Thomas Built Buses recall FL-797

Q: Is FL-797 the same recall as 18V698000?

Yes. FL-797 is Thomas Built Buses’s own number for it; 18V698000 is NHTSA’s. One recall, two references.

Thomas Built Buses calls it FL-797. NHTSA filed it as campaign 18V698000 on Oct 5, 2018: structure on the 2015–2019 Thomas Built Buses Minotour, 701 vehicles potentially affected. One recall, two numbers — the dealer quotes the manufacturer’s, the federal record carries NHTSA’s.

The full filing, 18V698000 →Check a VIN at NHTSA

What NHTSA has under this number

Source: 49 CFR Part 573 filings

NHTSA campaign	Vehicles	Component	Filed	Affected	Severity
18V698000	2015–2019 Thomas Built Buses Minotour	Structure	Oct 5, 2018	701	high

Problem Daimler Trucks North America LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Thomas Built Buses Minotour school buses with 36" or 39" wide seats. The rear emergency exit door may not open wide enough to meet the unobstructed emergency egress area requirements. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 217, "Bus Emergency Exits and Window Retention and Release." Risk If the emergency exit door does not open wide enough, it may limit the ability to exit the bus, increasing the risk of injury in the event of an emergency. Fix DTNA will notify owners, and dealers will modify the rear door slide system, increasing the angle that the door can open, free of charge. DTNA issued owners an interim notification on November 8, 2018. The recall began June 28, 2019. Owners may contact DTNA customer service at 1-800-547-0712. DTNA's number for this recall is FL-797.

The manufacturer’s own words as filed for 18V698000. Every model year it covers, the build window and the filed PDFs →

Two numbers, one recall

Every safety recall carries two identifiers. FL-797 is the number Thomas Built Buses assigned in its own system: it is what appears on the owner letter, on the dealer’s service screen and on the repair order. 18V698000 is the number NHTSA filed the same recall under when the manufacturer reported it, and it is the one every federal record, this site included, is keyed on.

The repair is free by federal law for vehicles up to fifteen years old. Whether one particular vehicle is included is settled by its VIN against the manufacturer’s build list, not by its model year.

Check one specific vehicle

Both lookups check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list and say whether the repair is still outstanding on that vehicle.

NHTSA VIN recall lookup →

Common questions

Source: NHTSA, 49 CFR Part 573

Is FL-797 the same recall as 18V698000?

Yes. FL-797 is Thomas Built Buses’s own number for it; 18V698000 is NHTSA’s. One recall, two references.

Which vehicles does FL-797 cover?

2015–2019 Thomas Built Buses Minotour, 701 vehicles by the manufacturer’s count. A recall covers a build range, so the VIN decides whether one particular vehicle is in it.

Does the FL-797 repair cost anything?

No. The manufacturer must remedy a safety defect at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from first sale.