Recall 19V717 affects 1,045 2020 Thomas Built Buses Minotour school buses for a seatbelt-warning-light defect. Repair is free at any franchised Thomas Built Buses dealer.
Thomas Built Buses is recalling 1,045 2020 Minotour school buses under recall 19V717 because the seatbelt-unfastened warning light does not illuminate for about five seconds after the ignition is turned on or started. Without that reminder, a driver can forget the belt, raising injury risk in a crash, and Thomas Built Buses dealers will complete the recall repair free of charge.
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What's wrong?
The seatbelt warning light in the 2020 Thomas Built Buses Minotour is part of the instrument cluster, the panel of lights and gauges facing the driver. Its job is to alert the driver when the front seatbelt is not fastened. When the ignition moves to "on" or "start," that light is supposed to come on so the driver sees the belt status right away.
On these buses, the warning light does not illuminate for about 5 seconds after startup. The issue is tied to school buses built with a GMC Savannah or Chevrolet Express chassis cab that contains software covered by GM recall 19V-644. Because the light is delayed, the bus does not meet the occupant crash protection rule for seatbelt warning devices.
There is no warning sign before failure. The problem shows up only during startup, when the driver looks for the seatbelt-unfastened warning light and it stays dark at first.
Who's affected?
Covers the same bus line for two warning-system components: the instrument panel and seat belt warning device.
| 2020 Thomas Built Buses Minotour | instrument panel |
|---|---|
| 2020 Thomas Built Buses Minotour | seat belt |
| Units affected | 1,045 |
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?
The missing seatbelt warning reminder removes an important cue to buckle up. If the driver forgets the seatbelt and a crash happens, the risk of injury increases. Until the instrument panel cluster is reprogrammed, confirm the belt is fastened before each trip and schedule the recall repair. Repair is free at any franchised Thomas Built Buses dealer.
What should I do?
- Check your VIN to confirm your 2020 Thomas Built Buses Minotour is included in this recall.
- Contact a franchised Thomas Built Buses dealer to schedule the free instrument-panel-cluster software update that fixes the delayed seatbelt warning light.
- Bring the recall notice if Thomas Built Buses sent one. If not, reference recall number 19V717 when you call.
- Fasten the seatbelt before every trip until the repair is complete.
- Call Thomas Built Buses customer service at 1-800-547-0712 with questions about the recall or dealer scheduling.
What happens at the repair
At the dealer, a Thomas Built Buses technician reprograms the instrument panel cluster so the seatbelt-unfastened warning light illuminates for the required period after the ignition is moved to the "on" or "start" position. The software update is free under the recall, and the repair is available now. If you already paid for a related instrument panel cluster or seatbelt warning light repair, DTNA's general reimbursement plan covers eligible documented expenses. Bring repair paperwork to the service desk and ask how to submit it under this campaign.
| Reimbursement | Reimbursement available |
|---|
Timeline
| October 3, 2019 | Owner notification mailed |
|---|---|
| October 9, 2019 | NHTSA published the recall |
| December 7, 2019 | Dealer notification began |
| December 7, 2019 | Dealer notification ended |
| December 7, 2019 | Interim owner notification (was planned for this date) |
Frequently asked questions
What is recall 19V717?
Recall 19V717 covers 1,045 2020 Thomas Built Buses Minotour school buses with a seatbelt warning light that fails to illuminate for about 5 seconds after ignition. That warning-light failure violates the seatbelt reminder requirement, and the instrument panel cluster reprogramming is free.
What should I do if my 2020 Thomas Built Buses Minotour is on this recall?
Check your VIN to confirm your specific bus is included in recall 19V717. If it is, contact a franchised dealer or Thomas Built Buses customer service at 1-800-547-0712 to schedule the instrument panel cluster reprogramming. Reference recall number 19V717 when you call.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Federal recall law requires the manufacturer to repair this defect at no cost, and the recall remedy says dealers will reprogram the instrument panel cluster free of charge. The recall repair has been available since October 3, 2019.
What is the safety risk in recall 19V717?
The risk is a missed seatbelt reminder. If the warning light does not illuminate after ignition, the driver can forget to fasten the seatbelt, increasing injury risk in a crash. The dealer repair reprograms the instrument panel cluster so the warning works correctly.
More information
| NHTSA campaign page | nhtsa.gov/vehicle-recalls/19V717000 |
|---|---|
| Thomas Built Buses customer service | 1-800-547-0712 |
| NHTSA recall # | 19V717 |
| NHTSA recall # (full) | 19V717000 |
Source documents
-
Download Misc. Document (PDF) - Download Owner Notification Letter (PDF)
- Download Recall Report (PDF)
- Download Quarterly 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 →