THOMAS BUILT BUSES Complaints

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 THOMAS BUILT FS-65/ FREIGHTLINER SCHOOL BUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUSE PANELS AND CABLES LEADING TO THE FUSE PANELS BURNED IN THE VEHICLE. HE REPLACED THE PANELS ON APPROXIMATELY 30 BUSES. HE RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 07V544000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS), AND STATED THAT THE RECALL SHOULD HAVE BEEN EXTENDED TO THE FUSE PANELS AS WELL. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 68,213 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 35,000.

BUSES MANUFACTURED IN SUCH A WAY THAT FRONT HUB PILOTED WHEELS CANNOT BE CENTERED ON HUB CREATING EXCESSIVE VIBRATION AT ALL SPEEDS AND CAUSING AN UNSAFE CONDITION. ADDITIONALLY BRAKES ON THE SAME BUSES ARE CONTINUALLY REPORTED AS BEING EXCESSIVELY LOUD AND VIBRATING SEVERELY WHEN APPLIED. BRAKES POSSIBLY RELATED TO UNCENTERED WHEELS. PROBLEM REPORTED TO MANUFACTURED/DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES WITH NO RESOLUTION. *TR

BUSES MANUFACTURED IN SUCH A WAY THAT FRONT HUB PILOTED WHEELS CANNOT BE CENTERED ON HUB CREATING EXCESSIVE VIBRATION AT ALL SPEEDS AND CAUSING AN UNSAFE CONDITION. ADDITIONALLY BRAKES ON THE SAME BUSES ARE CONTINUALLY REPORTED AS BEING EXCESSIVELY LOUD AND VIBRATING SEVERELY WHEN APPLIED. BRAKES POSSIBLY RELATED TO UNCENTERED WHEELS. PROBLEM REPORTED TO MANUFACTURER/DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES WITH NO RESOLUTION. *TR

BUSES MANUFACTURED IN SUCH A WAY THAT FRONT HUB PILOTED WHEELS CANNOT BE CENTERED ON HUB CREATING EXCESSIVE VIBRATION AT ALL SPEEDS AND CAUSING AN UNSAFE CONDITION. ADDITIONALLY BRAKES ON THE SAME BUSES ARE CONTINUALLY REPORTED AS BEING EXCESSIVELY LOUD AND VIBRATING SEVERELY WHEN APPLIED. BRAKES POSSIBLY RELATED TO UNCENTERED WHEELS. PROBLEM REPORTED TO MANUFACTURER/DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES WITH NO RESOLUTION. *TR

THE BUS QUIT RUNNING, START RUNNING WITHOUT TURNING THE IGNITION, AND THEY HAVE NUMEROUS OTHER ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTIONS. THE BIGGEST CONSEQUENCE IS WHEN THE BUS QUITS RUNNING WHILE THERE IS A BUS LOAD OF STUDENTS ON. THIS LEADS TO STUDENTS BEING LATE TO SCHOOL OR HOME. FURTHERMORE, THEY LOSE POWER STEERING WHEN THE ENGINE DIES. THIS IS ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS WHEN THE BUSES ARE AT RAILROAD CROSSINGS AND INTERSECTIONS. THE PARTS WE HAVE TO REPLACE TO FIX IT ARE (THOMAS PART NUMBERS) 6120-2164: MAIN POWER SWITCH, AND 6120-2076, VEHICLE INTERFACE MODULE. SOME OLD PARTS ARE AVAILABLE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 THOMAS BUILT C2. THE PASSENGER SIDE MIRROR IS DEFECTIVE AND BLOCKS THE VIEW OF ONCOMING VEHICLES. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY COULD SEND A NEW BRACKET TO PLACE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE MIRROR THAT WOULD ELIMINATE THE DEFECT. THE BRACKET WOULD COST BETWEEN $80 TO $100. THE ENGINE SIZE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 7,621 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 438.

AIR BRAKES WOULD NOT RELEASE. REPLACED CMU PART NUMBER 06-34530-006, PART HAD WATER INSIDE UNIT. THIS IS THE SECOND REPLACEMENT FOR THIS SCHOOL BUS. THE BUS IS A 2006 THOMAS SAF-T-LINER 72 PASSENGER. THE CMU IS LOCATED BEHIND THE BATTERY BOX ON THE DRIVER SIDE. THIS SECOND UNIT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE AN UPDATED VERSION THAT PREVENTED MOISTURE FROM ENTERING THE CMU THE VEHICLE. *JB

2002 THOMAS FREIGHTLINER SCHOOL BUS- BUS WAS ON ACTIVITY TRIP AT ANOTHER SCHOOL AND NOTICED A HARD PEDAL ON BRAKES AFTER UNLOADING THE KIDS. TOLD DRIVER NOT TO MOVE BUS. BROUGHT OVER DIFFERENT BUS AND TOWED THAT ONE BACK. MECHANIC NOTICED THE CLEVIS PEDAL ROD HAD SEPARATED IN THE BOOT BEHIND FOOT PEDAL. THE GROMMET THAT HELD IT TOGETHER WAS BAD CAUSING IT TO COME LOOSE. *JB

FRONT END SHAKE/SHIMMY WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED AT ALL SPEEDS, SO VIOLENT AT TIMES WILL TAKE STEERING WHEEL OUT OF HANDS. *JB

FRONT END SHAKE/SHIMMY WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED AT ALL SPEEDS, SO VIOLENT AT TIMES WILL TAKE STEERING WHEEL OUT OF HANDS, ALSO UNIT HAS HARD PULL TO THE LEFT ALONG WITH FRONT END SHIMMY. *JB