The defect
SANDERS WERE INSTALLED WITHOUT REINFORCEMENT PLATES AT POINT WHERE MOUNTING ANGLE BRACKETS ARE ATTACHED TO THE BUS BODY FLOOR CHANNEL. FLOOR CHANNEL MAY CRACK, POSSIBLY ALLOWING THE SANDER TO BECOME DETACHED FROM THE BUS BODY FLOOR CHANNEL. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: IF SANDER BECOMES DETACHED IT WILL POSE A SAFETY HAZARD TO OTHER VEHICLE ON THE HIGHWAY.
The remedy
INSTALL REINFORCEMENT PLATES TO PREVENT CRACKING OF FLOOR CHANNEL.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by MFR
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Thomas | 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985 |
Components: STRUCTURE
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 | 1981 | 0 | 6 |
| Thomas | 1982 | 0 | 7 |
| Thomas | 1983 | 0 | 7 |
| Thomas | 1984 | 1 | 7 |
| Thomas | 1985 | 0 | 7 |
Other structure recalls in 1985
13 of the 173 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 1985 concerned the structure; THOMAS BUILT BUSES, INC. filed 100 campaigns in all.
| 85V165000 18 Dec 1985 | NEOPLAN USA CORP. |
| 85V001000 2 Dec 1985 | AM GENERAL CORPORATION |
| 85V158000 26 Nov 1985 | MACK TRUCKS, INCORPORATED |
| 85V083000 24 Jun 1985 | GREAT DANE TRAILERS, INC. |
| 85V077000 11 Jun 1985 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY |
| 85V075000 10 Jun 1985 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. |
| 85V071000 29 May 1985 | DRI INC. |
| 85V051000 1 May 1985 | MACK TRUCKS, INCORPORATED |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 1985