Other:school Bus Stop Arm Assembly
NHTSA campaign 05V340000 · announced July 25, 2005 · filed by Freightliner Llc · 13,583 units affected
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.
What to do
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.
Notes
FREIGHTLINER/THOMAS BUILT RECALL NO. FL-454.CUSTOMERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236; (TTY: 1-800-424-9153); OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV.
Vehicles covered by this recall
- 2002 Thomas Conventional
- 2003 Thomas Conventional
- 2004 Thomas Conventional
- 2002 Thomas Er
- 2003 Thomas Er
- 2004 Thomas Er
- 2005 Thomas Er
- 2002 Thomas Hdx
- 2003 Thomas Hdx
- 2004 Thomas Hdx
- 2005 Thomas Hdx
- 2002 Thomas Minotour
- 2003 Thomas Minotour
- 2004 Thomas Minotour
- 2005 Thomas Minotour
- 2002 Thomas Mvp Ef
- 2003 Thomas Mvp Ef
- 2004 Thomas Mvp Ef
- 2005 Thomas Mvp Ef
- 2002 Thomas Mvp Er
- 2003 Thomas Mvp Er
- 2004 Thomas Mvp Er
- 2005 Thomas Mvp Er
- 2001 Thomas Saf-t-liner Conventional
Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration public recall data. This page reports official records and is not legal or repair advice.