The worst 2001 Thomas Saf-T-Liner HD problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
Problems by type
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Recalls 3
Suspension: rear: springs: air suspension system
- What is wrong
- On certain school and transit buses equipped with reyco rear axle air suspensions, deflated suspension air bags could create excessive driveline angles causing u-joint damage.
- Risk
- The drive shaft could fall off of the bus. Following vehicles could then run over this obstacle, increasing the risk of damage to the following vehicle.
- Remedy
- Dealers will install axle stops to limit rear suspension travel and fastener torque will be checked on the suspension height control rod. Owner notification is expected to begin during february 2003. 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.
Recall number 02V320000 · Recall details
Vehicle speed control: accelerator pedal
- What is wrong
- Vehicle description: school buses. The accelerator pedal can possibly hang up on the floor rubber.
- Risk
- The driver would be expecting the vehicle's speed to decrease, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will install a stainless steel plate under the accelerator pedal. Owner notification began june 8, 2001. 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 thomas built at 1‑336‑889‑4871.
Recall number 01V103000 · Recall details
Structure: body
- What is wrong
- Vehicle description: certain school buses built with composite front roof caps fail to comply with requirements of fmvss no. 221, "school bus body joint strength." the roof cap does not meet the requirements due to the omission of the adhesive that joins the roof to the bus body.
- Risk
- In the event of a crash, the roof of the vehicle may crush, not properly protecting the vehicle occupants.
- Remedy
- Dealers will re-bond the roof cap to the roof sheet metal. Owner notification began september 14, 2001. 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 thomas built at 1‑336‑889‑4871.
Recall number 01V104000 · Recall details
See all 3 recalls for the 2001 Thomas Saf-T-Liner HD
Defect investigations
Emergency door handle failure
The office of defects investigation opened this preliminary evaluationafterbecoming aware that fleets were having handle failures on the rear emergency door exit.the failure resulted in the door handle separating from thedoor latch mechanism.when the handle fails, the rear emergency exit door can not be opened from outside the bus.the failure results from corrosion of the exterior door handle around the securing roll pin and square drive latch mechanism, causing the protective finish to chip and flake.continued corrosion weakens the handle and eventually the handle may break while trying to open the exit door.odi was concerned that during an emergency, a person outside of the bus would break the door handle while trying to open the emergency exit door,potentially delaying evacuation of the bus.under the safety recall, the aluminum handles will be replaced with a more robust handle.the recall action resolves the issues raised by this investigation. Accordingly, this investigation is closed.
PE07054
Technical service bulletins for the 2001 Thomas Saf-T-Liner HD 1
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
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Questions about the 2001 Thomas Saf-T-Liner HD
Is the 2001 Thomas Saf-T-Liner HD reliable?
Owners have filed 0 complaints about the 2001 Thomas Saf-T-Liner HD.
What is the most common problem with the 2001 Thomas Saf-T-Liner HD?
There are not enough complaints to tell.
How many recalls does the 2001 Thomas Saf-T-Liner HD have?
3 recalls, covering suspension, vehicle speed control and structure.
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