Thomas Built Buses FS-65 Recalls & Complaints by Model Year
NHTSA lists 13 safety recalls and 4 owner complaints across 24 model years of the Thomas Built Buses FS-65 (1994–2017). The most-complained-about year is 2007.
Pick your Thomas Built Buses FS-65 model year
What Thomas Built Buses FS-65 owners complain about
Across all model years, owners have filed 4 complaints with NHTSA. The 2007 model year has the most, with 2.
All Thomas Built Buses FS-65 recalls (13)
Every NHTSA safety campaign that lists a Thomas Built Buses FS-65, most recent first, with the model years each one covers.
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Equipment
Daimler Trucks North America LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2002-2017 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner C2, Saf-T-Liner HDX, FS65, and Minotour school buses, equipped with Kidde Plastic-Handle or Push Button 'Pindicator' Fire Extinguishers. These extinguishers may become clogged, preventing the extinguisher from discharging as expected or…
Remedy: DTNA will notify owners instructing them to contact Kidde for a replacement fire extinguisher, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin March 30, 2018. Owners may contact DTNA customer service at 1-800-547-0712…
Model years: 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017
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Air conditioner (equipment)
Daimler trucks (dtna) is recalling certain model year 2006 through 2011 saf-t-liner c2, saf-t-liner hdx, mvp-ef, fs-65, and minotor school buses manufactured from january 2, 2006, through january 31, 2011, equipped with carrier genv em-1 evaporator units. Due to time, temperature, and/or vibration, the fuse may loosen in the fuse holder…
Remedy: Dtna will notify owners and provide information on how to obtain the retrofit kit from carrier along with repair instructions. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall began on may 20, 2011.…
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Labels (equipment)
Certain model year 2000 through 2009 thomas built school buses manufactured from april 17, 2000, through december 21, 2009, were equipped with an incorrect tire load certification label. The certification labels list "d" load range tires with a recommended cold tire inflation pressure greater than 65 PSI. The buses are equipped with…
Remedy: Dtna will notify owners and dealers will replace the incorrect label with a correct label free of charge or, if the owner wishes, they may replace the label themselves. Owners should contact dtna at 1-800-547-0712 or…
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Equipment adaptive/mobility
Rifled air conditioning (rac) is recalling 6 my 2001 chevrolet express private transport, my 2005 thomas built fs65, my 2006-2007 monitour bus, and my 2007 c-2 school bus vehicles built on freightliner, and GM chassis and equipped with ricon platform style wheelchair lifts. These lifts fail to comply with the requirements of federal…
Remedy: Rac is working with ricon to correct the wheelchair lifts free of charge (please see 07e097). Owners may contact ricon at 1-818-267-3000 or rac at 1-800-627-1707.
Model years: 2005
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Hinge and attachments (structure)
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…
Remedy: 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…
Model years: 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008
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Equipment adaptive/mobility
Daimler trucks is recalling 760 my 2003-2007 thomas built school buses manufactured between july 6, 2005 and july 19, 2006, equipped with braun wheelchair lifts, models nl, ncl, or nvl. The threshold warning systems of the subject model wheelchair lifts fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no.…
Remedy: Daimler trucks will notify owners and provide a free remedy which will be performed by thomas built dealerships. The recall began on august 8, 2008. Owners may contact thomas built at 336-889-4871.
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Fuses and circuit breakers (electrical system)
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…
Remedy: 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…
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Column (steering)
Certain freightliner school buses and trucks manufactured from october 23, 2004, to march 21, 2006. During the steering column manufacturing process two welds may have been missing.
Remedy: Freightliner will notify owners and inspect and repair the affected vehicle free of charge. The recall began on august 30, 2007. Owners can contact freightliner at 1-800-547-0712.
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Service brakes, hydraulic
Certain my 2006 and 2007 freightliner fs-65 school and shuttle bus chassis equipped with caterpillar c7 engines and hydraulic brake line p/no a12-21572-000. The front brake lines may have been improperly secured allowing the brake line to contact the engine coolant plumbing components.
Remedy: Freightliner will notify owners and repair the buses free of charge. The recall began on july 12, 2007. Owners can contact thomas built at 336-889-4871 or contact freightliner at 800-547-0712.
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Seat belts
Certain my 1994 through 2002 thomas built minotour, fs-65, mvp-ef, er, and hdx-ef school buses manufactured between january 23, 1994, and april 15, 2002. The seat belt may chafe on the edge of a metal bracket and wear prematurely.
Remedy: Thomas built will notify owners and replace any chafed seat belts and replace or modify the retainer strip to prevent any further chafing. The recall began on february 8, 2008. Owners may contact thomas built at…
Model years: 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002
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Equipment adaptive/mobility
Certain my 2006 and 2007 thomas built minotour, fs-65, c2, hdx, and ef school buses manufactured between january 6 and september 6, 2006, equipped with ricon wheelchair platform lift models s2003, s2005, s2010, s5503, s5505, s5510, k2003, k2005, k2010, k5503, k5505, k5510. The lifts interlock switch system may not detect the presence of…
Remedy: Freightliner will notify owners and will repair the affected buses free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on august 6, 2007. Owners can contact freightliner's customer assistance center at 800-385-4357 or…
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Equipment adaptive/mobility
Certain my 2004-2007 thomas built minotour, fs65, mvp-ef, and hdx model school buses, manufactured between june 16 and july 1, 2005, equipped with ricon wheelchair lifts. Cracks in the lift arms may allow the mechanism to twist during stowage, preventing closure of the safety interlock switches.
Remedy: Ricon is conducting this recall (please see 06e008000) and will replace the two vertical arms even if only one arm is cracked free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on may 30, 2006. Owners may contact ricon…
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Fuses and circuit breakers (electrical system)
Certain my 2004 through 2006 thomas built hdx, ef, and fs-65 school buses manufactured between october 4, 2004, and february 14, 2006. The body power distribution module (pdm) was manufactured with copper circuits that are too thin for the electrical loads encountered, possibly causing the board to overheat.
Remedy: Thomas built will notify owners and will replace the pdm's thin copper circuits with thicker copper circuits. The recall began on june 30, 2006. Owners may contact thomas built at 1-877-660-4938.
Other Thomas Built Buses models
- Saf-T-Liner C222 complaints
- C28 complaints
- Saf-T-Liner Hdx5 complaints
- Mvp-Ef4 complaints
- Ef2 complaints
- Hdx2 complaints
- Minotour2 complaints
- Saf-T-Liner ER2 complaints
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.