Thomas Mvp ER Recalls & Complaints by Model Year
NHTSA lists 20 safety recalls and 1 owner complaint across 13 model years of the Thomas Mvp ER (1996–2008). The most-complained-about year is 2001.
Pick your Thomas Mvp ER model year
What Thomas Mvp ER owners complain about
Across all model years, owners have filed 1 complaint with NHTSA. The 2001 model year has the most, with 1.
All Thomas Mvp ER recalls (20)
Every NHTSA safety campaign that lists a Thomas Mvp ER, most recent first, with the model years each one covers.
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Fuses and circuit breakers (electrical system)
Daimler trucks is recalling 18,198 my 2003-2009 thomas built er, mvp-er, hdx, and mvp-ef school and transit buses equipped with a dual power switch and manufactured from february 1, 2002 through october 17, 2008. Solid state circuit breakers may trip unnecessarily potentially resulting in a loss of power to the bus chassis and body…
Remedy: Thomas built bus dealers will replace the solid state dual power switch with a mechanical circuit production (mega fuse). The recall is expected to begin during april 2009. Owners may contact thomas built at…
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Engine and engine cooling
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…
Remedy: 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.
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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: 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008
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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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Service brakes, air
Certain my 2000 through 2003 thomas built hdx and mvp-er school buses manufactured between april 23, 2000, and november 14, 2003. The service air brake pedal, for both non-adjustable and adjustable brake pedals, may contact the front structure on the bus, limiting the maximum brake force available.
Remedy: Thomas built will notify owners and repair the affected buses free of charge. The recall began on september 14, 2007. Owners can contact thomas built at 336-889-4871 or contact freightliner at 800-547-0712.
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School bus stop arm assembly (other)
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 states other than the following states: alaska, colorado, connecticut, delaware,…
Remedy: For those buses operated in or near any of the states listed above, thomas built is encouraging the bus owners to obtain the replacement switch. For those buses operated in the warmer states, dealers will replace the…
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School bus stop arm assembly (other)
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,…
Remedy: 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…
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Fuel system, diesel
Certain 1998-2003 my freightliner fs-65 school bus chassis and mb-45, mb-55, and xb shuttle bus chassis, and thomas built bus: mvp-er and mvp-ef school bus and non-school bus models equipped with cummins isb diesel engines and equipped with federal-mogal 12 and 24 volt fuel lift pumps. The fuel pump could fail to transfer fuel…
Remedy: Cummins will notify the customers of freightliner and thomas built and replace the fuel lift pump free of charge. Owners may contact cummins at 1-800-diesels.
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Tie rod assembly (steering)
Certain 2001-2004 my thomas built mvp-ef, er transit, mvp-er, hd, and hdx school buses manufactured between september 24, 2000, and march 4, 2004. The tie rod assembly can fracture and fail, possibly resulting in complete separation.
Remedy: Thomas built will notify its customers and will replace the tie rod assembly free of charge. The recall began september 6, 2005. Owners may contact thomas built at (we do not yet have a telephone number).
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Seat belts
On certain school or transit buses with passenger seat belts with retractors, the cover halves for the retractable portion of the belt can separate completely and release the seat belt connector. If this occurs, one of the load bearing pins in the connector could separate from the connector and render the seat belt unusable. In the…
Remedy: Dealers will provide a plastic outer cover that snaps over the existing cover on units in the field and will replace broken seat belts free of charge. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed…
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Lugs/nuts/bolts/studs (wheels)
On certain school and transit buses, the wheel lug nut may not tighten completely.
Remedy: Dealers will install new wheel studs. Owner notification began february 28, 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…
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Fan (engine and engine cooling)
On certain school buses, misalignment of the fan drive system components can cause premature belt and pulley bearing wear.
Remedy: 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…
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Accelerator pedal (vehicle speed control)
Vehicle description: medium duty trucks, fire trucks, and transit buses and school buses equipped with electronic throttle control/accelerator pedals supplied by williams controls industries. The weld attaching the clevis to the plate has insufficient penetration and could allow the clevis to separate from the plate.
Remedy: Dealers will replace these pedals. Owner notification began march 18, 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…
Model years: 2001
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Seats
Vehicle description: certain school buses equipped with syntec seats fail to conform to the requirements of FMVSS no. 222, "school bus passenger seating and crash protection." some seats (1) fail to meet the required four inch clearance during the test procedure, while still meeting the post test condition; (2) fail to meet the required…
Remedy: Dealers will replace the seat frame and the seat back cushion on these vehicles. Owner notification began november 13, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do…
Model years: 2001
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Buckle assembly (seat belts)
Vehicle description: school and transit buses equipped with safety belt assemblies produced by am-safe. On some seat belts, the buckle and connector may unlatch during a collision.
Remedy: Am-safe notified thomas built's customers to return their vehicle to an authorized dealer to have the seat belts repaired free of charge. Owner notification began september 21, 2000. Owners who take their vehicles to…
Model years: 2000
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Switch (service brakes)
Vehicle description: certain school buses fail to comply with requirements of FMVSS no. 121, "air brake systems." these vehicles do not comply due to the low air warning system detecting pressure in only one reservoir system and not both as required.
Remedy: Dealers will correct the low air pressure switch wiring. Owner notification began july 27, 2001. Owner notification is expected to begin owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service…
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Tie rod assembly (steering)
Vehicle description: trucks, school bus and motor home chassis, and transit buses equipped with tie rod assemblies manufactured by trw. The suspect tie rods contain 24-dl model ball sockets. Certain of the tie rod ball-socket bearings have a below-specification case depth and/or hardness, which can lead to premature wear of the socket.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the defective ball sockets and/or drag links. Owner notification began may 22, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the…
Model years: 1999
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Seats
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.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the seat base and add reinforcement to the seat assembly
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Antilock (service brakes)
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…
Remedy: Dealers will replace the ABS ECU.
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Antilock (service brakes)
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…
Remedy: Dealers will replace the ABS ECU.
Other Thomas models
- School Bus21 complaints
- Thomas11 complaints
- Bus7 complaints
- Mvp EF7 complaints
- Saf-T-Liner5 complaints
- C23 complaints
- FS-653 complaints
- CL1002 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.