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NHTSA campaign 26V546000 · manufacturer recall F1038

2027 Thomas Built Buses SAF-T-Liner EFX2 and 1 other Thomas Built Buses model: structure recall

A seat belt anchor with a missing connector plate may fail to properly restrain the driver and insufficient joint strength may not adequately protect passengers, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.

high 65 vehicles affected FMVSS 210

What was reported

Source: manufacturer filing, 49 CFR Part 573
Problem Daimler Trucks North America, LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2027 Thomas Built SAF-T-LINER HDX2 and Thomas Built SAF-T-LINER EFX2 school buses. The connector plates for the driver's seat belt anchor and an interior body joint seam may be missing, resulting in insufficient structural reinforcements. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard numbers 210, "Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages," and 221, "School Bus Body Joint Strength." Risk A seat belt anchor with a missing connector plate may fail to properly restrain the driver and insufficient joint strength may not adequately protect passengers, increasing the risk of injury in a crash. Fix The remedy is currently under development. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed October 23, 2026. Owners may contact DTNA customer service at 1-800-574-0712. DTNA's number for this recall is F1038.

Reported to NHTSA Aug 24, 2026 by Daimler Trucks North America, LLC.

Which vehicles are covered

Source: NHTSA campaign 26V546000

Vehicles built Jan 3, 2026 to Jun 10, 2026 — a VIN outside that window is not part of this campaign even if the year, make and model match.

Model yearOn WhichTrim
2027 Thomas Built Buses SAF-T-Liner EFX2
2027 Thomas Built Buses SAF-T-Liner HDX2

None of the vehicles this campaign names has a page on WhichTrim: the catalogue covers the cars, trucks and SUVs the EPA certifies from 2016 on, and these vehicles fall outside it — older model years, or motorhomes, trailers, buses, motorcycles and chassis cabs the EPA does not rate. The campaign record above is complete as filed, and whether one specific vehicle is included is settled by its VIN. Other campaigns on vehicles without a page here →

The federal paperwork

Source: nhtsa.gov

Filed documents

  • Defect report PDF — The manufacturer's own filing to NHTSA describing the defect, the risk and the affected build range.

Check one specific vehicle

A recall applies to a build range, so year, make and model cannot settle it. NHTSA checks a VIN against the manufacturer's own list and tells you whether the repair is still outstanding on that vehicle.

NHTSA VIN recall lookup →

Campaign 26V546000 · the manufacturer calls it F1038

Own one, or run a fleet? Recall Watch checks each VIN against every new NHTSA campaign and emails you when one lands, this one's expansions included. Or take a free one-line alert by model year.

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Common questions

Source: NHTSA, 49 CFR Part 573

Is F1038 the same recall as 26V546000?

Yes. F1038 is the number Daimler Trucks North America, LLC uses for this campaign in its own paperwork and in the letter it sends owners. 26V546000 is the number NHTSA files it under. One recall, two references — dealers and service departments generally quote the manufacturer's.

Does this recall repair cost anything?

No. Federal law requires the manufacturer to remedy a safety defect or a compliance failure at no charge, for vehicles up to 15 years old measured from the date of first sale. A dealer that asks you to pay for a recall repair is in the wrong.

How do I know whether my vehicle is included?

By VIN, not by model year. This campaign covers vehicles built Jan 3, 2026 to Jun 10, 2026. The manufacturer files a build range with NHTSA and only vehicles inside it are covered, so two identical-looking cars from the same year can differ. NHTSA's own lookup checks a VIN against the manufacturer's list.

What if the repair is not available yet?

It happens, and often. Manufacturers must notify owners when a defect is found even if the parts or the software are not ready, then notify them a second time once the remedy exists. The remedy filed here reads as still under development.

What did the manufacturer say was wrong?

The problem, risk and fix quoted on this page are the manufacturer's own words as filed with NHTSA under 49 CFR Part 573. WhichTrim does not paraphrase them.

Who started this recall?

NHTSA's record credits the manufacturer. A recall can begin with the manufacturer's own testing, with a defect investigation, or with a compliance test against a Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard.