Driver Seat Belt Anchor Improperly Installed/FMVSS 210

Affected vehicles (1)

Component / system

Defect

Daimler Trucks North America, LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2026-2027 Thomas Built SAF-T-LINER HDX2 school buses. The driver seat belt anchor may have been installed with inadequate hardware. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 210, "Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages."

Risk / consequence

An improperly installed seat belt anchor may fail to properly restrain the driver in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy

Dealers will inspect and replace the seat belt fastener components, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 17, 2026. Owners may contact DTNA customer service at 1-800-574-0712. DTNA's number for this recall is F1033.

Chronology of events

1. Mar 2, 2026

   On March 2, 2026, a potential issue was identified involving irregularities in the installation of the driver seat tether belt hardware securing the tether to the floor in an HDX2 bus. DTNA immediately began an investigation to determine the potential scope and impact of the deviation. All Saf(cid:0)T(cid:0)Liner HDX2 vehicles at the manufacturing facility were placed on hold to investigate the hardware installed on the buses. From March through early April, an on(cid:0)site inspection analysis, inspection and testing were performed and reviewed. Based upon those results, DTNA identified that a specific nut in the seat belt tether may not have been installed as intended. Also, in early April, a review of warranty claims and field reports was initiated, and no claims or reports were identified related to the condition. On April 15, 2026, Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) determined that a recall should be initiated to address the affected Saf(cid:0)T(cid:0)Liner HDX2 school buses.

2. Apr 23, 2026

   On April 23, 2026, DTNA updated the recall remedy and amended the dates in the descriptive information section and how/when the recall condition was corrected in production section to reflect the correct production end date. The recall population is not affected by this update.

Notification schedule

Dealer notification

May 10, 2026 - May 10, 2026 No Dealers

Owner notification

Jun 19, 2026 - Jun 19, 2026 Phased Recall