed October 23, 2026. Owners may contact DTNA customer service at 1-800-574-0712. DTNA's number for this recall is F1038.
How this recall unfolded
Recall timeline
GovInfoNow listed this recall 47 days after the agency date.
1NHTSA received the defect report
2Added to GovInfoNow
3Owner letters expected (expected, per the notice)
Dates from the agency record only; steps without a date are left out.
The facts (hazard, remedy, dates, manufacturer) are pulled from the official NHTSA recall record. The plain-language summary and step-by-step checklist are written by GovInfoNow to make the official notice easier to act on — they don’t replace it.
Plain-language summary written by qwen3.6:35b-a3b on October 10, 2026, from the official record above. Not reviewed by a person — if it conflicts with the NHTSA notice, the notice is correct. Report an error on this page.
GovInfoNow is an independent service and is not a government agency. We republish official NHTSA recall data; we don’t issue, amend or administer recalls.