NHTSA campaign 26V546000 · Manufacturer campaign F1038
Thomas Built Buses Recall 26V-546: Insufficient Joint Strength and Missing Seat Belt Anchor/FMVSS 210, 221
NHTSA recall 26V546000 (Manufacturer campaign F1038) was reported by Daimler Trucks North America, LLC on August 24, 2026, with 65 vehicles potentially affected (per NHTSA). NHTSA's record lists the Thomas Built Buses SAF-T-Liner EFX2 and Thomas Built Buses SAF-T-Liner HDX2 for the 2027 model year.
Updated daily from NHTSA's recall files
Is my vehicle included?
This page lists, by model year, the vehicles NHTSA's recall record names for campaign 26V546000 in the model years try.vin imports (1995 and later); NHTSA's own record can list more. A model year on the list doesn't mean every vehicle of that year is included, and some may already have been repaired.
To see whether a specific vehicle is included and still needs the repair, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Free VIN check: decode a VIN to see its year, make and model.
Key facts
- NHTSA campaign
- 26V546000 (also written 26V-546 or 26V546)
- Filed by
- Daimler Trucks North America, LLC
- Manufacturer campaign number
- F1038
- Report received
- Potentially affected
- 65 vehicles (per NHTSA)
- Component
- Seat Belts — Front — Anchorage
- Safety standard
- FMVSS 210
Completion not yet reported (dataset updated October 21, 2026)
NHTSA cautions against comparing completion rates across recalls or manufacturers. How try.vin reads them.
Vehicles listed for this recall
NHTSA's recall record lists these vehicles for recall 26V546000. try.vin imports model years 1995 and later, so NHTSA's own list can be longer. Model years with a try.vin recall page link to it. Build dates are NHTSA's range for a model year (per NHTSA); a vehicle built in that range is not necessarily included.
Thomas Built Buses
Thomas Built Buses SAF-T-Liner EFX2
- 2027 · Vehicles built January 14, 2026 – June 5, 2026 (per NHTSA)
Thomas Built Buses SAF-T-Liner HDX2
- 2027 · Vehicles built January 3, 2026 – June 10, 2026 (per NHTSA)
NHTSA's recall notice
As NHTSA's recall record states it for campaign 26V546000.
Defect description
Daimler Trucks North America, LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2027 Thomas Built SAF-T-LINER HDX2 and Thomas Built SAF-T-LINER EFX2 school buses. The connector plates for the driver's seat belt anchor and an interior body joint seam may be missing, resulting in insufficient structural reinforcements. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard numbers 210, "Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages," and 221, "School Bus Body Joint Strength."
Safety consequence
A seat belt anchor with a missing connector plate may fail to properly restrain the driver and insufficient joint strength may not adequately protect passengers, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
Manufacturer remedy
Dealers will inspect and replace the header connectors, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed October 23, 2026. Owners may contact DTNA customer service at 1-800-574-0712. DTNA's number for this recall is F1038.
Sources
Official NHTSA notice for recall 26V546000
Campaign details come from NHTSA's recall files, which try.vin imports once a day. The plain-language subject and the completion rate come from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Recalls Data dataset. How try.vin reads recall data.