The defect
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SCHOOL BUSES EQUIPPED WITH OUTWARD OPENING SERVICE DOORS. THE POSSIBILITY EXISTS FOR 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
IF AN ITEM WORN BY A CHILD WERE TO CATCH IN THE OPENING, AND THE DRIVER WERE TO CLOSE THE DOOR AND PUT THE VEHICLE IN MOTION, IT COULD RESULT IN INJURY OR DEATH TO THE CHILD.
The remedy
DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE FORWARD DOOR POST TO VERIFY THAT THE OPENING IS COMPLETELY ELIMINATED, AND IF NECESSARY, WILL INSTALL SEALANT IN ANY REMAINING PORTION OF THE OPENING.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by ODI
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Thomas Conventional | 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996 |
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 Conventional | 1996 | 0 | 11 |
Other structure recalls in 1997
21 of the 268 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 1997 concerned the structure; THOMAS BUILT BUSES, INC. filed 100 campaigns in all.
| 97V232000 18 Dec 1997 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. |
| 97V235001 18 Dec 1997 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY |
| 97V229000 11 Dec 1997 | EAST MANUFACTURING CORP. |
| 97V180000 20 Oct 1997 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY |
| 97V164000 22 Sept 1997 | TRIUMPH MOTORCYCLES |
| 97V137000 19 Aug 1997 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY |
| 97V130000 18 Aug 1997 | COLLINS BUS CORPORATION |
| 97V117000 25 Jul 1997 | THOMAS BUILT BUSES, INC. |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 1997