Does the 2012 Thomas Built SAF-T-Liner HDX School BUS have any recalls?

Transport Canada lists 10 campaigns and the U.S. NHTSA lists 0 for the 2012 Thomas Built SAF-T-Liner HDX School BUS. Matched by make, model, and model year. Many recalls affect only specific VIN ranges — confirm with your dealer using your full VIN.

How do I know if a recall applies to my 2012 Thomas Built SAF-T-Liner HDX School BUS?

Recalls are matched by make, model and model year, but many cover only certain VIN ranges. Confirm with your manufacturer or dealer using your full VIN, or use the official Transport Canada or NHTSA lookup.

Are recall repairs free?

Yes. In both Canada and the United States the manufacturer must fix a recalled defect at no charge, through a franchised dealer.

RECALLS — MAKE · MODEL · YEAR

2012 Thomas Built SAF-T-Liner HDX School BUS recalls

10 safety recall campaigns have been filed for the 2012 Thomas Built SAF-T-Liner HDX School BUS with Transport Canada and the U.S. NHTSA. Here is what both agencies say.

Canadian recalls: 10
U.S. recalls: 00
Total campaigns: 10

Transport Canada recalls

Seats And Restraints#2022680November 28, 2022
51 units affected
Issue: On certain school buses, the restraining barrier between the entrance door and the first seat may not meet the energy absorption requirements of Canadian regulations. Safety Risk: A barrier that does not properly absorb energy could increase the risk of injury to passengers in a crash. Corrective Actions: Daimler Truck North America (DTNA) will notify owners by mail. The corrective actions for this recall are under development.
Structure#2022577October 12, 2022
284 units affected
Issue: Certain school buses may not meet Canadian regulations for roof panel joint strength. Safety Risk: A roof joint that is not strong enough could increase the risk of injury in a crash. Corrective Actions: Daimler Truck North America (DTNA) will notify owners by mail and instruct you to take your bus to a DTNA authorized service facility to add additional fasteners to the roof lap joints.
Seats And Restraints#2019641December 17, 2019
64 units affected
This recall was replaced by Transport Canada recall number 2022-680. Issue: On certain school buses, the restraining barrier between the entrance door and the first seat may not meet the energy absorption requirements of Canadian regulations. Safety Risk: A barrier that does not properly absorb energy could increase the risk of injury to passengers in a crash. Corrective Actions: Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) will notify owners by mail. The corrective actions for this recall are under development.
Accessories#2018028January 15, 2018
12,791 units affected
On certain school buses equipped with Kidde fire extinguishers with black plastic handles and valves, the fire extinguishers may become clogged or require excessive force to activate. Also, the nozzle may detach from the valve assembly with enough force that it could cause injury, and fail to discharge. In case of fire, failure of the extinguisher to function could result in injury and/or property damage. Correction: Owners will be provided with instructions on how to inspect the fire extinguisher to see if it is recalled. Replacement fire extinguishers will be supplied by Kidde directly. Note: For more information about recalled fire extinguishers, please visit <a href="https://inmarmarketaction.com/kidde/Kidde284CA/">www.kidde.com</a>.
Heater And Defroster#2016224May 13, 2016
2 units affected
On certain school buses equipped with a transmission retarder, a bypass fitting may locally increase the coolant system pressures beyond the application working pressure of the standard heater hoses. The maximum pressures do not exceed the burst-pressure of the hose but, over time hose fatigue may occur and lead to a premature failure of the heater hose. If the hose were to fail, it may lead to a coolant leak inside the bus body, which may come in contact with the occupants of the vehicle and cause burn injuries. Correction: Dealers will replace the affected heater hose.
Accessories#2015395September 8, 2015
173 units affected
On certain school buses equipped with a Ricon wheelchair lift, the lift platform sides may crack, which could cause the lift to lean against the vehicle door(s) and potentially fall out of the vehicle when the doors are opened, putting the lift operator at risk of injury. Correction: Ricon Corporation repair facilities will inspect lift platforms, link arms and bearings for cracks, damage or misalignment and if found to be damaged, link arms and/or platform will be replaced. Note: This recall supersedes recall 2014-330. Vehicles repaired under the previous recall will require re-inspection and potential repair.
Engine#2015335July 24, 2015
14 units affected
On certain school buses equipped with Cummins Westport ISL-G engines, excessive engine crankcase pressure could cause the vent tube assembly molded rubber adapter to detach from the breather. This could allow engine oil to come in contact with hot surfaces, increasing the risk of fire resulting in injury and/or damage to property. Correction: Dealers will install clamps at both ends of the adapter of the breather tube assembly and reprogram the Electronic Control Module (ECM) to improve diagnostic capabilities.
Accessories#2014330August 6, 2014
173 units affected
On certain school buses equipped with a Ricon wheelchair lift, the lift platform sides may crack, which could cause the lift to lean against the vehicle door(s) and potentially fall out of the vehicle when the doors are opened, putting the lift operator at risk of injury. Correction: Ricon Corporation repair facilities will inspect lift platforms for cracks and repair as necessary, and install a repair kit.
Engine#2014051February 21, 2014
15 units affected
On certain vehicles equipped with Cummins ISL G or ISX12 G engines, incorrect engine ECU programming could cause the exhaust system temperature to become elevated during cold weather operation. This could also cause flames to be emitted from the exhaust. As a result, nearby combustible material could be ignited, increasing the risk of a fire, injury and/or damage to property. Correction: Authorized Cummins service facilities will update software programming.
Engine#2011338September 13, 2011
400 units affected
On certain school buses equipped with a Cummins engine, the V-band clamps used to connect the inlet and outlet cone sections to the Diesel Oxidation Catalyst (DOC) / Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) include a T-bolt which can fracture and fail when subjected to stress or load. A fracture or failure of the T-bolt may cause the clamp to loosen and the inlet or outlet sections attached to the DOC/DPF housing to disconnect. Should this occur, hot exhaust gases can vent prior to exiting the tailpipe, creating a risk of combustion or damage to adjacent materials, which could result in a vehicle fire. If both clamps fail, the DOC/DPF housing could detach completely, separate from the vehicle, and strike another vehicle, stationary object, or bystander. These issues could result in property damage and/or personal injury. Correction: Cummins will install updated V-band clamps.

Canadian data updated August 24, 2026

U.S. NHTSA recalls

No recalls found for this make, model, and year.

Does this recall apply to my vehicle?

Matched by make, model, and model year. Many recalls affect only specific VIN ranges — confirm with your dealer using your full VIN.

What to do

Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer in both countries. To confirm a recall applies to your specific vehicle, or to book the work, contact your manufacturer or dealer with your full VIN, or use the official channel:

NHTSA recall lookup (search by VIN) — U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Defects and recalls database — Transport Canada

Check a 2012 Thomas Built SAF-T-Liner HDX School BUS VIN

A VIN decode confirms your vehicle's exact model year, trim and assembly plant, then runs this same recall check against it.

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