NHTSA vehicle safety data

2006 Thomas Built Buses SAF-T-Liner Recalls & Complaints

The 2006 Thomas Built Buses SAF-T-Liner has 1 NHTSA recall campaign and 1 owner complaint on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized Thomas Built Buses dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 2006 Thomas Built Buses SAF-T-Liner. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

2006 Thomas Built Buses SAF-T-Liner owner complaints

Owners have filed 1 complaint with NHTSA about the 2006 Thomas Built Buses SAF-T-Liner, describing incidents dated October 25, 2007.

Most-cited components

Electrical System 1 complaint

Newest complaints

ODI #10216975 · Filed February 5, 2008
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…

Read the full complaint

NHTSA defect investigations

NHTSA's investigations file lists the 2006 Thomas Built Buses SAF-T-Liner in 1 investigation. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.

Engineering Analysis EA07-002: STEERING COLUMN WELD CRACKS
Closed July 12, 2007
- Recall 07V-289

Open and recently closed NHTSA defect investigations

DOUGLAS AUTOTEC STEERING COLUMN MISSING WELDS

NHTSA #07V289000 · Steering — Column · NHTSA notice

Reported July 3, 2007 · FREIGHTLINER LLC

Potentially affected: 25,643 vehicles

Manufacturer campaign FL-503 · Owners notified August 30, 2007 · Vehicles built October 23, 2004 – March 21, 2006 (per NHTSA) · Recall influenced by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation

Defect description

CERTAIN FREIGHTLINER SCHOOL BUSES AND TRUCKS MANUFACTURED FROM OCTOBER 23, 2004, TO MARCH 21, 2006. DURING THE STEERING COLUMN MANUFACTURING PROCESS TWO WELDS MAY HAVE BEEN MISSING.

Safety consequence

COLUMNS WITH TWO WELDS MISSING MAY FATIGUE AND FRACTURE AND ALLOW THE STEERING WHEEL TO PROGRESSIVELY BE MOVED OUT OF ITS NORMAL POSITION WHICH MAY CAUSE THE STEERING TO RESPOND DIFFERENTLY THAN EXPECTED. IF THIS CONDITION IS IGNORED, A CRASH MAY OCCUR.

Manufacturer remedy

FREIGHTLINER WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND INSPECT AND REPAIR THE AFFECTED VEHICLE FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 30, 2007. OWNERS CAN CONTACT FREIGHTLINER AT 1-800-547-0712.

Notes

FREIGHTLINER RECALL NO. FL-503.CUSTOMERS MAY CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 1-800-424-9153); OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV.

try.vin has no NCAP crash-test rating on file for the 2006 Thomas Built Buses SAF-T-Liner. NHTSA rates some vehicles by body style — pickups by cab, vans by roof height — so check nhtsa.gov/ratings.

1 owner complaint has been filed with NHTSA for the 2006 Thomas Built Buses SAF-T-Liner.

Electrical System

ODI #10216975

Incident: October 25, 2007 · Filed: February 5, 2008

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

Other Thomas Built Buses SAF-T-Liner model years

Check your 2006 Thomas Built Buses SAF-T-Liner VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Thomas Built Buses SAF-T-Liner at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

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