1996 Thomas Minotour

Routine

No owner complaints are on file for this vehicle. It has been recalled 6 times.

6 safety recalls

Part 573 reports
Seat Belts07V142000
Filed Mar 27, 200711,265 vehiclesFreightliner Llc

Defect. CERTAIN MY 1994 THROUGH 2002 THOMAS BUILT MINOTOUR, FS-65, MVP-EF, ER, AND HDX-EF SCHOOL BUSES MANUFACTURED BETWEEN JANUARY 23, 1994, AND APRIL 15, 2002. THE SEAT BELT MAY CHAFE ON THE EDGE OF A METAL BRACKET AND WEAR PREMATURELY.

Risk. IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, THE SEAT OCCUPANT MAY NOT BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN PERSONAL INJURY.

Remedy. THOMAS BUILT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE ANY CHAFED SEAT BELTS AND REPLACE OR MODIFY THE RETAINER STRIP TO PREVENT ANY FURTHER CHAFING. THE RECALL BEGAN ON FEBRUARY 8, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT THOMAS BUILT AT 336-889-4871 OR CONTACT FREIGHTLINER AT 800-547-0712.

Seat Belts › Front › Anchorage99V266000
Filed Sep 7, 1999106 vehiclesThomas Built Buses, Inc.

Defect. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SCHOOL BUSES BUILT ON CHEVROLET CHASSIS WITH A CORRUGATED STEEL FLOOR AND AND EQUIPPED WITH 45" WIDE RESTRAINING PASSENGER SEATS. THE 45" WIDE RESTRAINING PASSENGER SEAT FAILS TO COMPLY WITH THE PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 210, "SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY ANCHORAGES."

Risk. IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE SEAT OCCUPANT MAY NOT BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL INSTALL TWO ADDITIONAL ANCHORAGE POINTS CONNECTING THE SEAT TO THE FLOOR.

Structure › Body97V117000
Filed Jul 25, 19978,187 vehiclesThomas Built Buses, Inc.

Defect. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SCHOOL BUSES EQUIPPED WITH MANUALLY OPERATED OUTWARD OPENING ENTRANCE DOORS. AN ITEM WORN BY A CHILD, SUCH AS A LONG DRAWSTRING, SASH, OR BACKPACK/BOOKBAG ACCESSORY, CAN BECOMECAUGHT IN THE AREA BETWEEN THE SERVICE DOOR AND THE DOOR CONTROL ROD ATTACHING BRACKET.

Risk. IF AN ITEM WORN BY A CHILD WERE TO CATCH ON THIS AREA, AND THE DRIVER WERE TO CLOSE THE DOOR AND PUT THE VEHICLE IN MOTION, THIS CAN RESULT IN IN SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH.

Remedy. THESE BUSES WERE ORIGINALLY INCLUDED IN RECALL CAMPAIGN 96V-139. HOWEVER, THE REPAIR DID NOT ELIMINATE THE POTENTIAL SNAGGING POINT BETWEEN THE SERVICE DOOR AND THE DOOR CONTROL ROD ATTACHING BRACKET. THEREFORE, OWNERS ARE BEING RENOTIFIED TO INSPECT THE ORIENTATION OF THE DOOR CONTROL. IF THE DOOR CONTROL DOES NOT MATCH THE ORIENTATION DESCRIBED IN THE RENOTIFICATION LETTER, THE OWNER WILL BE INSTRUCTED TO REMOVE THE EXISTING CONTROL AND THE ORIGINAL RECALL REPAIR PART, REOIRIENT THE DOOR CONTROL, AND REINSTALL THE RECALL REPAIR PART.

Fuel System, Gasoline › Storage › Tank Assembly96V162000
Filed Oct 1, 1996517 vehiclesGeneral Motors Corp.

Defect. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SCHOOL BUSES BUILT ON GM P3 CUTAWAY CHASSIS. THE SCHOOL BUS, WHEN TESTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH FMVSS NO. 301, EXCEEDED THE ALLOWABLE FUEL SPILLAGE AS SPECIFIED BY THE STANDARD. THE FUEL TANK WAS PUNCTURED AS A RESULT OF THE IMPACT OF THE MOVING BARRIER.

Risk. IF A VEHICLE CRASH WERE TO OCCUR, FUEL LEAKAGE COULD RESULT. IF AN IGNITION SOURCE WERE PRESENT, THIS CONDITION COULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE FIRE.

Remedy. GENERAL MOTORS IS WORKING IN CONJUNCTION WITH CARPENTER, THOMAS BUILT AND U.S. BUS IN PROVIDING THE OWNER NOTIFICATION AND REMEDY CAMPAIGN FOR THIS RECALL. DEALERS WILL INSTALL NEW SHIELDING FOR THE FUEL TANK, NEW FILL PIPE AND VENT HOSES, AND IF REQUIRED, ADD ADDITIONAL ATTACHMENTS TO SECURE THE SCHOOL BUS BODY TO THE CHASSIS.

Fuel System, Gasoline › Storage › Tank Assembly96V162002
Filed Sep 12, 1996400 vehiclesThomas Built Buses, Inc.

Defect. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SCHOOL BUSES BUILT ON GM P3 CUTAWAY CHASSIS. THE SCHOOL BUS, WHEN TESTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH FMVSS NO. 301, EXCEEDED THE ALLOWABLE FUEL SPILLAGE AS SPECIFIED BY THE STANDARD. THE FUEL TANK WAS PUNCTURED AS A RESULT OF THE IMPACT OF THE MOVING BARRIER.

Risk. IF A VEHICLE CRASH WERE TO OCCUR, FUEL LEAKAGE COULD RESULT. IF AN IGNITION SOURCE WERE PRESENT, THIS CONDITION COULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE FIRE.

Remedy. GENERAL MOTORS IS WORKING IN CONJUNCTION WITH THOMAS BUILT IN PROVIDING THE OWNER NOTIFICATION AND REMEDY CAMPAIGN FOR THIS RECALL. DEALERS WILL ADD NEW SHIELDING FOR THE FUEL TANK, NEW FILL PIPE AND VENT HOSES; AND, IF REQUIRED, ADD ADDITIONAL ATTACHMENTS TO SECURE THE SCHOOL BUS BODY TO THE CHASSIS.

Structure › Body96V139000
Filed Jul 23, 1996120,371 vehiclesThomas Built Buses, Inc.

Defect. AN ITEM WORN BY A CHILD, SUCH AS A LONG DRAWSTRING, SASH, OR BACKPACK/BOOKBAG ACCESSORY, CAN BECOME CAUGHT IN THE AREA BETWEEN THE SERVICE DOOR AND THE DOOR CONTROL ROD ATTACHING BRACKET.

Risk. IF AN ITEM WORN BY A CHILD WERE TO CATCH ON THIS AREA, AND THE DRIVER WERE TO CLOSE THE DOOR AND PUT THE VEHICLE IN MOTION, THIS CAN RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH.

Remedy. A MOLDED COVER WILL BE INSTALLED BETWEEN THE MANUALLY OPERATED OUTWARD OPENING ENTRANCE DOOR AND THE DOOR CONTROL ROD ATTACHING BRACKET WHICH WILL ELIMINATE THE OPENING THAT COULD ALLOW AN ITEM OF A CHILD'S CLOTHING TO BECOME SNAGGED.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2005
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20050200Routine
20040200Routine
20030200Routine
20020500Routine
20010200Routine
20000300Routine
19990200Routine
19980200Routine
19970200Routine
1996 — this page0600Routine
19950700Routine
19940900Routine
19930700Routine
19920500Routine
19910300Routine
19900300Routine

Compare every Minotour year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: Mar 27, 2007. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.