2010 Thomas Built Buses C2

Defect. DAIMLER TRUCKS IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2009-2010 THOMAS BUILT SCHOOL BUSES MANUFACTURED BETWEEN MARCH 31, 2008 AND FEBRUARY 18, 2009, EQUIPPED WITH SPECIALTY MANUFACTURING, INC. (SMI) 000290 LED LIGHT KITS. A CHANGE TO THE WIRE USED IN THE LED LIGHT KITS MAY REDUCE THE EFFECTIVE LIFE OF THE LIGHTS USED ON THE STOP ARMS. THE LIGHTS MAY STOP FUNCTIONING WITHOUT WARNING.

Risk. SHOULD THE LED LIGHTS STOP FUNCTIONING, VISIBILITY OF A STOPPED BUS WOULD BE DECREASED, POSSIBLY ENDANGERING A CHILD OR PEDESTRIAN TO INJURY BY PASSING VEHICLES.

Remedy. THOMAS BUILT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND LIGHT KITS WILL BE REPLACED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON FEBRUARY 3, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT THOMAS BUILT AT 1-800-547-0712.

Defect. DAIMLER TRUCKS IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2010 THOMAS BUILT SCHOOL BUSES AND FREIGHTLINER BUSINESS CLASS M2 MEDIUM DUTY TRUCKS AND FREIGHTLINER CUSTOM CHASSIS S2 VEHICLES MANUFACTURED BETWEEN APRIL 21 AND JULY 2, 2009, EQUIPPED WITH TRW IGEN 3 INTERMEDIATE STEERING COLUMNS. THE WELD AROUND THE STEERING SHAFT TUBE THAT SECURES THE SPLINE TUBE TO THE INTERMEDIATE TUBE MAY BE MISLOCATED (I.E., NOT FULLY OVER THE SEAM CREATED WHEN THE TUBES ARE PRESSED TOGETHER.)

Risk. MISLOCATED WELDS MAY RESULT IN TORSIONAL AND AXIAL STRENGTH FALLING BELOW ACCEPTABLE LEVELS. THIS CONDITION COULD RESULT IN SEPARATION OF THE STEERING COLUMN, LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL AND A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.

Remedy. DAIMLER TRUCKS WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND THE VEHICLES WILL BE REPAIRED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 6, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DAIMLER TRUCKS TOLL-FREE AT 1-800-547-0712.

ON THE MORNING OF MAY 12, 2011 NORTH CAROLINA PUBLIC SCHOOL BUS LOCATED IN EDGECOMBE COUNTY WAS TOTALLY DESTROYED BY A FIRE THAT ORIGINATED IN THE REAR BULKHEAD AREA OF THE BUS THAT HOUSES A CARRIER AIR CONDITIONER AND ADDITIONAL ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS. THE BUS WAS ON ITS ROUTE PICKING UP CHILDREN FOR SCHOOL WHEN THE CHILDREN BEGAN TO SMELL SMOKE AND NOTIFIED THE DRIVER. THE DRIVER IMMEDIATELY STOPPED THE BUS AND EVACUATED THE CHILDREN JUST MOMENTS BEFORE FIRE WAS SEEN IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT OF THE BUS IN THE REAR BULKHEAD AREA. THE SCHOOL PERSONNEL REPORTING TO THE SCENE DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY FROM THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FIRST ON THE BUS WHICH WAS ALREADY HEAVILY INVOLVED WITH FLAMES WHEN HE ARRIVED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED AND EXTINGUISHED THE BLAZE HOWEVER THE BUS WAS TOTALLY DESTROYED BY THIS TIME. THE ENTIRE INTERIOR OF THE BUS WAS DESTROYED FROM THE FLOOR LEVEL TO THE ROOF AND ONTO THE HOOD COVERING THE ENGINE. THERE WERE 39 CHILDREN ON THE BUS PLUS THE DRIVER AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. THE BUS IS CURRENTLY ISOLATED FOR INVESTIGATION. *TR