The defect
THE RACK AND GEAR TYPE LATCH ASSEMBLY OF THE EMERGENCY DOORS CAN BE OVERSTRESSED BY MISUSE OF THE INSIDE DOOR HANDLE, MAKING THE GEARS SUBJECT TO FAILURE. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: IT IS POSSIBLE FOR THESE GEARS TO FAIL WHEN THE DOOR IS CLOSED, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO OPEN THE EMERGENCY DOOR. THIS COULD RESULT IN PASSENGERS BEING TRAPPED IN CASE OF EMERGENCY.
The remedy
INSTALL COMPLETE NEW LATCH ASSEMBLIES WITH METAL GEARS TO REPLACE THE NYLON MATERIAL.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by MFR
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Thomas | 1982, 1983 |
Components: LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
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 | 1982 | 0 | 7 |
| Thomas | 1983 | 0 | 7 |
Other latches/locks/linkages recalls in 1985
2 of the 173 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 1985 concerned the latches/locks/linkages; THOMAS BUILT BUSES, INC. filed 100 campaigns in all.
| 85V152000 19 Nov 1985 | VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA,INC |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 1985