The defect
AN ITEM WORN BY A CHILD, SUCH AS A LONG DRAWSTRING, SASH, OR BACKPACK/BOOKBAG ACCESSORY CAN BECOME CAUGHT IN A SMALL OPENING AT THE FLOOR LEVEL OF THE FORWARD DOOR POST.
The risk
A PASSENGER'S CLOTHING COULD BECOME CAUGHT IN THE SMALL OPENING AND IF THE BUS DRIVER CLOSES THE DOOR AND PUTS THE VEHICLE IN MOTION, THE INDIVIDUAL IS SUBJECT TO BEING DRAGGED BY THE BUS. THIS CAN RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH.
The remedy
A FILLER PLATE WILL BE ATTACHED ON THOMAS CONVENTIONALS OR A PIECE OF RUBBER TRIM ON THOMAS VISTAS TO THE FORWARD DOOR POST AT THE FLOOR LEVEL TO COVER THE OPENING AND ELIMINATE THE POSSIBILITY OF SNAGGING.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by MFR
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Thomas Conventional | 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995 |
| Thomas Vista | 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995 |
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 Conventional | 1991 | 0 | 5 |
| Thomas Conventional | 1992 | 0 | 5 |
| Thomas Conventional | 1993 | 0 | 7 |
| Thomas Conventional | 1994 | 0 | 9 |
| Thomas Conventional | 1995 | 0 | 10 |
| Thomas Vista | 1991 | 0 | 4 |
| Thomas Vista | 1992 | 0 | 4 |
| Thomas Vista | 1993 | 0 | 7 |
| Thomas Vista | 1994 | 0 | 9 |
| Thomas Vista | 1995 | 1 | 6 |
Other structure recalls in 1996
27 of the 297 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 1996 concerned the structure; THOMAS BUILT BUSES, INC. filed 100 campaigns in all.
| 96V247000 12 Dec 1996 | RANGE ROVER NA., INC. |
| 96V238000 25 Nov 1996 | FLEETWOOD ENT., INC. |
| 96V205000 26 Oct 1996 | STURDI-CORP. |
| 96V206000 26 Oct 1996 | U.S. BUS CORPORATION |
| 96V169000 10 Sept 1996 | MID BUS INCORPORATED |
| 96V165000 9 Sept 1996 | STARCRAFT RV, INC. |
| 96V164000 5 Sept 1996 | THOMAS BUILT BUSES, INC. |
| 96V146000 1 Aug 1996 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 1996