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Campaign 15V565 Posted September 4, 2015 4,334 units

2006-2015 Thomas Built Buses Recall 15V565: Lift Arm

RN
Reviewed by the RecallNotify editorial team
Published May 31, 2026

Recall 15V565 covers 4,334 2006-2015 Thomas Built Buses school buses for wheelchair-lift link-arm bearing defects. Free repairs at franchised dealers.

Thomas Built Buses is recalling 4,334 2006-2015 Saf-T-Liner C2, Saf-T-Liner FS65, and Minotour school buses equipped with certain Ricon wheelchair lifts because folding link arm pivot holes are too large. The defect can let bearings move out of position, leaving the stowed platform with excessive movement and a risk of mounting failure; the dealer repair will be free once available.

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What's wrong?

The wheelchair lift on affected 2006-2015 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner C2, Saf-T-Liner FS65, Saf-T-Liner Hdx, Minotour, Saf-T-Liner Efx, and Saf-T-Liner Ef school buses uses folding link arms to guide and support the lift platform. Those arms pivot as the platform raises and lowers, and bearings at the pivot points keep the motion aligned and controlled.

On the recalled buses, certain Ricon S Series lift arms were built with pivot holes that are too large. An oversized hole gives the bearing room to shift out of position instead of staying seated in the arm. Once that happens, the lift mechanism no longer moves through its normal path, and the platform cannot be trusted to operate as designed.

There is no warning sign before failure. A driver or attendant should treat any loose, uneven, or abnormal lift movement as a reason to stop using the lift and have it inspected.

Who's affected?

Covers the Saf-T-Liner and Minotour bus lines across the 2006-2015 model years, all tied to equipment adaptive/mobility.

2015 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner C2 Equipment adaptive/mobility
2006 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner FS65 Equipment adaptive/mobility
2014 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner Hdx Equipment adaptive/mobility
2011 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner Hdx Equipment adaptive/mobility
2014 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner FS65 Equipment adaptive/mobility
Units affected4,334
Field incidentsNHTSA has logged 3 field incidents to date.

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?

If the lift bearings move out of position, the stowed platform can move excessively. The platform mounting can fail, and the wheelchair lift platform can fall out when the doors open, raising injury risk for the lift operator. Keep people clear when opening the doors and arrange dealer inspection promptly. Repair will be free at any franchised Thomas Built Buses dealer once available.

What should I do?

  1. Check your VIN to confirm your 2006-2015 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner C2, Saf-T-Liner FS65, Saf-T-Liner Hdx, Minotour, Saf-T-Liner Efx, or Saf-T-Liner Ef is included in this recall.
  2. Follow the Thomas Built Buses owner instructions before scheduling service, since the remedy status is not listed as available.
  3. Call Thomas Built Buses customer service at 1-800-745-8000 with questions and reference recall number 15V565.
  4. Schedule the free wheelchair-lift inspection when Thomas Built Buses opens the repair; the dealer checks the link arms, bearings, and platform cracks, then replaces damaged parts.
  5. Inspect the lift area before use and keep operators clear of the platform path if there is excess platform movement.

What happens at the repair

Once the final dealer repair is available, a Thomas Built Buses technician will inspect the wheelchair lift link arms for damage or displaced bearings and check the platform for cracks. Any damaged link arm, bearing, platform, or related part will be replaced. The final dealer repair will be free once it opens. DTNA has a general reimbursement plan on file for owners who already paid for the same repair. Keep repair invoices and payment records, and ask customer service or the service desk how to submit documentation.

ReimbursementReimbursement available

Timeline

September 4, 2015 NHTSA published the recall
November 2, 2015 Owner notification mailed
November 2, 2015 Dealer notification began
November 2, 2015 Dealer notification ended
November 2, 2015 VIN-searchable in NHTSA's database — Check your VIN to see whether this recall applies to your specific vehicle.
November 2, 2015 Interim owner notification (was planned for this date)

Frequently asked questions

What is recall 15V565?

Recall 15V565 covers 4,334 2006-2015 Thomas Built Buses school buses with certain Ricon wheelchair lifts. The lift link-arm pivot holes can let bearings move out of position, which can let the stowed platform move excessively and fail at the mounting.

What should I do if my 2006-2015 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner C2, Saf-T-Liner FS65, Saf-T-Liner Hdx, Minotour, Saf-T-Liner Efx, or Saf-T-Liner Ef is on this recall?

Check your VIN to confirm your specific bus is included in recall 15V565. If it is, contact a franchised Thomas Built Buses dealer and reference recall FL-686. The dealer will inspect the wheelchair lift link arms, bearings, and platform, then replace damaged parts for free.

Is the recall repair free?

Yes. Federal recall law requires the manufacturer to repair the defect at no cost. Thomas Built Buses dealers will inspect the Ricon wheelchair lift link arms and platform, then replace any damaged parts free of charge.

What is the safety risk?

The risk is injury to the lift operator. If the bearings move out of position, the stowed wheelchair lift platform can move excessively, fail at the mounting, and fall out of the bus when the doors are opened.

Who can I call about Thomas Built Buses recall 15V565?

Call Thomas Built Buses customer service at 1-800-745-8000 and reference recall FL-686. Have the VIN ready before you call so the service desk can confirm whether the bus is included and explain the inspection and repair process.

More information

NHTSA campaign pagenhtsa.gov/vehicle-recalls/15V565000
Thomas Built Buses customer service1-800-745-8000
NHTSA recall #15V565
NHTSA recall # (full)15V565000

Source documents

This article is generated from NHTSA's primary recall filings and reviewed against the source on May 31, 2026. RecallNotify does not paraphrase NHTSA's consequence language; that text is reproduced as written above. Editorial standards →