Recall 13V606 covers 145 2013-2015 Thomas Built Buses school buses with IMMI L9 buckle defects. Repair is free at any franchised Thomas Built Buses dealer.
Thomas Built Buses is recalling 145 2013-2015 Saf-T-Liner Hdx, Minotour, and Saf-T-Liner C2 school buses because IMMI-brand L9 seat belt buckles can leave the latch plate partly engaged after the release button is pressed. That can make the belt hard to unlatch, hinder emergency exit, and increase injury risk; the dealer repair will be free once available.
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What's wrong?
The seat belt buckle on the 2013-2015 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner Hdx, Minotour, and Saf-T-Liner C2 school buses is supposed to hold the latch plate locked while the passenger is riding. When the release button is pressed, the latch plate should come out cleanly so the belt opens without extra force.
On affected buses with IMMI-brand L9 buckles, the release does not work cleanly. When the button is pressed, the latch plate can stay partly caught inside the buckle instead of unlatching. That makes the seat belt difficult to release and leaves the belt assembly out of compliance with FMVSS No. 209, the federal standard for seat belt assemblies.
There is no warning sign before failure. The problem shows up when someone tries to unbuckle the belt and the latch plate does not release as expected.
Who's affected?
Covers three Thomas Built Buses model lines across the 2013-2015 model years, all tied to the seat belt component.
| 2015 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner Hdx | seat belt |
|---|---|
| 2015 Thomas Built Minotour | seat belt |
| 2013 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner Hdx | seat belt |
| 2013 Thomas Built Minotour | seat belt |
| 2014 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner Hdx | seat belt |
| 2013 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner C2 | seat belt |
| 2014 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner C2 | seat belt |
| 2015 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner C2 | seat belt |
| 2014 Thomas Built Minotour | seat belt |
| Units affected | 145 |
The year and model narrow the scope, but the VIN decides. Check your VIN to confirm whether your specific bus is included.
What's the safety risk?
A seat belt buckle that holds the latch plate after the release button is pressed can slow exit from the bus during an emergency and increase the risk of injury. If a belt does not release cleanly, keep that seating position out of use and schedule inspection. Repair will be free at any franchised Thomas Built Buses dealer once available.
What should I do?
- Check your VIN to confirm your 2013-2015 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner Hdx, Minotour, or Saf-T-Liner C2 is included in this recall.
- Wait for Thomas Built Buses instructions before scheduling the dealer inspection if you have not received a recall notice.
- Contact a franchised Thomas Built Buses dealer and ask about the free seat belt buckle inspection and replacement that fixes buckles that remain partly latched after release.
- Reference recall number 13V606 and Thomas Built Buses campaign FL-654 when you call.
- Keep the recall notice with the bus records and bring it to the dealer appointment.
What happens at the repair
For recall 13V606, the repair described by Thomas Built Buses is an inspection of the IMMI-brand L9 seat belt buckles. A Thomas Built Buses technician checks whether the buckle can release correctly and replaces buckles that do not pass the inspection. The dealer repair will be free once available. Parts and labor are covered under the recall, and the work focuses on the buckle assembly, not the full seat belt unless the inspection requires replacement.
Timeline
| November 29, 2013 | NHTSA published the recall |
|---|
Frequently asked questions
What is recall 13V606?
Recall 13V606 covers 145 2013-2015 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner Hdx, Minotour, and Saf-T-Liner C2 school buses with IMMI-brand L9 seat belt buckles. The buckle latch plate can stay partly engaged after the release button is pressed, making the belt difficult to unlatch.
What should I do if my 2013-2015 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner Hdx, Minotour, or Saf-T-Liner C2 is on this recall?
Check your VIN to confirm your specific bus is included in recall 13V606. If it is, contact a franchised Thomas Built Buses dealer to inspect the seat belt buckles and replace them when needed. Reference recall number 13V606 or DTNA campaign FL-654 when you call.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Federal recall law requires the manufacturer to repair the safety defect at no cost. Thomas Built Buses dealers will inspect the IMMI-brand L9 seat belt buckles and replace the affected buckles free of charge when the recall applies to the bus.
What is the safety risk?
The risk is delayed exit from the bus during an emergency. If the latch plate stays partly engaged after the release button is pressed, the seat belt becomes difficult to unlatch, which increases injury risk when passengers or drivers need to get out quickly.
More information
| NHTSA campaign page | nhtsa.gov/vehicle-recalls/13V606000 |
|---|---|
| Thomas Built Buses customer service | 1-800-385-4357 |
| NHTSA recall # | 13V606 |
| NHTSA recall # (full) | 13V606000 |
Source documents
-
Download Recall Investigation Document (PDF) (PDF) - Download Recall Document (PDF) (PDF)
- Download Owner Notification Letter (PDF)
- Download Owner Notice (PDF)
- Download Quarterly Report (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 2, 2026. RecallNotify does not paraphrase NHTSA's consequence language; that text is reproduced as written above. Editorial standards →