- Vehicles
- 350
- Built between
- Sep 1994 – Apr 1995
- Models
- 4
- Recall type
- Vehicle
- Initiated by
- Manufacturer
- Owners notified
- 7 August 1995
- Repaired
- Not reported
- Unrepaired
- Not reported
Does this affect my vehicle?
This recall covers vehicles built between September 1994 and April 1995. If yours was built outside that window, it is not part of this recall.
- 1994-1995 Thomas ConventionalBuilt September 1994 to April 1995
- 1994-1995 Thomas MinotourBuilt September 1994 to April 1995
- 1994-1995 Thomas SAF-T-LinerBuilt September 1994 to April 1995
- 1994-1995 Thomas VistaBuilt September 1994 to April 1995
What the defect is
The roof hatches on these buses do not meet the exterior handle requirements of FMVSS no. 217, "bus window retention and release."
What could happen
Consequence of non-compliance: in the event of an emergency, rescue personnel may not be able to open the roof hatches from the outside.
What gets fixed
DEALERS WILL REMOVE THE EXISTING ROOF HATCH LID AND REPLACE IT WITH A LID EQUIPPED WITH AN EXTERIOR HANDLE.
Timeline
- Vehicles builtSeptember 1994 to April 1995
- Recall reported to NHTSA1 May 1995
- Owners notified7 August 1995
Your rights
A safety recall repair is free. Under US federal law the manufacturer must fix a safety defect at no cost to you — no charge for parts, labor or diagnosis — whether or not you are the original owner. A dealer cannot charge you for recall work, and cannot require you to have bought the vehicle from them.
That entitlement is not unlimited. It applies where the vehicle was first sold less than 15 years before the recall was announced — 5 years for tires. Past that a manufacturer may still do the repair free of charge, and many do, but they are no longer obliged to. This recall was reported on 1 May 1995.
To arrange the repair, contact any franchised dealer for the brand. If a dealer refuses the work or tries to charge for it, you can report that to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/recalls or on 1-888-327-4236.
Official source
- Recalling manufacturer
- THOMAS BUILT BUSES, INC.
- Safety standard
- FMVSS 217
- Recall initiated by
- MFR
Everything on this page — the models listed, the build dates and the repair figures — comes from the manufacturer's filing to NHTSA and describes the vehicle line as a whole, not any individual car. Only the manufacturer can confirm whether a specific vehicle is affected, and whether its recall work has already been carried out. Check yours by VIN and read the official notice at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Additional notes
System: visual; glass; other; FMVSS no. 217.VEHICLE description: school buses equipped with roof hatches.note: if your vehicle is presented to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and the remedy is not provided free of charge within a reasonable time, please contact thomas built at 1-910-889-4871. Also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-800-424-9393.
Check your own vehicle
This page describes the recall, not any one car. To see which recalls cover a specific vehicle, search by make, model and year.
A VIN lookup here identifies your vehicle and shows recalls issued for that make, model and year. It cannot tell you what is still open on your individual car - only the manufacturer knows that. Search by VIN instead, or check your VIN at nhtsa.gov for whether a recall is still open on your individual car.