The defect
DAIMLER TRUCKS IS RECALLING CERTAIN 2011 AND 2012 THOMAS BUILT EF AND MINOTOUR SCHOOL BUSES MANUFACTURED FROM JULY 26, 2011, THROUGH AUGUST 9, 2011, EQUIPPED WITH SPECTAL INDUSTRIES EMERGENCY VERTICAL PUSH OUT WINDOWS. INCORRECT RIVETS MAY HAVE BEEN USED TO ATTACH THE HANDLES THAT AN OCCUPANT WOULD USE TO OPEN THE WINDOW IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY. THE PART NUMBERS FOR THE THOMAS BUILT BUSES ARE: 167977, 167982, 167985, 167990, 168005, 168006, 168025, 168027, 168028, AND 168035.
The risk
IF THE HANDLE IS ACTUATED DURING A NON-EMERGENCY SITUATION AND DETACHES, THE EMERGENCY WINDOW CANNOT BE RE-SECURED, POSING A RISK THAT CHILDREN MAY FALL OR CLIMB OUT. HOWEVER, IF THE HANDLE WERE TO DETACH DURING AN EMERGENCY, THE EXIT WINDOW WILL OPEN AND EGRESS THROUGH THE WINDOW WILL NOT BE HINDERED.
The remedy
DAIMLER TRUCKS WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DAIMLER TRUCKS AUTHORIZED SERVICE FACILITIES WILL PERFORM THE REPAIRS FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 8, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DAIMLER TRUCKS AT 1-800-547-0712.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by MFR
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Thomas Built Buses EF | 2011, 2012 |
| Thomas Built Buses Minotour | 2011, 2012 |
Components: STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS
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 | 2011 | 0 | 1 |
| Thomas Built Buses EF | 2012 | 0 | 1 |
| Thomas Built Buses Minotour | 2011 | 0 | 16 |
| Thomas Built Buses Minotour | 2012 | 0 | 12 |
Other structure recalls in 2011
26 of the 597 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 2011 concerned the structure; DAIMLER TRUCKS NORTH AMERICA filed 134 campaigns in all.
| 11V596000 23 Dec 2011 | CORP. MICRO BIRD, INC. |
| 11V566000 22 Nov 2011 | SOUTHEAST TOYOTA DISTRIBUTORS, LLC |
| 11V551000 10 Nov 2011 | PIERCE MANUFACTURING |
| 11V546000 9 Nov 2011 | STARTRANS BUS CORPORATION |
| 11V504000 18 Oct 2011 | BLUE BIRD BODY COMPANY |
| 11V491000 3 Oct 2011 | GENERAL MOTORS LLC |
| 11V486000 27 Sept 2011 | OPEN RANGE R.V. COMPANY |
| 11V454000 1 Sept 2011 | AULICK MANUFACTURING, INC. |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 2011