- The problem
- Daimler trucks is recalling 3,773 my 1996 through 2002 thomas built mvp er school buses manufactured from june 8, 1995 through february 16, 2001, equipped with caterpillar 3116 and 3126 engines. Un-fused power cables were tie-wrapped to a wire braid engine fuel return hose. Over time these cables may chafe, wearing through the wire loom and eventually through the cable insulation and fuel line covering in an area not easily detectable during normal maintenance without removing the tie wraps and opening the wire loom. Un-fused and un-switched power cables which wear through and contact the fuel line wire braid may short circuit.
- The risk
- In the event of a short circuit, a vehicle fire can occur.
- The fix
- Thomas built will notify owners and inspect and replace the cables as necessary free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on or about november 28, 2008. Owners may contact thomas built at 1-336-889-4871.
Vehicle safety record
1997 Thomas MVP ER Problems, complaints & recalls
No owner complaints about the 1997 Thomas MVP ER have been filed with NHTSA. It is covered by 6 recalls, the latest in July 2008 for the engine and engine cooling.
NHTSA data checked
CAbout as many problems as a typical MVP ER year, for its age
- Complaints
- 0
- Recalls
- 6
- Crashes
- 0
- Fires
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Deaths
- 0
1997 Thomas MVP ER recalls 6
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
- 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.
- The problem
- On certain school buses, misalignment of the fan drive system components can cause premature belt and pulley bearing wear.
- The risk
- If the school bus is disabled by a cooling system failure and is stalled on the side of the road, an increased risk of a crash resulting in injury to a school bus occupant could occur.
- The fix
- Dealers will replace the fan belt, idler pulley, and belt tensioner and the pulley's laser will be aligned. Owner notification began june 10, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact freightliner at 1-800-547-0712.
- The problem
- Vehicle description: certain school buses and transit buses equipped with national seating's series 93b-sb driver seat. A bracket attaching the gas spring shock to the height adjuster of the seat can deform and break. This bracket is located at the top of the height adjuster.
- The risk
- If the bracket is not replaced after deforming, and is allowed to break, its breaking will result in a sudden drop of the driver's seat, increasing the risk of loss of control of the vehicle and a crash.
- The fix
- Dealers will replace the seat base and add reinforcement to the seat assembly
- The problem
- Vehicle description: school bus chassis and emergency vehicles built with bendix air abs with an ec-17 1030r electronic control unit (ecu), there have been reports of unwanted abs activation at low speeds caused by 1) chafed abs wheel speed sensor wires on rotating parts or 2) a damaged component at the wheel end that generates a certain type of erratic sensor signal.
- The risk
- This condition could cause the abs ecu to exhaust the air at the air brake modulators for one or more of the wheels. This could result in extended braking distances and a possible crash.
- The fix
- DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE ABS ECU.
- The problem
- Vehicle description: heavy duty trucks and school bus chassis built with bendix air abs with an ec-17 1030r electronic control unit (ecu), there have been reports of unwanted abs activation at low speeds caused by 1) chafed abs wheel speed sensor wires on rotating parts or 2) a damaged component at the wheel end that generates a certain type of erratic sensor signal.
- The risk
- This condition could cause the abs ecu to exhaust the air at the air brake modulators for one or more of the wheels. This could result in extended braking distances and a possible crash.
- The fix
- DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE ABS ECU.
What owners say
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No complaints about the 1997 Thomas MVP ER 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 MVP ER: every year compared
All MVP ER years1997 Thomas MVP ER vs rivals
| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Grade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 Thomas MVP ER | 0 | 6 | C | |
| 1997 Thomas MVP EF | 2 | 6 | C | Compare |
| 1997 Thomas School 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 1997 Thomas MVP ER
Does the 1997 Thomas MVP ER have any recalls?
Yes - NHTSA lists 6 recalls for the 1997 Thomas MVP ER: engine and engine cooling (July 2008); hinge and attachments (February 2008); fan (March 2002); seats (November 2000) and more. 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 1997 Thomas MVP ER had?
None have been filed with NHTSA so far.
Is the 1997 Thomas MVP ER a reliable vehicle?
Its Safety Index is 50 out of 100 (grade C: about as many problems as a typical Thomas MVP ER 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 1997 Thomas MVP ER 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