- The problem
- 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.
- The 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.
- The fix
- 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.
Vehicle safety record
1981 Thomas Minotour Problems, complaints & recalls
No owner complaints about the 1981 Thomas Minotour have been filed with NHTSA. It is covered by 3 recalls, the latest in July 1997 for the body.
NHTSA data checked
CAbout as many problems as a typical Minotour year, for its age
- Complaints
- 0
- Recalls
- 3
- Crashes
- 0
- Fires
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Deaths
- 0
1981 Thomas Minotour recalls 3
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
- 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.
- The 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.
- The fix
- 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.
- The problem
- The gross axle weight rating listed on the certification plate for the front springs is incorrect. Some vehicles have front springs rated at 2950 lbs. And passenger capacity at greater than 15 passengers. This combination may result in the front springs being overloaded by 150 lbs. When these vehicles are loaded to maximun capacity.
- The fix
- Dealer will replace the front springs with 3100 lb. Front springs at no cost to owner.
What owners say
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No complaints about the 1981 Thomas Minotour yet
No owner has filed a complaint about this vehicle with NHTSA. If yours has a problem, share it here and report it to NHTSA.
Thomas Minotour: every year compared
All Minotour yearsQuestions about the 1981 Thomas Minotour
Does the 1981 Thomas Minotour have any recalls?
Yes - NHTSA lists 3 recalls for the 1981 Thomas Minotour: body (July 1997); body (July 1996); leaf spring assembly (May 1982). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours has been fixed.
How many complaints has the 1981 Thomas Minotour had?
None have been filed with NHTSA so far.
Is the 1981 Thomas Minotour a reliable vehicle?
Its Safety Index is 50 out of 100 (grade C: about as many problems as a typical Thomas Minotour 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.
What should I do if my 1981 Thomas Minotour 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