The problem
Daimler Trucks North America LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2020 Thomas Built Buses Minotour school buses built on a GMC Savannah or Chevrolet Express chassis. The seatbelt-unfastened warning light will not illuminate for approximately five seconds after the ignition is moved to the "on" or "start" position. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
The risk
Without the seatbelt warning reminder, the driver may forget to fasten the seatbelt, increasing the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
The fix
GM will notify DTNA owners, and GM dealers will reprogram the instrument panel cluster, free of charge. The recall began October 3, 2019. Owners may GM customer service at 1-800-462-8782 contact DTNA customer service at 1-800-547-0712. DTNA's number for this recall is FL-833.
Contacts
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 to do
- Check your VIN. Enter it at nhtsa.gov/recalls - it shows whether this recall applies to your vehicle and whether the repair has been done.
- Call a dealer. Any authorized Thomas Built Buses dealer will do the repair free, whether or not you bought the vehicle there. Quote campaign 19V718000.
- Ask about parts and a loaner. If parts aren't available yet, ask what to do in the meantime.
- Keep your paperwork. If you paid for this repair before the recall, you may be able to get reimbursed - here's how.