2014 Thomas Built Saf-T-Liner Hdx School Bus Recall

On certain school bus seats, the plastic trim (bezel) where the shoulder seat belt comes out of the seatback may be too hard. Canadian regulations have requirements for anything that is installed in certain areas of the seatback. Note: This only affects school buses equipped with certain Syntec M2K and S3C passenger seats with lap/shoulder seat belts.

While this plastic trim is doesn't technically meet the requirements of Canadian regulations, it's unlikely to cause an injury.

This is not a recall. The company made changes in 2017, and all new seats made after that time have a soft vinyl cover trim for the shoulder seat belt.

On certain school buses, the restraining barrier between the entrance door and the first seat may not meet the energy absorption requirements of Canadian regulations.

A barrier that does not properly absorb energy could increase the risk of injury to passengers in a crash.

Daimler Truck North America (DTNA) will notify owners by mail. The corrective actions for this recall are under development.

Certain school buses may not meet Canadian regulations for roof panel joint strength.

A roof joint that is not strong enough could increase the risk of injury in a crash.

Daimler Truck North America (DTNA) will notify owners by mail and instruct you to take your bus to a DTNA authorized service facility to add additional fasteners to the roof lap joints.

On certain school buses, the restraining barrier between the entrance door and the first seat may not meet the energy absorption requirements of Canadian regulations.

A barrier that does not properly absorb energy could increase the risk of injury to passengers in a crash.

Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) will notify owners by mail. The corrective actions for this recall are under development.

This recall affects certain school buses equipped with SynTec S3B and/or S3C passenger seats. On some seats, the protective foam in certain areas of the seatback may not meet the knee impact requirements of Canadian regulations.

A seatback that does not have proper knee impact protection could increase the risk of injury to occupants in a crash.

The company will notify owners by mail and instruct them to take their vehicle to a Daimler Trucks of North America authorized service facility to install additional protective material in the seatbacks.

A problem with the left-rear brake caliper on certain school buses may cause the brake pads to drag and overheat. This could result in high temperatures, smoke, odour, or a possible fire.

A fire could increase the risk of injury. This could also result in an emergency evacuation of a school bus in an uncontrolled environment, which could also increase the risk of an injury.

The company will notify owners by mail and instruct them to take their vehicle to a Daimler Trucks North America authorized service facility to replace the left-rear brake caliper.

On certain school buses equipped with Syntec S3B restraint seats, under extreme operating conditions, such as adverse road conditions, repetitive shock loads, or occupant abuse, a metal fatigue crack may develop on the rear wall mount bracket of the seat. Over time, this could lead to the wall mount bracket fracturing, which in the event of a crash, could increase the risk of injury to seat occupants. Correction: Daimler Trucks of North America Service Facilities will inspect seats and install an additional wall bracket between the wall rail and the seat as necessary.

A failure of this component (seats and restraints) may increase the risk of a crash or injury.

Authorized dealerships will inspect the vehicle and complete all necessary repairs free of charge (parts and labor).

On certain school buses equipped with Kidde fire extinguishers with black plastic handles and valves, the fire extinguishers may become clogged or require excessive force to activate. Also, the nozzle may detach from the valve assembly with enough force that it could cause injury, and fail to discharge. In case of fire, failure of the extinguisher to function could result in injury and/or property damage. Correction: Owners will be provided with instructions on how to inspect the fire extinguisher to see if it is recalled. Replacement fire extinguishers will be supplied by Kidde directly. Note: For more information about recalled fire extinguishers, please visit www.kidde.com.

A failure of this component (accessories) may increase the risk of a crash or injury.

Authorized dealerships will inspect the vehicle and complete all necessary repairs free of charge (parts and labor).

Certain school buses built with wall-mounted seat options may fail to conform to Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (CMVSS) 222 – School Bus Passenger Seating and Crash Protection. The seats may not have been installed with under-rail washers as intended. Without the under-rail washers properly installed, the seats may not meet the seat anchorage requirements of the standard, which in the event of a crash, could increase the risk of injury to seat occupants. Correction: Dealers will inspect and seat mounting hardware will be replaced as necessary.

A failure of this component (seats and restraints) may increase the risk of a crash or injury.

Authorized dealerships will inspect the vehicle and complete all necessary repairs free of charge (parts and labor).

On certain school buses, the coolant line connected to the heater inside the bus may have been built with a fitting made out of incorrect material. This could restrict coolant flow and lead to premature failure of the elbow, causing a coolant leak inside the bus body. As a result, hot coolant may come in contact with the occupants of the vehicle and cause burn injuries. Correction: Dealers will replace buses built with a rubber elbow with a glass-filled nylon fitting.

A failure of this component (heater and defroster) may increase the risk of a crash or injury.

Authorized dealerships will inspect the vehicle and complete all necessary repairs free of charge (parts and labor).

On certain school buses equipped with a transmission retarder, a bypass fitting may locally increase the coolant system pressures beyond the application working pressure of the standard heater hoses. The maximum pressures do not exceed the burst-pressure of the hose but, over time hose fatigue may occur and lead to a premature failure of the heater hose. If the hose were to fail, it may lead to a coolant leak inside the bus body, which may come in contact with the occupants of the vehicle and cause burn injuries. Correction: Dealers will replace the affected heater hose.

A failure of this component (heater and defroster) may increase the risk of a crash or injury.

Authorized dealerships will inspect the vehicle and complete all necessary repairs free of charge (parts and labor).

On certain school buses equipped with a Ricon wheelchair lift, the lift platform sides may crack, which could cause the lift to lean against the vehicle door(s) and potentially fall out of the vehicle when the doors are opened, putting the lift operator at risk of injury. Correction: Ricon Corporation repair facilities will inspect lift platforms, link arms and bearings for cracks, damage or misalignment and if found to be damaged, link arms and/or platform will be replaced. Note: This recall supersedes recall 2014-330. Vehicles repaired under the previous recall will require re-inspection and potential repair.

A failure of this component (accessories) may increase the risk of a crash or injury.

Authorized dealerships will inspect the vehicle and complete all necessary repairs free of charge (parts and labor).

On certain school buses equipped with Cummins Westport ISL-G engines, excessive engine crankcase pressure could cause the vent tube assembly molded rubber adapter to detach from the breather. This could allow engine oil to come in contact with hot surfaces, increasing the risk of fire resulting in injury and/or damage to property. Correction: Dealers will install clamps at both ends of the adapter of the breather tube assembly and reprogram the Electronic Control Module (ECM) to improve diagnostic capabilities.

A failure of this component (engine) may increase the risk of a crash or injury.

Authorized dealerships will inspect the vehicle and complete all necessary repairs free of charge (parts and labor).

On certain school buses equipped with a Ricon wheelchair lift, the lift platform sides may crack, which could cause the lift to lean against the vehicle door(s) and potentially fall out of the vehicle when the doors are opened, putting the lift operator at risk of injury. Correction: Ricon Corporation repair facilities will inspect lift platforms for cracks and repair as necessary, and install a repair kit.

A failure of this component (accessories) may increase the risk of a crash or injury.

Authorized dealerships will inspect the vehicle and complete all necessary repairs free of charge (parts and labor).

On certain vehicles equipped with Cummins ISL G or ISX12 G engines, incorrect engine ECU programming could cause the exhaust system temperature to become elevated during cold weather operation. This could also cause flames to be emitted from the exhaust. As a result, nearby combustible material could be ignited, increasing the risk of a fire, injury and/or damage to property. Correction: Authorized Cummins service facilities will update software programming.

A failure of this component (engine) may increase the risk of a crash or injury.

Authorized dealerships will inspect the vehicle and complete all necessary repairs free of charge (parts and labor).

On certain school buses, an information label may detach from the auxiliary heater fuel pickup tube and block the engine fuel suction tube, which could restrict or stop the flow of fuel to the engine. Engine stalling would result in a loss of vehicle propulsion which, in conjunction with traffic and road condition and the driver’s reactions, could increase the risk of a crash causing property damage and/or personal injury. Correction: Dealers will inspect the fuel tank. If a label is found, it will be removed from the tank.

A failure of this component (fuel system) may increase the risk of a crash or injury.

Authorized dealerships will inspect the vehicle and complete all necessary repairs free of charge (parts and labor).