Recall 10V142 covers 4 2010-2011 Thomas Built 161TS school buses with misaligned seat cushion locks. The buses have already been repaired.
Thomas Built is recalling 4 2010-2011 161TS school buses under recall 10V142 because misaligned seat cushion locking mechanisms leave the buses out of compliance with federal school bus seating and crash protection rules. In a crash, a seat cushion can detach and raise the risk of injury to occupants; the Thomas Built dealer repair will be free once available.
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What's wrong?
The seat cushion locking mechanism on 2010-2011 Thomas Built 161TS school buses is the hardware that holds the passenger seat cushion in its proper position on the seat frame. In normal use, the cushion lock helps keep the seat assembly secured so the passenger seating and crash protection system works as designed.
On affected buses, the seat cushion locking mechanisms were misaligned during vehicle assembly. Because the lock does not line up correctly, the cushion is not secured the way Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 222 requires for school bus passenger seating and crash protection. That is the defect behind NHTSA campaign 10V142.
There is no warning sign before failure. An owner or fleet operator should not rely on a rattle, loose feel, or visible seat movement as the trigger to act, because the recall is based on the assembly alignment and the VIN decides whether the bus is included.
Who's affected?
The scope spans the 2010 and 2011 model years, both tied to the seat assembly.
| 2010 Thomas Built 161TS | seat assembly |
|---|---|
| 2011 Thomas Built 161TS | seat assembly |
| Units affected | 4 |
A matching year and model does not confirm inclusion. Check your VIN to confirm whether your specific bus is included.
What's the safety risk?
In a crash, the seat cushion can detach from the seat. That raises injury risk for bus occupants because the cushion is part of the seated restraint area. If your VIN is included, confirm the recall work before regular passenger service. Repair will be free at any franchised Thomas Built dealer once available.
What should I do?
- Check your VIN to confirm your 2010-2011 Thomas Built 161TS school bus is included in this recall.
- Contact a franchised Thomas Built dealer to confirm the seat-cushion locking-mechanism repair has been completed.
- Reference recall number 10V142 when you call, and explain that the repair re-secures the seat cushion so it stays attached in a crash.
- Call Thomas Built customer service at 1-800-222-0271 with questions about this completed school bus recall.
What happens at the repair
The repair record says all affected Thomas Built buses were repaired before an owner notification letter was issued. The work concerns the seat cushion locking mechanisms that were misaligned during assembly. For any 161TS bus still showing an open 10V142 recall, a Thomas Built technician should confirm the seat cushion locking mechanisms were corrected and close out the campaign. The recall repair is free if work is still required. Owners can contact H. A. DeHart at 1 800 222 0271 for campaign handling details.
Timeline
| February 2, 2010 | Owner notification mailed |
|---|---|
| April 9, 2010 | NHTSA published the recall |
Frequently asked questions
What is recall 10V142?
Recall 10V142 covers 4 2010-2011 Thomas Built 161TS school buses with seat cushion locking mechanisms that were misaligned during assembly. In a crash, a seat cushion can detach and increase injury risk for bus occupants. The filing states all 4 buses were repaired.
What should I do if my 2010-2011 Thomas Built 161TS is on this recall?
Check your VIN to confirm your specific bus is included in recall 10V142. If it is, ask a franchised Thomas Built dealer to confirm the seat cushion locking mechanism repair is complete. Reference recall number 10V142 when you call.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Federal recall law requires the manufacturer to correct the defect at no cost. For recall 10V142, the filing states all 4 buses were repaired, so the next step is confirming the completed repair against your VIN and service record.
What is the safety risk?
The safety risk is seat cushion separation during a crash. The seat cushion locking mechanisms were misaligned during assembly, so a cushion can detach from the seat and increase injury risk for bus occupants. Confirm the free repair is complete before relying on the bus for service.
More information
| NHTSA campaign page | nhtsa.gov/vehicle-recalls/10V142000 |
|---|---|
| Thomas Built customer service | 1-800-222-0271 |
| NHTSA recall # | 10V142 |
| NHTSA recall # (full) | 10V142000 |
Source documents
-
Download Recall Document (PDF) (PDF) - Download Defect / Noncompliance Notice (PDF) (PDF)
- Download Recall Acknowledgement (PDF)
This article is generated from NHTSA's primary recall filings and reviewed against the source on June 3, 2026. RecallNotify does not paraphrase NHTSA's consequence language; that text is reproduced as written above. Editorial standards →