Recall 19V712 covers 53,528 2014-2020 Thomas Built Buses buses with seats lacking impact absorption. Repair is free at any franchised Thomas Built Buses dealer.
Thomas Built Buses is recalling 53,528 2014-2020 Saf-T-Liner Hdx, Saf-T-Liner Efx, Saf-T-Liner C2, and Minotour school buses equipped with SynTec S3B or S3C seats. The seats lack sufficient impact absorption around parts of the steel back frame, which increases injury risk in a crash; Thomas Built Buses dealers will complete the repair free of charge.
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What's wrong?
The SynTec S3B and S3C seats in 2014-2020 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner Hdx, Saf-T-Liner Efx, Saf-T-Liner C2, and Minotour school buses are part of the passenger crash protection system. The seat back uses styrene blocks, a rigid foam material, around the steel frame to absorb impact energy and help protect passengers during a crash.
On affected buses, the styrene blocks were not positioned or manufactured in a way that provides enough impact absorption in specific areas around the seat-back frame. Testing found variation near the knee-impact area, where the block position matters because a passenger's body can strike the seat in front. That condition means the seats do not meet the school bus passenger seating and crash protection requirement in FMVSS 222.
There is no warning sign before failure. The issue is inside the seat structure, so an owner or driver would not see a light, hear a noise, or feel a change before the seat fails to absorb impact as required.
Who's affected?
Spans the Saf-T-Liner Hdx, Saf-T-Liner Efx, Saf-T-Liner C2, and Minotour bus lines across 2014-2020, all tied to the seat assembly.
| 2016 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner Hdx | seat assembly |
|---|---|
| 2019 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner Efx | seat assembly |
| 2020 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner Efx | seat assembly |
| 2020 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner Hdx | seat assembly |
| 2019 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner Hdx | seat assembly |
| 2018 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner Hdx | seat assembly |
| 2017 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner Hdx | seat assembly |
| 2014 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner Hdx | seat assembly |
| 2020 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner C2 | seat assembly |
| 2019 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner C2 | seat assembly |
| 2017 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner C2 | seat assembly |
| 2016 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner C2 | seat assembly |
| 2020 Thomas Built Buses Minotour | seat assembly |
| 2017 Thomas Built Buses Minotour | seat assembly |
| 2014 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner C2 | seat assembly |
| 2015 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner C2 | seat assembly |
| 2016 Thomas Built Buses Minotour | seat assembly |
| 2015 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner Efx | seat assembly |
| 2017 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner Efx | seat assembly |
| 2018 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner Efx | seat assembly |
| 2014 Thomas Built Buses Minotour | seat assembly |
| 2019 Thomas Built Buses Minotour | seat assembly |
| 2018 Thomas Built Buses Minotour | seat assembly |
| 2016 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner Efx | seat assembly |
| 2015 Thomas Built Buses Minotour | seat assembly |
| 2018 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner C2 | seat assembly |
| 2015 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner Hdx | seat assembly |
| 2014 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner Efx | seat assembly |
| Units affected | 53,528 |
| Field incidents | NHTSA has logged no 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?
In a crash, the missing impact material leaves the seat back with too little absorption and raises injury risk for occupants. If your VIN is included, schedule the repair soon and ask the dealer how to handle use until the appointment. Repair is free at any franchised Thomas Built Buses dealer.
What should I do?
- Check your VIN to confirm your 2014-2020 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner Hdx, Saf-T-Liner Efx, Saf-T-Liner C2, or Minotour is included in this recall.
- Contact a franchised Thomas Built Buses dealer to schedule the free seat-back repair that adds impact material around the steel seat frame.
- Bring the recall notice if DTNA mailed one. If not, reference recall number 19V712 and DTNA recall FL-832 when you call.
- Prioritize the repair for any bus carrying passengers, because this recall concerns seat crash protection.
What happens at the repair
At the dealer, a Thomas Built Buses technician installs additional impact material between the re-bond back and the vinyl back cover on the SynTec seats covered by the recall. That added material increases impact absorption around the steel seat frame in the seat back support. The recall repair is free, including parts and labor, and the work applies to the school bus seats identified in the campaign.
Timeline
| October 4, 2019 | NHTSA published the recall |
|---|---|
| December 2, 2019 | Dealer notification began |
| December 2, 2019 | Dealer notification ended |
| December 2, 2019 | Interim owner notification (was planned for this date) |
| June 22, 2020 | Owner notification mailed |
Frequently asked questions
What is recall 19V712?
Recall 19V712 covers 53,528 2014-2020 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner Hdx, Saf-T-Liner Efx, Saf-T-Liner C2, and Minotour school buses with SynTec S3B or S3C seats. The seats lack enough impact absorption around parts of the steel back-support frame.
What should I do if my 2014-2020 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner Hdx, Saf-T-Liner Efx, Saf-T-Liner C2, or Minotour is on this recall?
Check your VIN to confirm your specific bus is included in recall 19V712. If it is, contact a Thomas Built Buses dealer to schedule the seat repair. Reference recall number FL-832 or 19V712 when you call. The dealer repair is free.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Federal recall law requires manufacturers to repair the defect at no cost, and DTNA's remedy says dealers will install additional impact material free of charge. The repair adds absorption material between the re-bond back and the vinyl back cover.
What is the safety risk in recall 19V712?
The safety risk is a higher risk of injury in a crash. The affected SynTec S3B or S3C seats lack enough impact absorption in specific areas around the steel seat back-support frame, which means the seats do not meet FMVSS 222 crash-protection requirements.
When did the Thomas Built Buses recall repair begin?
The recall repair began June 22, 2020. DTNA issued an interim owner notification on November 29, 2019, then opened the repair campaign. Owners can contact DTNA customer service at 1-800-547-0712 or a Thomas Built Buses dealer for scheduling.
More information
| NHTSA campaign page | nhtsa.gov/vehicle-recalls/19V712000 |
|---|---|
| Thomas Built Buses customer service | 1-800-547-0712 |
| NHTSA recall # | 19V712 |
| NHTSA recall # (full) | 19V712000 |
Source documents
-
Download Recall Document (PDF) (PDF) - Download Owner Notice (PDF)
- Download Quarterly Report (PDF)
- Download Misc. Document (PDF)
- Download Recall Document (PDF) (PDF)
- Download Recall Investigation Document (PDF) (PDF)
- Download Owner Notification Letter (PDF)
- Download Recall Report (PDF)
- Download Recall Acknowledgement (PDF)
This article is generated from NHTSA's primary recall filings and reviewed against the source on May 23, 2026. RecallNotify does not paraphrase NHTSA's consequence language; that text is reproduced as written above. Editorial standards →