2003 THOMAS ER — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data
N/A
Safety Rating
1
Owner Complaint
6
Recalls
0
Service Bulletins
0
Investigations
Overview of the 2003 THOMAS ER
The 2003 THOMAS ER has received a total of 1 safety complaint filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). There have been 6 recall campaigns affecting this vehicle, covering issues with ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS, STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS. The most commonly reported problem area is the Otherschool Bus Stop Arm Assembly (1 complaint).
Recalls for the 2003 THOMAS ER
NHTSA has recorded 6 recalls for the 2003 THOMAS ER, potentially affecting up to 314,626 vehicles.
Recall 08V622000 — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS
| 18,198 vehicles affected
Defect: 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 ELECTRICAL CIRCUITS CAUSING AN UNEXPECTED LOSS...
Consequence: UNEXPECTED LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AND EXTERIOR LIGHTING COULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
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 1-336-889-4871.
View full details →Recall 08V087000 — STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS
| 243,435 vehicles affected
Defect: 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 THE PROTECTIVE FINISH TO CHIP AND FLAKE. CONTINUED CORROSION...
Consequence: IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY, A PERSON ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE BUS MAY BREAK THE DOOR HANDLE TRYING TO OPEN THE EMERGENCY EXIT POTENTIALLY DELAYING EVACUATION AND INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY TO THE VEHICLE'S OCCUPANTS.
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 NOTIFICATION FOR THE REVISED POPULATION...
View full details →Recall 07V544000 — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS
| 33,303 vehicles affected
Defect: 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 POTENTIALLY RESULTING...
Consequence: A VEHICLE FIRE CAN OCCUR POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A CRASH.
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 THOMAS BUILT CUSTOMER SUPPORT...
View full details →Recall 05V340000 — OTHER:SCHOOL BUS STOP ARM ASSEMBLY
| 13,583 vehicles affected
Defect: 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, INDIANA, IOWA, KANSAS, KENTUCKY, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, MONTANA, NEBRASKA,...
Consequence: SHOULD THE STOP ARM NOT PERFORM PROPERLY, A CHILD OR PEDESTRIAN MAY BE ENDANGERED BY PASSING VEHICLES SHOULD THE MOTORIST NOT STOP AT THE CORRECT LOCATION.
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 OF CHARGE. THE RECALL...
View full details →Recall 05V347000 — OTHER:SCHOOL BUS STOP ARM ASSEMBLY
| 5,954 vehicles affected
Defect: 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, IDAHO, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, KANSAS, KENTUCKY, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA,...
Consequence: SHOULD THE STOP ARM NOT PERFORM PROPERLY, A CHILD OR PEDESTRIAN MAY BE ENDANGERED BY PASSING VEHICLES SHOULD THE MOTORIST NOT STOP AT THE CORRECT LOCATION.
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 SWITCH UPON OWNER...
View full details →Recall 05V208000 — VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
| 153 vehicles affected
Defect: CERTAIN MY 2002-2005 THOMAS BUILT SAF-T-LINER ER SCHOOL BUSES AND ER TRANSIT BUSES MANUFACTURED BETWEEN NOVEMBER 2002 AND FEBRUARY 2005 AND EQUIPPED WITH JOHN DEERE 8.1L COMPRESSED NATURAL GAS ENGINES MODELS HFN01 AND HFN03. THE ENGINE CONTROL UNIT AND THROTTLE CAN UNEXPECTEDLY SURGE. THESE UNITS FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 124, ACCELERATOR CONTROL SYSTEMS.
Consequence: A SUDDEN ENGINE SURGE COULD POSSIBLY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: JOHN DEERE WILL NOTIFY THE CUSTOMERS OF FREIGHTLINER/THOMAS BUILT AND WILL UPDATE THE ENGINE CONTROL UNIT SOFTWARE FREE OF CHARGE. OWNERS MAY CONTACT JOHN DEERE AT 1-800-JD-ENGINE.
View full details →Owner Complaints for the 2003 THOMAS ER
1 complaint has been filed with NHTSA for the 2003 THOMAS ER. Below is a breakdown by vehicle component.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Injuries | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Otherschool Bus Stop Arm Assembly | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Most Recent Complaints
TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE DRIVES A 2003 THOMAS BUILT BUS FOR WALLENPAUPACK SCHOOLS IN PA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER 09/14/05 FOR THE STOP ASSEMBLY WITH CAMPAIGN# 05V347000. THE COMPANY HAS NOT RESOLVED THE RECALL REPLACEMENT, AND HE RECEIVED HIS 2ND NOTICE FROM THE MANUFACTURE 05/16/06, STATING THAT THE MANUFACTURE STILL HAS NO RECORD OF THIS RECALL BEING REPAIRED. THE MOST RECENT LETTER WAS RECEIVED 11/03/06 AND THERE HAS BEEN NO RESOLUTION AS OF YET. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE HAS CALLED THE ROHRER BUS LINE ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS AND HAS BEEN TOLD BY STEVE PAT WITH # 717-957-4774 THAT HE WILL BE OUT TO TAKE CARE OF THE RECALL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT NEITHER MR. PAT NOR THE MANUFACTURE HAVE DONE THEIR PART TO FIXING THIS REPAIR. THE CONTACT WILL SUBMIT MODEL# WHEN HE RECEIVES HIS HARD COPY. THERE HAS BEEN NO FAILURE TO DATE. *NM
Safety Rating for the 2003 THOMAS ER
NHTSA has not yet tested the 2003 THOMAS ER in its New Car Assessment Program.
Technical Service Bulletins for the 2003 THOMAS ER
No technical service bulletins have been reported for this vehicle.
NHTSA Investigations for the 2003 THOMAS ER
There are no NHTSA defect investigations on record for this vehicle.
Other Model Years of the THOMAS ER
- 2001 THOMAS ER — 0 complaints
- 2002 THOMAS ER — 0 complaints
- 2003 THOMAS ER (current)
- 2004 THOMAS ER — 0 complaints
- 2005 THOMAS ER — 0 complaints
- 2006 THOMAS ER — 0 complaints
- 2007 THOMAS ER — 0 complaints
- 2008 THOMAS ER — 0 complaints
Other THOMAS Models
- THOMAS SCHOOL BUS — 27 total complaints
- THOMAS THOMAS — 14 total complaints
- THOMAS MVP EF — 10 total complaints
- THOMAS BUS — 7 total complaints
- THOMAS SAF-T-LINER — 7 total complaints
- THOMAS C2 — 3 total complaints
- THOMAS ER MODEL — 3 total complaints
- THOMAS FS-65 — 3 total complaints