- The problem
- Daimler trucks is recalling 243,435 my 1995-2008 thomas built school buses manufactured between january 1994, and march 10, 2008. (Additional buses have been added to this recall campaign. Please see supplemental report no. 4) The emergency exit door handle begins corroding around the securing roll pin and square drive mechanism causing the protective finish to chip and flake. Continued corrosion and pitting weakens the handle. Handles weakened by corrosion may break while trying to open the door from the exterior.
- The risk
- In the event of an emergency, a person on the outside of the bus may break the door handle trying to open the emergency exit potentially delaying evacuation and increasing the risk of personal injury to the vehicle's occupants.
- The fix
- Daimler trucks will notify owners and will replace the handles with a more robust handle free of charge. Repairs will be performed by thomas built buses dealerships. The recall began on august 18, 2008, and notification for the revised population is expected to begin on or about april 29, 2009. Owners may contact thomas built at 336-889-4871.
Vehicle safety record
2004 Thomas MVP EF Problems, complaints & recalls
Owners have filed 1 complaint about the 2004 Thomas MVP EF with NHTSA, most often about the body, doors & structure (1) and the engine & cooling (1). It is covered by 7 recalls, the latest in February 2008 for the hinge and attachments. For comparison, the 2003 has 0 and the 2005 has 0.
NHTSA data checked
CAbout as many problems as a typical MVP EF year, for its age
#455 most complained-about 2004 vehicle
- Complaints
- 1
- Recalls
- 7
- Crashes
- 0
- Fires
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Deaths
- 0
Most common 2004 Thomas MVP EF problems
Share of all 1 complaints. One complaint can name more than one area. Tap an area for its complaints and recalls.
2004 Thomas MVP EF recalls 7
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 2001 through 2008 thomas built fs-56, er, mvp er, hdx, and mvp ef school buses manufactured from october 23, 2000, through january 24, 2006, equipped with tyco pc board and type ii auto reset circuit breakers. Type ii auto reset circuit breaker temperatures may exceed the rating of the tyco pc board causing the boards to melt potentially resulting in a vehicle fire.
- The risk
- A vehicle fire can occur possibly resulting in a crash.
- The fix
- Thomas built will notify owners and repair the buses by replacing the type ii auto reset circuit breakers with manual circuit breakers, and the jumper cable. The recall began on march 28, 2008. Owners may contact thomas built customer support office at 336-889-4871.
- The problem
- Certain 2004 and 2005 freightliner van, motor home, shuttle bus, and school bus chassis manufactured between january 2004 and may 2005. Erratic voltage supply to the fuel lift pump causes premature wear of the pump. This premature wear could result in fuel lift pump failure and in some cases may cause an engine stall condition.
- The risk
- Should the engine stall, a vehicle crash could occur.
- The fix
- Cummins will notify the owners of the freightliner and thomas built vehicles and will repair the engines by emc recalibration and replacement of the fuel lift pump at no charge to the customer. Owners may contact cummins assistance center 1-800-diesels (1-800-343-7357) or freightliner at 1-800-547-0712.
- 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.
- 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.
- The problem
- Certain 2001-2004 my thomas built mvp-ef, er transit, mvp-er, hd, and hdx school buses manufactured between september 24, 2000, and march 4, 2004. The tie rod assembly can fracture and fail, possibly resulting in complete separation.
- The risk
- Tie rod failure can possibly result in complete wheel separation and a vehicle crash could occur.
- The fix
- Thomas built will notify its customers and will replace the tie rod assembly free of charge. The recall began september 6, 2005. Owners may contact thomas built at (we do not yet have a telephone number).
- The problem
- Certain michelin xde commercial truck tires, size 10r22.5 Lrg and lrf for use on freightliner school and transit buses. These tires were manfactured between may 23 and october 24, 2004, can experience rapid air loss due to an irregularity of the inner liner.
- The risk
- Rapid air loss can result in loss of vehicle control and a vehicle crash can occur.
- The fix
- Michelin will notify its customers and replace the tires free of charge. The recall began december 27, 2004. Owners who do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact michelin at 888-622-2306.
What owners say
Be the first MVP EF owner to share.
Problems or none - your experience is exactly what the next buyer is looking for. Write it now
1 complaints about the 2004 Thomas MVP EF
Newest first, as filed with NHTSA by owners.
Pre-2005 thomas 84 passenger ef school buses, with cat c7 engines/md-3060 transmissions. Failure of right/rear engine mount causes engine to rest in right frame rail, supported by alternator, with engine fan coming in contact with radiator schroud. Post-2005 buses came with a reinforced mount (ref: thomas chassis index'22, bulletin11r). Formal request has been made to thomas (via auto safety house) to replace all affected units with upgraded parts. *Jb
Thomas MVP EF: every year compared
All MVP EF years2004 Thomas MVP EF vs rivals
| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Grade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 Thomas MVP EF | 1 | 7 | C | |
| 2004 Thomas C2 | 2 | 3 | C | Compare |
| 2004 Thomas School Bus | 1 | 1 | B | Compare |
| 2004 Thomas FS-65 | 1 | 2 | - | 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 2004 Thomas MVP EF
Does the 2004 Thomas MVP EF have any recalls?
Yes - NHTSA lists 7 recalls for the 2004 Thomas MVP EF: hinge and attachments (February 2008); fuses and circuit breakers (November 2007); fuel pump (October 2005); school bus stop arm assembly (August 2005) and more. 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 2004 Thomas MVP EF?
By the complaints owners filed with NHTSA, the most common problem areas are the body, doors & structure (1), engine & cooling (1).
How many complaints has the 2004 Thomas MVP EF had?
1 complaints have been filed with NHTSA, the first on March 28, 2007 and the latest on March 28, 2007. Of these, 0 describe a crash and 0 a fire, and together they report 0 injuries and 0 deaths.
Is the 2004 Thomas MVP EF a reliable vehicle?
Its Safety Index is 43 out of 100 (grade C: about as many problems as a typical Thomas MVP EF 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 MVP EF years have the most complaints?
1998 (3), 1997 (2), 1996 (1). See every Thomas MVP EF year compared.
What should I do if my 2004 Thomas MVP EF 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