CarRecallWatch- Component
- STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR
- Problem
- Daimler Trucks North America LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain model year 2002-2013 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner ER, 2001-2005 Saf-T-Liner Conventional, 2002-2013 Saf-T-Liner MVP-EF, 2013 Saf-T-Liner EFX, 2001-2008 Saf-T-Liner FS65, 2005-2013 Saf-T-Liner C2, 2003-2013 Saf-T-Liner HDX, 2002-2003 Saf-T-Liner MVP-ER, 2002 Vista, and 2002-2003 TL-960 school buses manufactured from February 5, 2001, through May 29, 2012. In the affected vehicles, the stem that connects the outside emergency door handle to the emergency door opening mechanism may corrode.
- Risk
- If the stem corrodes, the door handle could detach from the emergency door opening mechanism, delaying the opening of the door and the evacuation of the bus. In the event of an emergency, this may increase the risk of injury to the bus occupants.
- Remedy
- DTNA will notify owners, and dealers will either replace the stems or protect them against corrosion, free of charge. Daimler issued an interim notification to owners on August 25, 2015. The recall began on December 24, 2015. Owners may contact DTNA customer service at 1-800-745-8000. DTNA's number for this recall is FL-685.
- Notes
- Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.
What this recall means for you
On certain school buses, the stem linking the outside emergency door handle to the emergency door opening mechanism can corrode. Over time, the handle may detach from the mechanism, so the emergency door may not open when needed.
If the door cannot be opened quickly in an emergency, passengers may be delayed in leaving the bus, which could increase the risk of injury. Owners should not wait for a problem to appear before acting on this recall.
The repair is free. Dealers will either replace the stem or protect it against corrosion. To check whether your bus is affected, find your vehicle identification number (VIN) and check for open recalls, or contact Daimler Trucks North America customer service at 1-800-745-8000 and reference recall FL-685.
Check whether this recall is open on your vehicle