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2002 Thomas Built Buses FS-65
NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 2002 Thomas Built Buses FS-65, covering equipment, structure and electrical system, and 0 consumer complaints received since 1995.
No consumer complaints for this model year are in the NHTSA file.
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation has opened 3 investigations naming this model year.
Complaints are consumer reports and have not been verified by NHTSA. Recall text is the manufacturer's Part 573 report as filed with NHTSA. Complaint file through 15 May 2019; recall file through 29 Sep 2026.
Recalls by model year:
Recall campaigns
Defect, as filed: Daimler Trucks North America LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2002-2017 Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner C2, Saf-T-Liner HDX, FS65, and Minotour school buses, equipped with Kidde Plastic-Handle or Push Button 'Pindicator' Fire Extinguishers. These extinguishers may become clogged, preventing the extinguisher from discharging as expected or requiring excessive force to activate the extinguisher. Additionally, in certain models, the nozzle may detach from the valve assembly with enough force that it could cause injury and also render the product inoperable. For a full list of the affected fire extinguisher models visit: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2017/RMISC-17E062-5427.pdf
Consequence: In the event of a fire, if the fire extinguisher does not function properly, it can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: DTNA will notify owners instructing them to contact Kidde for a replacement fire extinguisher, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin March 30, 2018. Owners may contact DTNA customer service at 1-800-547-0712 or Kidde customer service at 1-855-262-3540 or online at www.kidde.com and click on "Product Safety Recall" for more information. DTNA's number for this recall is FL-759.
Filed by Daimler Trucks North America LLC (manufacturer campaign FL-759).
Defect, as filed: Daimler trucks is recalling 243,435 my 1995-2008 thomas built school buses manufactured between january 1994, and march 10, 2008. (additional buses have been added to this recall campaign. Please see supplemental report no. 4) the emergency exit door handle begins corroding around the securing roll pin and square drive mechanism causing the protective finish to chip and flake. Continued corrosion and pitting weakens the handle. Handles weakened by corrosion may break while trying to open the door from the exterior.
Consequence: In the event of an emergency, a person on the outside of the bus may break the door handle trying to open the emergency exit potentially delaying evacuation and increasing the risk of personal injury to the vehicle's occupants.
Remedy: Daimler trucks will notify owners and will replace the handles with a more robust handle free of charge. Repairs will be performed by thomas built buses dealerships. The recall began on august 18, 2008, and notification for the revised population is expected to begin on or about april 29, 2009. Owners may contact thomas built at 336-889-4871.
Filed by DAIMLER TRUCKS NORTH AMERICA (manufacturer campaign FL-525).
Defect, as filed: Certain 2001 through 2008 thomas built fs-56, er, mvp er, hdx, and mvp ef school buses manufactured from october 23, 2000, through january 24, 2006, equipped with tyco pc board and type II auto reset circuit breakers. Type II auto reset circuit breaker temperatures may exceed the rating of the tyco pc board causing the boards to melt potentially resulting in a vehicle fire.
Consequence: A vehicle fire can occur possibly resulting in a crash.
Remedy: Thomas built will notify owners and repair the buses by replacing the type II auto reset circuit breakers with manual circuit breakers, and the jumper cable. The recall began on march 28, 2008. Owners may contact thomas built customer support office at 336-889-4871.
Filed by FREIGHTLINER LLC (manufacturer campaign FL-516).
Defect, as filed: Certain my 1994 through 2002 thomas built minotour, fs-65, mvp-ef, er, and hdx-ef school buses manufactured between january 23, 1994, and april 15, 2002. The seat belt may chafe on the edge of a metal bracket and wear prematurely.
Consequence: In the event of a vehicle crash, the seat occupant may not be properly restrained, possibly resulting in personal injury.
Remedy: Thomas built will notify owners and replace any chafed seat belts and replace or modify the retainer strip to prevent any further chafing. The recall began on february 8, 2008. Owners may contact thomas built at 336-889-4871 or contact freightliner at 800-547-0712.
Filed by FREIGHTLINER LLC (manufacturer campaign FL-495).
Each entry links to the NHTSA record. NHTSA states that safety recall repairs are free of charge at an authorised dealer; check a specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Complaints by component
No consumer complaints for this model year are in the NHTSA file.
Investigations
| Action | Type | Subject | Component | Opened | Closed | Recall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PE07054 | Preliminary evaluation | EMERGENCY DOOR HANDLE FAILURE | structure:body:door:hinge and attachments | 9 Nov 2007 | 4 Mar 2008 | 08V087000 |
| PE07029 | Preliminary evaluation | SIDE ELECTRICAL FUSE PANEL FIRES | electrical system | 20 Jun 2007 | 29 Nov 2007 | 07V544000 |
| PE06057 | Preliminary evaluation | SEAT BELTS WEBBING ABRADING ON FRAME | seat belts | 21 Nov 2006 | 30 Mar 2007 | 07V142000 |
Other Thomas Built Buses FS-65 model years
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints | Units in campaigns |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 NHTSA | 1 | 0 | 11,265 |
| 1995 | 2 | 0 | 254,700 |
| 1996 | 2 | 0 | 254,700 |
| 1997 | 2 | 0 | 254,700 |
| 1998 | 2 | 0 | 254,700 |
| 1999 | 2 | 0 | 254,700 |
| 2000 | 2 | 0 | 254,700 |
| 2001 | 4 | 0 | 294,363 |
| 2002 | 4 | 0 | 288,609 |
| 2003 | 5 | 0 | 284,464 |
| 2004 | 7 | 1 | 315,458 |
| 2005 | 9 | 0 | 321,824 |
| 2006 | 11 | 1 | 329,409 |
| 2007 | 9 | 2 | 292,100 |
| 2008 | 4 | 0 | 284,175 |
| 2009 | 2 | 0 | 7,437 |
| 2010 | 2 | 0 | 7,437 |
| 2011 | 2 | 0 | 7,437 |
| 2012 NHTSA | 1 | 0 | 606 |
| 2013 NHTSA | 1 | 0 | 606 |
| 2014 NHTSA | 1 | 0 | 606 |
| 2015 NHTSA | 1 | 0 | 606 |
| 2016 NHTSA | 1 | 0 | 606 |
| 2017 NHTSA | 1 | 0 | 606 |
Model years with a single campaign and fewer than 25 complaints have no page here; the NHTSA link opens the agency's record for that year.
All Thomas Built Buses FS-65 model years · Thomas Built Buses: 22 model lines
Questions and answers
How many recalls does the 2002 Thomas Built Buses FS-65 have?
4 NHTSA recall campaigns name this model year; the most recent, 18V083000, was reported to NHTSA on 30 Jan 2018 and concerns equipment. Across all model years the Thomas Built Buses FS-65 line has 13 campaigns.
Is there an open NHTSA investigation into the 2002 Thomas Built Buses FS-65?
NHTSA's investigation file lists 3 actions naming this model year; the table above shows each action's opening and closing dates. An action with no closing date was still open when the file was produced.
What component do owners of the 2002 Thomas Built Buses FS-65 complain about most?
No complaints for this model year are in the NHTSA file.
How do I get a recall repaired?
NHTSA states that safety recall repairs are performed free of charge by the manufacturer's authorised dealers. Each campaign's remedy text above is the manufacturer's statement as filed with NHTSA. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.
Where does this data come from?
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation recall, complaint and investigation flat files, public domain, downloaded 29 Sep 2026. Complaint counts are unique complaint numbers per make, model and model year; component figures count each component a complaint names. The NHTSA record linked from each campaign is authoritative.
Provenance
Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Office of Defects Investigation flat files (recalls, complaints, investigations), public domain, files dated 29 Sep 2026 (recalls) and 15 May 2019 (complaints). Complaints since 1 Jan 1995. Counts are unique complaint numbers per make, model and model year; per-1,000 rates divide a component's mentions by all mentions for the same group. Errors in processing are corrected at the next daily build; see corrections and the methodology.