Thomas Built Buses, Inc.: Structure › Body
Thomas Built Buses, Inc. reported this defect to federal regulators on Apr 15, 1996 and put the number of vehicles at risk at 37,717. The repair is free for as long as the recall stands.
The defect
THE FASTENERS USED TO SECURE THE MOUNTING FOOT OF EITHER FORWARD OR REARWARD HANDRAILS COULD BE INSTALLED IN SUCH A MANNER AS TO ALLOW THE POSSIBILITY THAT THE NUT USED IN NHTSA'S HANDRAIL INSPECTION PROCEDURE WILL CATCH BETWEEN THE FASTENERS.
The risk
A PASSENGER'S CLOTHING COULD BECOME CAUGHT IN THE HANDRAIL, AND IF THE BUS DRIVER CLOSES THE DOOR AND PUTS THE VEHICLE IN MOTION, THE INDIVIDUAL IS SUBJECT TO BEING DRAGGED BY THE BUS. THIS CAN RESULT INSERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH.
The remedy
REPLACE OR REPOSITION THE HANDRAILS TO STOP CLOTHING FROM BECOMING CAUGHT.
5 model years covered
Newest first| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Fires | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 Thomas School Bus | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1995 Thomas School Bus | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1994 Thomas School Bus | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 1993 Thomas School Bus | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 1992 Thomas School Bus | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
What this page is, and what to do next
A recall is not an opinion. It is a Part 573 report a manufacturer is required by federal law to file once it decides a defect poses an unreasonable risk to safety, and it commits them to repairing the vehicle at no cost to the owner. The three passages above are the manufacturer’s own wording as published by NHTSA.
This page describes the campaign. It cannot tell you whether one particular car has already been through the shop — that is tracked by VIN, and only the manufacturer knows it. Check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with a franchised dealer, quoting campaign number 96V065000.
Full record for the 1996 Thomas School Bus → · Recalls carrying a do-not-drive advisory → · Where this data comes from →