2004 Thomas MVP EF: complaints, problems and recalls

PRE-2005 THOMAS 84 PASSENGER EF SCHOOL BUSES, WITH CAT C7 ENGINES/MD-3060 TRANSMISSIONS. FAILURE OF RIGHT/REAR ENGINE MOUNT CAUSES ENGINE TO REST IN RIGHT FRAME RAIL, SUPPORTED BY ALTERNATOR, WITH ENGINE FAN COMING IN CONTACT WITH RADIATOR SCHROUD. POST-2005 BUSES CAME WITH A REINFORCED MOUNT (REF: THOMAS CHASSIS INDEX'22, BULLETIN11R). FORMAL REQUEST HAS BEEN MADE TO THOMAS (VIA AUTO SAFETY HOUSE) TO REPLACE ALL AFFECTED UNITS WITH UPGRADED PARTS. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 74,659 miles reported. Look up ODI 10186403 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2005-04-01 (April 1, 2005)

CERTAIN 2001-2004 MY THOMAS BUILT MVP-EF, ER TRANSIT, MVP-ER, HD, AND HDX SCHOOL BUSES MANUFACTURED BETWEEN SEPTEMBER 24, 2000, AND MARCH 4, 2004. THE TIE ROD ASSEMBLY CAN FRACTURE AND FAIL, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN COMPLETE SEPARATION.

Consequence: TIE ROD FAILURE CAN POSSIBLY RESULT IN COMPLETE WHEEL SEPARATION AND A VEHICLE CRASH COULD OCCUR.

Remedy: THOMAS BUILT WILL NOTIFY ITS CUSTOMERS AND WILL REPLACE THE TIE ROD ASSEMBLY FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN SEPTEMBER 6, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT THOMAS BUILT AT (WE DO NOT YET HAVE A TELEPHONE NUMBER).

Reported: 2005-07-25 (July 25, 2005)

CERTAIN 2002-2005 MY THOMAS BUILT MINOTOUR, CONVENTIONAL, MVP-ER, ER, HDX, AND MVP-EF MODEL SCHOOL BUSES MANUFACTURED BETWEEN JANUARY 8, 2002, AND MARCH 8, 2005, EQUIPPED WITH SPECIALTY MFG "5" SERIES STOP ARMS ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE FOLLOWING STATES: ALASKA, COLORADO, CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, IDAHO, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, KANSAS, KENTUCKY, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, MONTANA, NEBRASKA, NEVADA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW MEXICO, NEW YORK, NORTH DAKOTA, OHIO, OREGON, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, SOUTH DAKOTA, TENNESSEE, UTAH, VERMONT, VIRGINIA, WASHINGTON, WEST VIRGINIA, WISCONSIN, WYOMING, AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. IN EXTREMELY COLD WEATHER, THE MICROSWITCHES USED INTERNALLY TO POSITION THE STOP ARM SIGN IN THE OPEN AND CLOSED POSITIONS MAY MALFUNCTION, CAUSING THE SIGN TO OPEN OR CLOSE IN AN IMPROPER POSITION, OR TO NOT OPEN AT ALL.

Consequence: SHOULD THE STOP ARM NOT PERFORM PROPERLY, A CHILD OR PEDESTRIAN MAY BE ENDANGERED BY PASSING VEHICLES SHOULD THE MOTORIST NOT STOP AT THE CORRECT LOCATION.

Remedy: THOMAS BUILT WILL NOTIFY ITS OWNERS AND REPLACE THE ORIGINAL SWITCH WITH A SWITCH PACK THAT IS NOT SENSITIVE TO EXTREME COLD WEATHER AND WILL INSPECT TO ENSURE THE MICROSWITCH HEATER WIRING IS PROPERLY CONNECTED FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 14, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT THOMAS BUILT'S CUSTOMER SUPPORT OFFICE AT 336-889-4871.

Reported: 2005-08-03 (August 3, 2005)

CERTAIN 2002-2005 MY THOMAS BUILT MINOTOUR, CONVENTIONAL, MVP-ER, ER, HDX, AND MVP-EF MODEL SCHOOL BUSES MANUFACTURED BETWEEN JANUARY 8, 2002, AND MARCH 8, 2005, EQUIPPED WITH SPECIALTY MFG "5" SERIES STOP ARMS ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN STATES OTHER THAN THE FOLLOWING STATES: ALASKA, COLORADO, CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, IDAHO, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, KANSAS, KENTUCKY, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, MONTANA, NEBRASKA, NEVADA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW MEXICO, NEW YORK, NORTH DAKOTA, OHIO, OREGON, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, SOUTH DAKOTA, TENNESSEE, UTAH, VERMONT, VIRGINIA, WASHINGTON, WEST VIRGINIA, WISCONSIN, WYOMING, AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. IN EXTREMELY COLD WEATHER, THE MICROSWITCHES USED INTERNALLY TO POSITION THE STOP ARM SIGN IN THE OPEN AND CLOSED POSITIONS MAY MALFUNCTION, CAUSING THE SIGN TO OPEN OR CLOSE IN AN IMPROPER POSITION, OR TO NOT OPEN AT ALL.

Consequence: SHOULD THE STOP ARM NOT PERFORM PROPERLY, A CHILD OR PEDESTRIAN MAY BE ENDANGERED BY PASSING VEHICLES SHOULD THE MOTORIST NOT STOP AT THE CORRECT LOCATION.

Remedy: FOR THOSE BUSES OPERATED IN OR NEAR ANY OF THE STATES LISTED ABOVE, THOMAS BUILT IS ENCOURAGING THE BUS OWNERS TO OBTAIN THE REPLACEMENT SWITCH. FOR THOSE BUSES OPERATED IN THE WARMER STATES, DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE SWITCH UPON OWNER REQUEST. FOR THOSE CUSTOMERS WHO REQUEST THE REMEDY, THOMAS BUILT WILL REPLACE THE ORIGINAL SWITCH WITH A SWITCH PACK THAT IS NOT SENSITIVE TO EXTREME COLD WEATHER AND WILL INSPECT TO ENSURE THE MICROSWITCH HEATER WIRING IS PROPERLY CONNECTED. THE RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 14, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT THOMAS BUILT'S CUSTOMER SUPPORT OFFICE AT 336-889-4871.

Reported: 2005-10-05 (October 5, 2005)

CERTAIN 2004 AND 2005 FREIGHTLINER VAN, MOTOR HOME, SHUTTLE BUS, AND SCHOOL BUS CHASSIS MANUFACTURED BETWEEN JANUARY 2004 AND MAY 2005. ERRATIC VOLTAGE SUPPLY TO THE FUEL LIFT PUMP CAUSES PREMATURE WEAR OF THE PUMP. THIS PREMATURE WEAR COULD RESULT IN FUEL LIFT PUMP FAILURE AND IN SOME CASES MAY CAUSE AN ENGINE STALL CONDITION.

Consequence: SHOULD THE ENGINE STALL, A VEHICLE CRASH COULD OCCUR.

Remedy: CUMMINS WILL NOTIFY THE OWNERS OF THE FREIGHTLINER AND THOMAS BUILT VEHICLES AND WILL REPAIR THE ENGINES BY EMC RECALIBRATION AND REPLACEMENT OF THE FUEL LIFT PUMP AT NO CHARGE TO THE CUSTOMER. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CUMMINS ASSISTANCE CENTER 1-800-DIESELS (1-800-343-7357) OR FREIGHTLINER AT 1-800-547-0712.

Reported: 2007-11-29 (November 29, 2007)

CERTAIN 2001 THROUGH 2008 THOMAS BUILT FS-56, ER, MVP ER, HDX, AND MVP EF SCHOOL BUSES MANUFACTURED FROM OCTOBER 23, 2000, THROUGH JANUARY 24, 2006, EQUIPPED WITH TYCO PC BOARD AND TYPE II AUTO RESET CIRCUIT BREAKERS. TYPE II AUTO RESET CIRCUIT BREAKER TEMPERATURES MAY EXCEED THE RATING OF THE TYCO PC BOARD CAUSING THE BOARDS TO MELT POTENTIALLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE FIRE.

Consequence: A VEHICLE FIRE CAN OCCUR POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A CRASH.

Remedy: THOMAS BUILT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPAIR THE BUSES BY REPLACING THE TYPE II AUTO RESET CIRCUIT BREAKERS WITH MANUAL CIRCUIT BREAKERS, AND THE JUMPER CABLE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 28, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT THOMAS BUILT CUSTOMER SUPPORT OFFICE AT 336-889-4871.

Reported: 2008-02-26 (February 26, 2008)

DAIMLER TRUCKS IS RECALLING 243,435 MY 1995-2008 THOMAS BUILT SCHOOL BUSES MANUFACTURED BETWEEN JANUARY 1994, AND MARCH 10, 2008. (ADDITIONAL BUSES HAVE BEEN ADDED TO THIS RECALL CAMPAIGN. PLEASE SEE SUPPLEMENTAL REPORT NO. 4) THE EMERGENCY EXIT DOOR HANDLE BEGINS CORRODING AROUND THE SECURING ROLL PIN AND SQUARE DRIVE MECHANISM CAUSING THE PROTECTIVE FINISH TO CHIP AND FLAKE. CONTINUED CORROSION AND PITTING WEAKENS THE HANDLE. HANDLES WEAKENED BY CORROSION MAY BREAK WHILE TRYING TO OPEN THE DOOR FROM THE EXTERIOR.

Consequence: IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY, A PERSON ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE BUS MAY BREAK THE DOOR HANDLE TRYING TO OPEN THE EMERGENCY EXIT POTENTIALLY DELAYING EVACUATION AND INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY TO THE VEHICLE'S OCCUPANTS.

Remedy: DAIMLER TRUCKS WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND WILL REPLACE THE HANDLES WITH A MORE ROBUST HANDLE FREE OF CHARGE. REPAIRS WILL BE PERFORMED BY THOMAS BUILT BUSES DEALERSHIPS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 18, 2008, AND NOTIFICATION FOR THE REVISED POPULATION IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OR ABOUT APRIL 29, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT THOMAS BUILT AT 336-889-4871.