THOMAS BUILT BUSES Complaints

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.

MELTED TYCO CIRCUIT BOARD AFTER RECALL 07V-544 HAD BEEN COMPLETED. RECALL DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE CORRECTING THIS PROBLEM. *TR

TRANSMISSION COOLER IN RADIATOR LEAKED CAUSING REPLACEMENT OF RADIATOR. ANTI-FREEZE BACK FLUSHED INTO THE TRANSMISSION CAUSING CONTAMINATION AND TRANSMISSION ALSO NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. TOTAL COST $5,751.00 TO A BUS TWO YEARS OLD WITH 30,000 MILES. *TR

DURING PERIODIC PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE INSPECTIONS THE DRIVERS SEAT BELT HAS BEEN FOUND BINDING AT THE TOP GUIDE LOOP CAUSING BELT TO LEAVE EXCESSIVE SLACK ON SEVERAL OF OUR SCHOOL BUSES. HERE IS ONE OF THE BUSES INFORMATION. 2007 THOMAS SAF-T-LINER. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 THOMAS BUILT BUS ENGINE FRONT (EF). THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS IN THE DEPRESSED POSITION. THE PEDAL ALSO BECAME STUCK IN THAT POSITION. THERE WAS EXTREME PRESSURE APPLIED TO THE BRAKE PEDAL, FOLLOWED BY NO RESPONSE. THE PARKING BRAKE RAPIDLY ENGAGED AND THE GEAR SHIFT WAS PLACED IN THE "NEUTRAL" POSITION IN ORDER TO SLOW DOWN AND STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION WITH CAUTION. A CERTIFIED TECHNICIAN REPAIRED THE VEHICLE AND STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 37.920. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 38,090. UPDATED 10/21/09 *BF UPDATED 10/20/09. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 THOMAS BUILT BUSES SAF-T-LINER C2 BUS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE EXTERIOR REAR BRAKE LIGHT FAILED TO ILLUMINATE WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 06V205000 (PARKING BRAKE:CONVENTIONAL:AIR) REGARDING THE AIR MANAGE UNIT. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 32,000.

A BUS DRIVER CALLS IN A PROBLEM TO THE DISPATCHER THAT THE BUS CUT OFF WHILE DURING THE ROUTE. IN AUGUST OF 2001 DPS PURCHASED ONE HUNDRED TWENTY FIVE (125) THOMAS BUILT SAF-T-LINERS WITH CATERPILLAR 3126 B ENGINES. IN 2006 PRIOR TO THE ENGINE WARRANTY EXPIRING WE BEGAN TO EXPERIENCE IDLE GEAR FAILURES AND APPROXIMATELY TWENTY TWO (22) WERE REPLACED AND COVER UNDER WARRANTY BY CATERPILLAR. HOWEVER, SINCE THAT TIME WE HAVE LOST AN ADDITIONAL TWENTY SEVEN (27) OUT OF SERVICE THAT IS NOT COVER UNDER WARRANTY WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AND THAT IS STILL GOING UP, AND THIS IS A DAILY OCCURRENCE. *TR

OUR THOMAS C-2 BUSES HAVE STUDENT CROSSING MIRRORS THAT WILL NOT HOLD ADJUSTMENT. THE BRACKETS CONTINUALLY BREAK AND THE HOOD MOUNTS PULL OUT. THE MIRRORS USED ARE ROSCO HAWEYE. *TR

ANNUAL INSPECTION REVEALED BROKEN ROOF BOWS ON TWO SEPERATE SCHOOL BUSSES. THE THOMAS DEALER HAS AVAILABLE A REPAIR PART AND PROCEDURE, A STIFFENER IS WELDED IN THE BOW AT THE WINDOW HEADER.

BUS BRAKE INTERLOCK WILL NOT RELEASE, MUST BYPASS BRAKE SWITCH TO MOVE BUS FROM ROADWAY AFTER STUDENT PICKUP. HAPPENS INTERMITTENTLY ,WITHOUT WARNING. HAVE TO REPLACE AMU BRAKE SWITCH BLOCK, PART #A12-19776-010-01. TO CORRECT. BUS ONLY HAS 21,485 MILES .HAVE 6 BUSES WITH SIMILAR MILEAGE, HAVE REPLACED 3 TO DATE. HAVE REPLACED WITH IDENTICAL PART AS ORIGINAL, FEEL PROBLEM WILL REOCCUR. HAVE TALKED TO OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS WITH MULTIPLE PROBLEMS. IS VERY DANGEROUS DO TO LOCATION THAT PROBLEM COULD OCCUR SUCH AS BUSY TWO LANE HIGHWAY. *TR