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NHTSA campaign 26V697000 · manufacturer recall F1043

2027 Thomas Built Buses SAF-T-Liner C2: engine recall

Contact with hot coolant may burn occupants, increasing the risk of injury.

critical 8 vehicles affected

What was reported

Source: manufacturer filing, 49 CFR Part 573
Problem Daimler Trucks North America, LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain Thomas Built Buses 2027 Saf-T-Liner C2 school buses. The heater hose may rupture, which can result in hot coolant leaking inside the passenger compartment. Risk Contact with hot coolant may burn occupants, increasing the risk of injury. Fix Dealers will inspect and replace the heater hose as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed December 18, 2026. Owners may contact DTNA customer service at 1-800-547-0712. DTNA's number for this recall is F1043.

Reported to NHTSA Oct 21, 2026 by Daimler Trucks North America, LLC.

Which vehicles are covered

Source: NHTSA campaign 26V697000

Vehicles built Aug 21, 2026 to Aug 24, 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 C2—

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

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 26V697000 · the manufacturer calls it F1043

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Common questions

Source: NHTSA, 49 CFR Part 573

Is F1043 the same recall as 26V697000?

Yes. F1043 is the number Daimler Trucks North America, LLC uses for this campaign in its own paperwork and in the letter it sends owners. 26V697000 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 Aug 21, 2026 to Aug 24, 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 for this campaign is described above.

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.