- The problem
- Certain 2002-2005 my thomas built minotour, conventional, mvp-er, er, hdx, and mvp-ef model school buses manufactured between january 8, 2002, and march 8, 2005, equipped with specialty mfg "5" series stop arms originally sold in or currently registered in states other than the following states: alaska, colorado, connecticut, delaware, idaho, illinois, indiana, iowa, kansas, kentucky, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, montana, nebraska, nevada, new hampshire, new jersey, new mexico, new york, north dakota, ohio, oregon, pennsylvania, rhode island, south dakota, tennessee, utah, vermont, virginia, washington, west virginia, wisconsin, wyoming, and the district of columbia. In extremely cold weather, the microswitches used internally to position the stop arm sign in the open and closed positions may malfunction, causing the sign to open or close in an improper position, or to not open at all.
- The risk
- Should the stop arm not perform properly, a child or pedestrian may be endangered by passing vehicles should the motorist not stop at the correct location.
- The fix
- For those buses operated in or near any of the states listed above, thomas built is encouraging the bus owners to obtain the replacement switch. For those buses operated in the warmer states, dealers will replace the switch upon owner request. For those customers who request the remedy, thomas built will replace the original switch with a switch pack that is not sensitive to extreme cold weather and will inspect to ensure the microswitch heater wiring is properly connected. The recall began on september 14, 2005. Owners may contact thomas built's customer support office at 336-889-4871.
Vehicle safety record
2002 Thomas Conventional Problems, complaints & recalls
Owners have filed 1 complaint about the 2002 Thomas Conventional with NHTSA, most often about the electrical system (1). Those complaints describe 1 fire. It is covered by 2 recalls, the latest in August 2005 for the school bus stop arm assembly. For comparison, the 2001 has 1 and the 2003 has 0.
NHTSA data checked
DMore problems than a typical Conventional year, for its age
#439 most complained-about 2002 vehicle
- Complaints
- 1
- Recalls
- 2
- Crashes
- 0
- Fires
- 1
- Injuries
- 0
- Deaths
- 0
Most common 2002 Thomas Conventional problems
Share of all 1 complaints. One complaint can name more than one area. Tap an area for its complaints and recalls.
2002 Thomas Conventional recalls 2
Recall repairs are free. Your dealer fixes them whether or not you bought the car there - check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see if yours is done. What to do
- The problem
- Certain 2002-2005 my thomas built minotour, conventional, mvp-er, er, hdx, and mvp-ef model school buses manufactured between january 8, 2002, and march 8, 2005, equipped with specialty mfg "5" series stop arms originally sold in or currently registered in the following states: alaska, colorado, connecticut, delaware, idaho, illinois, indiana, iowa, kansas, kentucky, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, montana, nebraska, nevada, new hampshire, new jersey, new mexico, new york, north dakota, ohio, oregon, pennsylvania, rhode island, south dakota, tennessee, utah, vermont, virginia, washington, west virginia, wisconsin, wyoming, and the district of columbia. In extremely cold weather, the microswitches used internally to position the stop arm sign in the open and closed positions may malfunction, causing the sign to open or close in an improper position, or to not open at all.
- The risk
- Should the stop arm not perform properly, a child or pedestrian may be endangered by passing vehicles should the motorist not stop at the correct location.
- The fix
- Thomas built will notify its owners and replace the original switch with a switch pack that is not sensitive to extreme cold weather and will inspect to ensure the microswitch heater wiring is properly connected free of charge. The recall began on september 14, 2005. Owners may contact thomas built's customer support office at 336-889-4871.
What owners say
Be the first Conventional owner to share.
Problems or none - your experience is exactly what the next buyer is looking for. Write it now
1 complaints about the 2002 Thomas Conventional
Newest first, as filed with NHTSA by owners.
After picking up a bus load of students from the school the bus driver noticed a burning smell on his bus. Driver pulled his bus into a parking lot and the bus started smoking from underneath the side switch panel. After the students exited the bus the plastic dash started to burn which resulted in a significant amount of damage. It appears the fire started from the electrical connections on the body solenoid. *Tr
Thomas Conventional: every year compared
All Conventional years2002 Thomas Conventional vs rivals
| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Grade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 Thomas Conventional | 1 | 2 | D | |
| 2002 Thomas Saf-T-Liner | 2 | 0 | A | Compare |
| 2002 Thomas School Bus | 2 | 0 | B | Compare |
| 2002 Thomas Bus | 1 | 0 | A | Compare |
More sales usually means more complaints, so compare similar vehicles of the same year. The grade compares each vehicle with its own model's other years.
Questions about the 2002 Thomas Conventional
Does the 2002 Thomas Conventional have any recalls?
Yes - NHTSA lists 2 recalls for the 2002 Thomas Conventional: school bus stop arm assembly (August 2005); school bus stop arm assembly (July 2005). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours has been fixed.
What are the most common problems with the 2002 Thomas Conventional?
By the complaints owners filed with NHTSA, the most common problem areas are the electrical system (1).
How many complaints has the 2002 Thomas Conventional had?
1 complaints have been filed with NHTSA, the first on January 21, 2008 and the latest on January 21, 2008. Of these, 0 describe a crash and 1 a fire, and together they report 0 injuries and 0 deaths.
Is the 2002 Thomas Conventional a reliable vehicle?
Its Safety Index is 35 out of 100 (grade D: more problems than a typical Thomas Conventional year, for its age). The index weighs complaints, crashes, fires, injuries, deaths and recalls against how long the vehicle has been on the road, compared with the same model's other years. It is not a measure of every repair - read the complaints and owner experiences, and have any used vehicle inspected before you buy.
Which Thomas Conventional years have the most complaints?
2001 (1), 2002 (1). See every Thomas Conventional year compared.
What should I do if my 2002 Thomas Conventional has a problem?
If it is a safety problem, stop driving it if it is unsafe and contact your dealer. Report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem - enough reports start investigations and recalls - and share your experience here so other owners know what to look for.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints and recalls, checked . Complaints are owners' own reports and are not verified. How we use the data