The defect
Daimler Trucks North America, LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2026 Thomas Built SAF-T-LINER HDX2 school buses. Rear exterior joints may have been manufactured incorrectly, resulting in insufficient joint strength. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 221, "School Bus Body Joint Strength."
The risk
A school bus with insufficient joint strength may not adequately protect passengers in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The remedy
Dealers will add additional fasteners to secure the joints, free of charge. All vehicles have been remedied. Owners may contact DTNA customer service at 1-800-574-0712. DTNA's number for this recall is F1026.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by MFR
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Thomas Built Buses SAF-T-Liner HDX2 | 2026 |
Components: STRUCTURE:BODY
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 SAF-T-Liner HDX2 | 2026 | 0 | 6 |
Other structure recalls in 2025
86 of the 891 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 2025 concerned the structure; Daimler Trucks North America, LLC filed 166 campaigns in all.
| 25V907000 23 Dec 2025 | KTM North America, Inc. |
| 25V884000 18 Dec 2025 | Ford Motor Company |
| 25V889000 18 Dec 2025 | Subaru of America, Inc. |
| 25V868000 15 Dec 2025 | Gillig, LLC |
| 25V848000 9 Dec 2025 | Great Dane Trailers |
| 25V844000 9 Dec 2025 | Keystone RV Company |
| 25V827000 1 Dec 2025 | Ford Motor Company |
| 25V829000 1 Dec 2025 | Ford Motor Company |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 2025