The problem
Daimler Truck North America, LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2022 Thomas Built Buses Minotour school buses. Adhesive may not have been properly applied between the lower interior side panel and the seat rail, resulting in insufficient joint strength. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 221, "School Bus Body Joint Strength."
The risk
A school bus cabin with insufficient joint strength increases the risk of injury in a crash.
The fix
DTNA will add additional mechanical fasteners to the joint, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on October 17, 2021. Owners may contact DTNA's customer service at 1-800-547-0712. DTNA's number for this recall is FL-899.
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.nhtsa.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 21V661000.
- 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.