The defect
ON CERTAIN SCHOOL AND TRANSIT BUSES EQUIPPED WITH REYCO REAR AXLE AIR SUSPENSIONS, DEFLATED SUSPENSION AIR BAGS COULD CREATE EXCESSIVE DRIVELINE ANGLES CAUSING U-JOINT DAMAGE.
The risk
THE DRIVE SHAFT COULD FALL OFF OF THE BUS. FOLLOWING VEHICLES COULD THEN RUN OVER THIS OBSTACLE, INCREASING THE RISK OF DAMAGE TO THE FOLLOWING VEHICLE.
The remedy
DEALERS WILL INSTALL AXLE STOPS TO LIMIT REAR SUSPENSION TRAVEL AND FASTENER TORQUE WILL BE CHECKED ON THE SUSPENSION HEIGHT CONTROL ROD. OWNER NOTIFICATION IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING FEBRUARY 2003. 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 FREIGHTLINER AT 1-800-547-0712.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by MFR
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Thomas SAF-T-Liner HD | 2001 |
| Thomas Transit Liner ER | 2001 |
| Thomas Built Buses SAF-T-Liner ER | 2001, 2002 |
| Thomas Built Buses SAF-T-Liner HD | 2002 |
| Thomas Built Buses Transit Liner ER | 2002 |
| Thomas Built Buses Transit Liner MVP-ER | 2001, 2002 |
Components: SUSPENSION:REAR:SPRINGS:AIR SUSPENSION SYSTEM
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 SAF-T-Liner HD | 2001 | 0 | 3 |
| Thomas Transit Liner ER | 2001 | 0 | 3 |
| Thomas Built Buses SAF-T-Liner ER | 2001 | 0 | 4 |
| Thomas Built Buses SAF-T-Liner ER | 2002 | 1 | 5 |
| Thomas Built Buses SAF-T-Liner HD | 2002 | 1 | 1 |
| Thomas Built Buses Transit Liner ER | 2002 | 0 | 1 |
| Thomas Built Buses Transit Liner MVP-ER | 2001 | 0 | 1 |
| Thomas Built Buses Transit Liner MVP-ER | 2002 | 0 | 1 |
Other suspension recalls in 2002
21 of the 434 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 2002 concerned the suspension; FREIGHTLINER CORPORATION filed 151 campaigns in all.
| 02V341000 20 Dec 2002 | HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY |
| 02V332000 12 Dec 2002 | NORTH AMERICAN BUS INDUSTRIES |
| 02V317000 25 Nov 2002 | VOLVO TRUCKS NORTH AMERICA INC |
| 02V299000 12 Nov 2002 | NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC. |
| 02V219000 12 Aug 2002 | COUNTRY COACH INC |
| 02V209000 1 Aug 2002 | ELECTRIC TRANSIT, INC. |
| 02V202000 26 Jul 2002 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. |
| 02V172000 12 Jul 2002 | MASTERCRAFT BOAT COMPANY |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 2002