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Campaign 18V254 Posted April 19, 2018 24 units

2014-2018 Thomas Built Buses Recall 18V254: Seat Bracket

RN
Reviewed by the RecallNotify editorial team
Published May 25, 2026

Recall 18V254 covers 24 2014-2018 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner and Minotour buses for seat-wall-bracket cracks. Free repair at a franchised Thomas Built Buses dealer.

Thomas Built Buses is recalling 24 2014-2018 Saf-T-Liner Efx, Saf-T-Liner Hdx, Minotour, and Saf-T-Liner C2 buses equipped with certain S3B Restraint wall-mounted seats because a wall mounting bracket can crack. In a crash, an unsecured seat raises the occupant's injury risk; the dealer repair will be free once available.

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What's wrong?

The S3B restraint seat in affected 2014-2018 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner Efx, Saf-T-Liner Hdx, Minotour, and Saf-T-Liner C2 buses is mounted to the bus wall with a rear wall bracket. That bracket helps hold the seat in position, including when the seat restraint is loaded during a crash. The seat depends on the wall bracket staying intact and fixed to the body structure.

On affected buses, a metal fatigue crack can develop in the rear wall mount bracket under certain extreme operating conditions. Once the crack grows, the bracket can fracture. If the bus is in a crash, a fractured bracket can keep the seat from staying secured in place.

There is no warning sign before failure. Owners and fleet operators should not expect a light, sound, or seat movement that reliably appears before the bracket cracks or breaks.

Who's affected?

Covers Saf-T-Liner C2, Saf-T-Liner Efx, Saf-T-Liner Hdx, and Minotour buses across the 2014-2018 model years, all tied to the seat assembly.

2014 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner Efx seat assembly
2015 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner Hdx seat assembly
2014 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner Hdx seat assembly
2018 Thomas Built Buses Minotour seat assembly
2015 Thomas Built Buses Minotour seat assembly
Units affected24
Field incidentsNHTSA has logged 2 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?

A wall-mounted seat that breaks loose in a crash can leave the occupant less protected and increase the risk of injury. Until the bracket is installed, confirm whether the VIN is included and arrange recall service with the dealer. Repair will be free at any franchised Thomas Built Buses dealer once available.

What should I do?

  1. Check your VIN to confirm your 2014-2018 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner Efx, Saf-T-Liner Hdx, Minotour, or Saf-T-Liner C2 is included in this recall.
  2. Contact Thomas Built Buses customer service at 1-800-547-0712 for current repair timing.
  3. Ask a franchised Thomas Built Buses dealer about the free wall-mounting-bracket repair that helps keep the S3B wall-mounted seat secured in a crash.
  4. Reference recall number 18V254 and Thomas Built Buses recall FL-769 when you call.
  5. Bring the recall notice to the dealer if you have one.

What happens at the repair

At a Thomas Built Buses authorized service facility, a technician installs an additional wall mounting bracket between the wall rail and each affected S3B wall mounted seat. That added bracket is meant to keep the seat secured to the wall rail during a crash. The dealer repair will be free once available, with parts and labor covered under recall 18V254.

Timeline

April 19, 2018 NHTSA published the recall
June 15, 2018 Dealer notification began
June 15, 2018 Dealer notification ended
June 15, 2018 Interim owner notification (was planned for this date)
January 3, 2019 Owner notification mailed

Frequently asked questions

What is recall 18V254?

Recall 18V254 covers 24 2014-2018 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner C2, Saf-T-Liner Efx, Saf-T-Liner Hdx, and Minotour buses with S3B wall mounted seats. The wall mounting bracket can crack, so the seat does not stay secured in a crash.

What should I do if my 2014-2018 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner C2, Saf-T-Liner Efx, Saf-T-Liner Hdx, or Minotour is on this recall?

Check your VIN to confirm your specific bus is included in recall 18V254. If it is, contact a franchised Thomas Built Buses dealer to schedule installation of the additional wall mounting bracket. Reference recall number 18V254 and Thomas Built Buses recall FL-769 when you call.

Is the recall repair free?

Yes. Federal recall law requires the manufacturer to repair the defect at no cost, and the recall remedy says dealers will install an additional wall mounting bracket free of charge. Parts and labor are covered at a franchised Thomas Built Buses dealer.

What is the safety risk?

The safety risk is occupant injury in a crash. If the wall mounted seat does not stay secured to the wall, the person sitting there has an increased risk of injury. The repair adds a wall mounting bracket to keep the seat secured.

When did the recall repair begin?

The recall repair began January 3, 2019. Thomas Built Buses also issued an interim owner notification on June 15, 2018. If you manage or own one of these buses and never received a notice, check your VIN and call 1-800-547-0712 with recall FL-769.

More information

NHTSA campaign pagenhtsa.gov/vehicle-recalls/18V254000
Thomas Built Buses customer service1-800-547-0712
NHTSA recall #18V254
NHTSA recall # (full)18V254000

Source documents

This article is generated from NHTSA's primary recall filings and reviewed against the source on May 25, 2026. RecallNotify does not paraphrase NHTSA's consequence language; that text is reproduced as written above. Editorial standards →