Recall 26V251 covers 26 2026-2027 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner HDX2 buses for weak driver seat belt anchors. Franchised dealers will repair it free once available.
Thomas Built Buses is recalling 26 2026-2027 Saf-T-Liner HDX2 transit buses under recall 26V251 because inadequate hardware was used on the driver seat belt anchor. In a crash, the anchor can fail to restrain the driver properly and increase the risk of injury; the dealer repair will be free once Thomas Built Buses opens it.
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What's wrong?
The driver seat belt anchor in the 2026-2027 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner HDX2 is the hardware that ties the driver's belt system to the bus structure. The anchor and its floor tether are supposed to hold the belt in place during a crash or hard stop, so the belt can restrain the driver against the seat.
On the recalled buses, the driver seat tether belt was installed with inadequate hardware. DTNA traced the issue to a manufacturing deviation involving the hardware that secures the tether to the floor, including a specific nut in the seat belt tether that was not installed as intended. That installation problem means the seat belt anchorage does not meet the required strength and setup standard for seat belt anchorages.
There is no warning sign before failure. The driver will not have a dashboard light, noise, or belt-feel change that confirms the anchor hardware is wrong.
Who's affected?
Covers the 2026 and 2027 model years with the same seat belt anchorage washer.
| 2026 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner HDX2 | seat belt |
|---|---|
| 2027 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner HDX2 | seat belt |
| Units affected | 26 |
| 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?
An improperly installed seat belt anchor can fail to restrain the driver properly in a crash, increasing the risk of injury. If your VIN is included, schedule service as soon as the repair opens and ask the dealer how to limit use until then. Repair will be free at any franchised Thomas Built Buses dealer once available.
What should I do?
- Check your VIN to confirm your 2026-2027 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner HDX2 is included in this recall.
- Wait for the Thomas Built Buses owner letter, expected June 19, 2026, before scheduling the final dealer repair. The remedy is still under development.
- Contact a franchised Thomas Built Buses dealer after the owner letter arrives to ask when the free driver seat belt anchor hardware repair opens.
- Call Thomas Built Buses customer service at 1-800-574-0712 with questions, and reference recall number 26V251 (DTNA recall F1033).
- Tell the service department the recall covers the driver seat belt anchor hardware, which is the part that keeps the driver restrained in a crash.
What happens at the repair
The final dealer repair for recall 26V251 is still under development. Thomas Built Buses has not released the service procedure yet, so the dealer cannot be described as replacing a specific part beyond the seat belt anchor hardware problem identified in the recall. Once the remedy opens, a Thomas Built Buses technician will complete the approved seat belt anchor repair, and parts and labor will be covered under the recall. Owner letters are expected on June 19, 2026. The manufacturer's standard reimbursement plan applies to documented out-of-pocket repairs tied to this defect, so keep related paperwork for the service desk.
| Reimbursement | Reimbursement available |
|---|
Timeline
| April 20, 2026 | NHTSA published the recall |
|---|---|
| May 10, 2026 | Dealer notification began |
| May 10, 2026 | Dealer notification ended |
Frequently asked questions
What is recall 26V251?
Recall 26V251 covers 26 2026-2027 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner HDX2 transit buses with a driver seat belt anchor installed with inadequate hardware. The anchor can fail to properly restrain the driver in a crash, increasing injury risk. DTNA is developing the recall remedy.
What should I do if my 2026-2027 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner HDX2 is on this recall?
Check your VIN to confirm your specific bus is included in recall 26V251. If it is, contact a franchised Thomas Built Buses dealer or DTNA customer service at 1-800-574-0712 and reference DTNA recall F1033. The remedy is still under development.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Federal recall law requires the manufacturer to repair the safety defect at no cost. DTNA is still developing the remedy for recall 26V251, and the dealer repair will be free once the final repair opens.
What is the safety risk?
The safety risk is driver restraint failure in a crash. If the seat belt anchor is not secured with the right hardware, it can fail to hold the driver properly, increasing injury risk. The recall repair path runs through a franchised Thomas Built Buses dealer.
When will owners be notified?
DTNA expects to mail owner notification letters on June 19, 2026. Until then, check your VIN and reference recall 26V251 or DTNA recall F1033 when contacting a franchised Thomas Built Buses dealer or DTNA customer service.
More information
| NHTSA campaign page | nhtsa.gov/vehicle-recalls/26V251000 |
|---|---|
| Thomas Built Buses customer service | 1-800-574-0712 |
| NHTSA recall # | 26V251 |
| NHTSA recall # (full) | 26V251000 |
Source documents
This article is generated from NHTSA's primary recall filings and reviewed against the source on May 19, 2026. RecallNotify does not paraphrase NHTSA's consequence language; that text is reproduced as written above. Editorial standards →