The defect
ON CERTAIN SCHOOL OR TRANSIT BUSES WITH PASSENGER SEAT BELTS WITH RETRACTORS, THE COVER HALVES FOR THE RETRACTABLE PORTION OF THE BELT CAN SEPARATE COMPLETELY AND RELEASE THE SEAT BELT CONNECTOR. IF THIS OCCURS, ONE OF THE LOAD BEARING PINS IN THE CONNECTOR COULD SEPARATE FROM THE CONNECTOR AND RENDER THE SEAT BELT UNUSABLE. IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE SEAT OCCUPANT WOULD NOT BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED RESULTING IN AN INJURY. THE SEAT BELT SUPPLIER, AMSAFE, WILL PROVIDE A SNAP ON "OVER-COVER" TO OWNERS TO PREVENT THE SEAT BELT COVER FROM SEPARATING.
The risk
IF THIS OCCURS, ONE OF THE LOAD BEARING PINS IN THE CONNECTOR COULD SEPARATE FROM THE CONNECTOR AND RENDER THE SEAT BELT UNUSABLE. IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE SEAT OCCUPANT WOULD NOT BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED RESULTING IN AN INJURY.
The remedy
DEALERS WILL PROVIDE A PLASTIC OUTER COVER THAT SNAPS OVER THE EXISTING COVER ON UNITS IN THE FIELD AND WILL REPLACE BROKEN SEAT BELTS FREE OF CHARGE. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT THOMAS BUILT AT 336-841-5924 OR AMSAFE AT 574-266-8330.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by MFR
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Thomas Conventional | 2000, 2001 |
| Thomas ER Model | 2000, 2001 |
| Thomas MVP EF | 2000, 2001 |
| Thomas MVP ER | 2000, 2001 |
| Thomas Built Buses Minotour DRW | 2000, 2001 |
| Thomas Built Buses Minotour SRW | 2000, 2001 |
Components: SEAT BELTS
Model years in this recall
NHTSA complaints and the number of recall campaigns for each model year this recall covers.
| Model | Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas Conventional | 2000 | 0 | 7 |
| Thomas Conventional | 2001 | 1 | 4 |
| Thomas ER Model | 2000 | 0 | 2 |
| Thomas ER Model | 2001 | 0 | 1 |
| Thomas MVP EF | 2000 | 0 | 11 |
| Thomas MVP EF | 2001 | 0 | 10 |
| Thomas MVP ER | 2000 | 0 | 12 |
| Thomas MVP ER | 2001 | 1 | 12 |
| Thomas Built Buses Minotour DRW | 2000 | 0 | 1 |
| Thomas Built Buses Minotour DRW | 2001 | 0 | 1 |
| Thomas Built Buses Minotour SRW | 2000 | 0 | 1 |
| Thomas Built Buses Minotour SRW | 2001 | 0 | 1 |
Other seat belts recalls in 2002
23 of the 434 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 2002 concerned the seat belts; FREIGHTLINER CORPORATION filed 151 campaigns in all.
| 02V160008 21 Nov 2002 | XPLORER MTR HM/FRANK DIV. |
| 02V290000 5 Nov 2002 | HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY |
| 02V160006 29 Oct 2002 | CHAMPION BUS, INC. |
| 02V160005 22 Oct 2002 | DODGEN INDUSTRIES, INC. |
| 02V160007 21 Oct 2002 | NATIONAL VAN SALES, INC. |
| 02V160004 18 Oct 2002 | ELDORADO NATIONAL |
| 02V160003 16 Oct 2002 | COACH AND EQUIPMENT MFG CORP |
| 02V281000 15 Oct 2002 | ISUZU MOTORS LIMITED |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 2002