The defect
CERTAIN MY 2004 THROUGH 2006 THOMAS BUILT HDX, EF, AND FS-65 SCHOOL BUSES MANUFACTURED BETWEEN OCTOBER 4, 2004, AND FEBRUARY 14, 2006. THE BODY POWER DISTRIBUTION MODULE (PDM) WAS MANUFACTURED WITH COPPER CIRCUITS THAT ARE TOO THIN FOR THE ELECTRICAL LOADS ENCOUNTERED, POSSIBLY CAUSING THE BOARD TO OVERHEAT.
The risk
IF THE PDM OVERHEATS IT MAY GENERATE SMOKE AND COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.
The remedy
THOMAS BUILT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND WILL REPLACE THE PDM'S THIN COPPER CIRCUITS WITH THICKER COPPER CIRCUITS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 30, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT THOMAS BUILT AT 1-877-660-4938.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by ODI
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Thomas Built Buses EF | 2004, 2005, 2006 |
| Thomas Built Buses FS-65 | 2004, 2005, 2006 |
| Thomas Built Buses HDX | 2004, 2005, 2006 |
Components: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS
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 Built Buses EF | 2004 | 0 | 1 |
| Thomas Built Buses EF | 2005 | 0 | 1 |
| Thomas Built Buses EF | 2006 | 0 | 2 |
| Thomas Built Buses FS-65 | 2004 | 1 | 7 |
| Thomas Built Buses FS-65 | 2005 | 0 | 9 |
| Thomas Built Buses FS-65 | 2006 | 1 | 11 |
| Thomas Built Buses HDX | 2004 | 0 | 7 |
| Thomas Built Buses HDX | 2005 | 0 | 8 |
| Thomas Built Buses HDX | 2006 | 0 | 12 |
Other electrical system recalls in 2006
47 of the 490 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 2006 concerned the electrical system; FREIGHTLINER LLC filed 99 campaigns in all.
| 06V476000 19 Dec 2006 | HARLEY-DAVIDSON MOTOR COMPANY |
| 06V481000 19 Dec 2006 | MOTOR COACH INDUSTRIES, INC |
| 06V484000 15 Dec 2006 | GENIE INDUSTRIES, INC. |
| 06V459000 30 Nov 2006 | NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC. |
| 06V444000 20 Nov 2006 | HARLEY-DAVIDSON MOTOR COMPANY |
| 06V439000 15 Nov 2006 | NEWMAR CORPORATION |
| 06V421000 2 Nov 2006 | FREIGHTLINER LLC |
| 06V410000 26 Oct 2006 | SAAB CARS USA, INC. |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 2006