2022 Thomas Built Buses Minotour problems

What is wrong

Daimler Trucks North America, LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Thomas Built Buses Minotour school buses. The forward seat barrier behind the driver may not provide sufficient protection to passengers. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 222, "School Bus Passenger Seating and Crash Protection."

Risk

Occupants may collide with the front seat barrier with more force than intended during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy

Dealers will replace the barrier, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 9, 2023. Owners may contact DTNA customer service at 1‑800‑547‑0712. DTNA's number for this recall is FL959.

Recall number 22V840000 · Recall details

What is wrong

Daimler Trucks North America LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2022 Thomas Built Minotour School Buses built on a Ford chassis. The driver may be able to release the parking brake and shift into a drive gear while the wheelchair lift is deployed. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 404, "Platform Lift Installations."

Risk

Bus movement with the wheelchair lift deployed can increase the risk of injury.

Remedy

DTNA service facilities will modify the wheelchair lift wiring as necessary, free of charge. No owner notifications will be distributed to owners. The recall was completed February 17, 2022. Owner may contact DTNA customer service at 1‑800‑547‑0712. DTNA's number for this recall is FL916.

Recall number 21V999000 · Recall details

What is wrong

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."

Risk

A school bus cabin with insufficient joint strength increases the risk of injury in a crash.

Remedy

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.

Recall number 21V661000 · Recall details

What is wrong

Daimler Trucks North America, LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2022 Thomas Built Buses Minotour. The positive battery cable terminals may contact a fuse block assembly attachment post and cause an electrical short circuit.

Risk

A short-circuit can increase the risk of a fire.

Remedy

GM will notify owners, and GM dealers will remove a portion of the anti-rotation tab on both positive battery cable terminals near the fuse block assembly attachments, free of charge. The recall began on May 3, 2021. Owners may contact DTNA customer service at 1‑800‑547‑0712 and GMC customer service at 1‑800‑462‑8782. DTNA's number for this recall is FL885.

Recall number 21V266000 · Recall details

What is wrong

Daimler Trucks North America, LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2022 Thomas Built Minotour School Buses equipped with an optional rear door Vandalock system. The engine can potentially be started while an emergency exit is still locked. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 217, "Bus Emergency Exits and Window Retention and Release."

Risk

A locked emergency exit can delay passengers from exiting the vehicle during an emergency, increasing their risk of injury.

Remedy

DTNA will notify owners, and dealers will repair the Vandalock interlock system, free of charge. Owners may contact DTNA customer service at 1‑800‑547‑0712. DTNA's number for this recall is FL-876.

Recall number 21V113000 · Recall details

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this Preliminary Evaluation (PE) after receiving one Vehicle Owner Questionnaire (VOQ) complaint related to four school buses built on General Motors (GM) van chassis. The VOQ alleged transmission failure resulting in a loss of all forward gear. In ODI's pre-investigative discussions with GM, ODI learned that valve body separator plates had been machined out of tolerance during production periods between October 2016 to April 2017 and February 2021 to April 2021. This out of tolerance machining may create excessive wear to the valve body check balls, possibly resulting in an inability to engage drive or reverse. The potential loss of drivability only begins when shifting from a park or neutral transmission selection and does not occur during a functional drive cycle. The average failure mileage of vehicles which experienced this condition is within warranty and related claims or complaints did not include any accidents, injuries, or fatalities. After discussions with GM, Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) 23-NA-142 (the federal safety agency ID number 10243753) was released in September 2023. This technical service bulletin provides a procedure for technicians to replace the forward check ball and separator plate if found to be the cause of a customer's concern. During the course of the investigation, GM also released a Customer Satisfaction Program (CSP) N232428780 (the federal safety agency ID 10253316) in February 2024, to notify school bus and ambulance fleets of the concern and to proactively mitigate the risk in these essential-operation vehicles. Recently, ODI contacted multiple school bus fleets, verifying that there have not been any stranded buses mid-route from this condition. Additionally, ODI has not received any additional VOQ complaints since the opening of this investigation. Based on the available information, including GM's TSB and CSP, this PE is closed. The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by the federal safety agency that a safety-related defect does not exist. The Agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by future circumstances. To review the ODI report cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Numbers document, go to

PE23016