2009 THOMAS BUILT BUSES HDX Complaints

I RECEIVED A NOTICE (NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER : 10V177) YESTERDAY REGARDING STOPLAMP FAILURE ON THOMAS C2 BUSES. OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS EXPERIENCED A SIMILAR PROBLEM OF INTERMITTENT STOPLAMP OPERATION ON ONE OF OUR 2009 HDX THOMAS BUSES. A RESISTOR (NOT SHOWN ON THOMAS WIRING DIAGRAMS) WAS PLACED IN THE WIRE FROM THE STOPLAMP SWITCH AND WAS DEFECTIVE. *TR

1. AFTER DRIVING THE 2009 THOMAS HDX BUS FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS, DRIVER WAS BRINGING THE BUS TO A STOP, AND BEFORE HE ACTIVATED THE DOORS OR ANY OTHER ELECTRICAL ACCESSORIES, HE SAW SMOKE COMING UP FROM THE DASH IN FRONT OF THE STEERING WHEEL. HE REPORTED THE SMOKE COMING FROM THE TOP OF THE DASH NEAR THE WINDSHIELD, NOT FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE DASH AND NOT FROM THE VENT LOCATED ABOVE THE SWITCH PANEL TO THE LEFT OF THE OPERATOR'S SEAT. DRIVER SHUT THE BUS OFF. APPROX. 5-10 MINUTES LATER, SMOKE WAS SEEN COMING FROM THE OPERATOR'S WINDOW AND THE OPEN FOLDING DOORS. FLAMES WERE OBSERVED BURNING ACROSS THE INSIDE OF THE FRONT OF THE BUS. FIRE DEPARTMENT NOTIFIED, ARRIVED IN APPROX. 5-10 MINUTES AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. 2. BUS WAS DETERMINED TO BE A TOTAL LOSS. 3. INVESTIGATION TO DETERMINE ORIGIN AND CAUSE OF THE FIRE INDETERMINATE AS TO SPECIFIC COMPONENT IN THE CIRCUIT BREAKER AREA; HOWEVER THOMAS SUBSEQUENTLY ISSUED A RECALL.