2018 Thomas Built Buses SAF-T-Liner EFX recalls (11)

Every 2018 Thomas Built Buses SAF-T-Liner EFX recall

Each campaign as NHTSA published it: what is wrong, what can happen, and the fix. Newest first.

• Structure · NHTSA 22V762000

  Dec 10, 2022Structure:Body:Roof and Pillars

  Problem

  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.

  Full recall details for 22V762000 →

• Seats · NHTSA 22V510000

  Jul 19, 2022Seats

  Problem

  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.

  Full recall details for 22V510000 →

• Service Brakes, Air · NHTSA 19V444000

  Nov 6, 2019Service Brakes, Air:Disc

  Problem

  Daimler Trucks North America LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2010-2020 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner C2, 2016-2019 HDX, and 2017-2019 EFX school buses equipped with Bendix Air Disc Brakes. The driver side rear brakes may drag.

  Risk

  The dragging brakes may lead to high temperatures at the wheel end, increasing the risk of smoke and fire, possibly resulting in the bus having to be evacuated, which can increase the risk of injury.

  Fix

  DTNA will notify owners, and dealers will install a new caliper with an updated clearance adjustment mechanism, free of charge. The recall began August 9, 2019. Owners may contact DTNA customer service at 1-800-547-0712. DTNA's number for this recall is FL-818.

  Full recall details for 19V444000 →

• Seats · NHTSA 19V712000

  Apr 10, 2019Seats

  Problem

  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 222, "School Bus Passenger Seating and Crash Protection."

  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.

  Full recall details for 19V712000 →

• Suspension · NHTSA 18V914000

  Dec 19, 2018Suspension:Front:Control Arm

  Problem

  Daimler Trucks North America LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Thomas Built Saf-T-Liner HDX, C2, and EFX School Buses, equipped with Detroit Axle axles. The affected vehicles may have loose steering tie rod arm bolts.

  Risk

  Loose tie rod arm bolts may lead to separation of the tie rod arm, affecting vehicle steering, and increasing the risk of a crash.

  Fix

  DTNA has notified owners, and dealers will inspect the steering arm and tie rod arm bolts for to make sure that they are properly tightened, installing new fasteners as necessary, free of charge. The recall began February 9, 2019. Owners may contact Daimler Trucks at 1-800-547-0712. DTNA's number for this recall is FL-802.

  Full recall details for 18V914000 →

• Service Brakes, Hydraulic · NHTSA 18V352000

  May 29, 2018Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Caliper

  Problem

  Daimler Trucks North America LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner C2, Saf-T-Liner EFX and Saf-T-Liner HDX school buses equipped with air disc brakes. The brake caliper mounting bolts on these vehicles may be insufficiently tightened, allowing the bolts to loosen.

  Risk

  If the brake caliper mounting bolts come loose, braking performance may be reduced, increasing the risk of a crash.

  Fix

  DTNA will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the brake caliper mounting bolts and tighten them as necessary, free of charge. DTNA issued owners an interim notification on July 25, 2018. The recall began September 4, 2018. Owners may contact DTNA customer service at 1-800-547-0712. DTNA's number for this recall is FL-772.

  Full recall details for 18V352000 →

• Service Brakes, Air · NHTSA 18V702000

  May 10, 2018Service Brakes, Air:Disc:Caliper

  Problem

  Daimler Trucks North America, LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Thomas Built school buses Saf-T-Liner C2, Saf-T-Liner HDX and Saf-T-Liner EFX school buses. The brake caliper mounting bolts may have been insufficiently tightened.

  Risk

  Loose brake caliper mounting bolts can reduce brake effectiveness, increasing the risk of a crash.

  Fix

  DTNA has notified owners, and dealers will check and tighten the brake caliper mounting bolts, free of charge. The recall began December 3, 2018. Owners may contact DTNA customer service at 1-800-547-0712. DTNA's number for this recall is FL-794.

  Full recall details for 18V702000 →

• Seats · NHTSA 18V254000

  Apr 19, 2018Seats

  Problem

  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.

  Full recall details for 18V254000 →

• Seats · NHTSA 18V253000

  Apr 19, 2018Seats

  Problem

  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.

  Full recall details for 18V253000 →

• Seats · NHTSA 18V193000

  Mar 26, 2018Seats

  Problem

  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.

  Full recall details for 18V193000 →

• Seats · NHTSA 18V192000

  Mar 26, 2018Seats

  Problem

  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.

  Full recall details for 18V192000 →

2018 Thomas Built Buses SAF-T-Liner EFX complaints and service bulletins

Thomas Built Buses has issued at least 158 technical service bulletins (repair instructions to dealers) for this model year. Complaints are unverified owner reports; a recall is the manufacturer’s admission of a safety defect.

Service bulletins by component

• Equipment (87)
• Engine and Engine Cooling (14)
• Electrical System (13)
• Engine (13)
• Seats (11)
• Fuel System, Gasoline (8)

Read Thomas Built Buses SAF-T-Liner EFX owner complaints and bulletins, every year

Other Thomas Built Buses SAF-T-Liner EFX model years

← 2017 Thomas Built Buses SAF-T-Liner EFX · 2019 Thomas Built Buses SAF-T-Liner EFX →

• 2026 (2)
• 2025 (5)
• 2024 (2)
• 2023 (3)
• 2022 (4)
• 2021 (4)
• 2020 (6)
• 2019 (10)
• 2018 (11)
• 2017 (10)
• 2016 (8)
• 2015 (9)
• 2014 (8)
• 2013 (4)
• 2012 (2)
• 2011 (2)
• 2010 (1)
• 2009 (1)
• 2008 (1)
• 2007 (1)
• 2006 (1)

All Thomas Built Buses SAF-T-Liner EFX recalls, every model year