Recall 26V702000 scope

Affected units

Vehicles identified

Makes involved

Model years

Recall 26V702000

Insufficient Interior Joint Strength/FMVSS 221 • STRUCTURE • reported Oct 22, 2026 • • 13,593 units affected

Remedy pending

View official record on NHTSA.gov · federal source of truth

Campaign: 26V702000
Mfr Recall #: F1044
Recall Type: Vehicle
Component: STRUCTURE
Make: THOMAS BUILT BUSES
Model Years: 2023–2027
Affected Units: 13,593
Country: US
Data As Of: Nov 3, 2026

What this recall is about, in plain English

Daimler Trucks North America, LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2023-2027 Thomas Built SAF-T-LINER C2 Jouley, 2025-2027 Thomas Built SAF-T-LINER C2, 2026-2027 Thomas Built SAF-T-LINER HDX2, and Thomas Built SAF-T-LINER EFX2 school buses. A school bus with insufficient joint strength may not adequately protect passengers in a crash, increasing the risk of injury. Dealers will add fasteners to secure the joints, free of charge.

Synthesized from the NHTSA defect summary, consequence, and remedy fields shown below.

Should you be worried?

This recall describes a safety risk and the remedy is still pending. Affected vehicles should be parked or driven only as needed until the manufacturer issues guidance. Always verify directly with the manufacturer or your dealer using the campaign number.

Risk Summary (Consequence)

A school bus with insufficient joint strength may not adequately protect passengers in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Defect Summary

Daimler Trucks North America, LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2023-2027 Thomas Built SAF-T-LINER C2 Jouley, 2025-2027 Thomas Built SAF-T-LINER C2, 2026-2027 Thomas Built SAF-T-LINER HDX2, and Thomas Built SAF-T-LINER EFX2 school buses. The wheelhouse body interior joints may have been manufactured incorrectly, resulting in insufficient joint strength. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 221, "School Bus Body Joint Strength."

Remedy

Dealers will add fasteners to secure the joints, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed December 21, 2026. Owners may contact DTNA customer service at 1-800-574-0712. DTNA's number for this recall is F1044.

Key Dates

Report Date

Oct 22, 2026

Owner Notification

Unknown

Remedy Available

Unknown

Affected Vehicles

12 vehicles under this recall

Make	Model	Year	VIN Lookup
THOMAS BUILT BUSES	SAF-T-LINER C2	2027	Check VINs
THOMAS BUILT BUSES	SAF-T-LINER C2	2026	Check VINs
THOMAS BUILT BUSES	SAF-T-LINER C2	2025	Check VINs
THOMAS BUILT BUSES	SAF-T-LINER C2 JOULEY	2027	Check VINs
THOMAS BUILT BUSES	SAF-T-LINER C2 JOULEY	2026	Check VINs
THOMAS BUILT BUSES	SAF-T-LINER C2 JOULEY	2025	Check VINs
THOMAS BUILT BUSES	SAF-T-LINER C2 JOULEY	2024	Check VINs
THOMAS BUILT BUSES	SAF-T-LINER C2 JOULEY	2023	Check VINs
THOMAS BUILT BUSES	SAF-T-LINER EFX2	2027	Check VINs
THOMAS BUILT BUSES	SAF-T-LINER EFX2	2026	Check VINs
THOMAS BUILT BUSES	SAF-T-LINER HDX2	2027	Check VINs
THOMAS BUILT BUSES	SAF-T-LINER HDX2	2026	Check VINs

Official Sources & Documents

Links to NHTSA.gov and Part 573 recall reports when available — hosted by NHTSA, not TruckCodex

NHT Go to Recall

Documents hosted on nhtsa.gov. Links open in a new tab.

How to Act on This Recall

Owners: Contact your authorized dealer to schedule the remedy at no cost. Remedy is covered under 49 U.S.C. 30120.
Fleets: See the Fleet Recall Workflow Guide for the operator workflow to sweep your VIN list against this and other open campaigns.
Looking up a specific VIN? Check VIN against NHTSA for open recalls on that vehicle.
NHTSA contact: Vehicle Safety Hotline 1-888-327-4236.

How to verify your vehicle is affected

Find your VIN. Locate your 17-character Vehicle Identification Number on the lower-left corner of your windshield, on the driver's-door jamb sticker, or on your vehicle registration. The VIN is the only reliable way to confirm whether a specific vehicle falls under a recall — make/model/year alone is not enough.
Check your VIN on this site. Enter the VIN at /vin/ to see every open recall tied to your specific vehicle, including 26V702000. Our lookup pulls directly from the NHTSA recall database and refreshes daily.
Cross-reference with the official NHTSA recall search. For a second source of truth, run the same VIN through https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls. If both this site and NHTSA show the same campaign as open for your VIN, it applies — schedule the repair.
Contact your dealer if affected. Bring the campaign number, your VIN, and your registration to an authorized dealer for the make. The dealer performs the remedy at no cost. If you've already paid for a related repair, bring the receipt — the manufacturer is required to reimburse pre-recall repairs that addressed the same defect.

Frequently asked questions about recall 26V702000

What does this recall mean for me as a vehicle owner? ▾

Recall 26V702000 means the manufacturer has identified a defect or noncompliance that may affect your vehicle. Repair work is performed at no cost to you under 49 U.S.C. § 30120. You don't have to do anything until you receive an owner notification letter, but you can act sooner if you want — bring this campaign number to your dealer.

Is this recall under remedy yet? ▾

Not yet — as of the last NHTSA refresh on this page, no remedy date is on file. Affected owners should monitor their mail for the manufacturer's notification letter and contact a dealer in the meantime.

How do I find out if my specific VIN is affected? ▾

Run your VIN through our VIN check tool to see all open recalls tied to your specific vehicle, including this one. NHTSA also offers an official lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Both pull from the same federal source.

Who pays for the recall remedy? ▾

The manufacturer pays. Federal law requires the manufacturer to repair, replace, or refund the affected vehicle or component at no cost to the owner — including parts, labor, and reasonable diagnostic time. If a dealer tries to charge you for a recall remedy, contact the manufacturer's customer line first, then NHTSA at 1-888-327-4236.

What if I've already had repair work done that addresses this issue? ▾

Save the receipt. Federal law requires the manufacturer to reimburse you for pre-recall repairs that addressed the same defect, subject to the reimbursement window the manufacturer publishes in its notification letter (typically the first refund period covers repairs going back to the earliest awareness date). Submit the receipt directly to the manufacturer with your VIN and the campaign number.

How do I check the recall status by VIN? ▾

Use our VIN lookup tool — it returns every open recall, including completion status when the manufacturer reports it. The result also links back to each campaign's detail page.

What if this recall isn't fixed and I sell the vehicle? ▾

You're not legally required to complete a recall before selling a used vehicle, but most state titling agencies and many dealers will run a VIN check during the sale. Disclose the open recall to the buyer in writing — undisclosed safety recalls are a common basis for post-sale fraud claims.

Where can I see all recalls for THOMAS BUILT BUSES SAF-T-LINER EFX2 2023? ▾

Browse all THOMAS BUILT BUSES recalls on this site, or visit the manufacturer's page to filter by year and component.

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