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Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner C2 Recall 16V664: School Bus Dash Light May Say PARK Not BRAKE, Hiding Brake Faults

NHTSA campaign 16V664, reported September 14, 2016, 1,621 vehicles potentially affected.

What this recall means for you

On certain 2016-2017 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner C2 school buses, the instrument cluster may show the brake system malfunction warning light with the word "PARK" instead of "BRAKE." This can happen when there is a brake malfunction, so the driver may not realize the brakes are having a problem.

Because the warning does not clearly indicate a brake issue, a driver may keep operating the bus unaware of a braking fault, which raises the risk of a crash.

The repair is free. Dealers will replace the instrument cluster with a new one at no charge. Owners can contact Daimler Trucks North America customer service at 1-800-547-0712 (recall FL-724) and should check their vehicle identification number for open recalls.

Check whether this recall is open on your vehicle

The repair is normally free at an authorized dealer.

Official recall notice

Safety recall 16V664Daimler Trucks North America LLC
Component
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL; SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
Problem
Daimler Trucks North America, LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner C2 school buses manufactured November 25, 2015, to September 8, 2016, equipped with ICU3s instrument clusters and hydraulic brakes. In the event of a brake malfunction, these clusters may illuminate the Brake System Malfunction telltale/indicator lamp with the word "PARK" instead of the word "BRAKE". As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 101, "Control and Displays," and number 105, "Hydraulic and Electric Brake Systems."
Risk
If "PARK" illuminates instead of the word "BRAKE," the driver will be unaware of a braking issue or malfunction, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
DTNA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ICU3s instrument clusters with new clusters, free of charge. An interim notice was sent to owners on November 4, 2016. The remedy is now available. A second notice was mailed to owners on April 17, 2017. Owners may contact DTNA customer service at 1-800-547-0712. DTNA's number for this recall is FL-724.
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.

Affected vehicles

Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner C220162017