July 25, 2019 NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V550000

Roof Hatch External Handle May Break/FMVSS 217

If the roof hatch external handle breaks, in the event of an emergency, the hatch cannot be easily opened from outside the vehicle, increasing the risk of injury.

 

NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V550

Manufacturer Daimler Trucks North America LLC

Components STRUCTURE

Potential Number of Units Affected 2,081

 

Summary

Daimler Trucks North America LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Thomas Built Minotour, Saf-T Liner C2, Saf-T Liner EFX, and Saf-T Liner HDX school buses equipped with Safe Fleet Prolo Roof Escape hatches. Due to a manufacturing issue, the roof hatch external handle may unexpectedly break under reasonable use.

 

Remedy

DTNA will notify owners, and dealers will install a new handle, free of charge. Owners were issued an interim notification on September 13, 2019. The recall began November 15, 2019. Owners may contact DTNA customer service at 1-800-547-0712. DTNA’s number for this recall is FL-819.

 

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

 

Check for Daimler Trucks North America Recalls

 

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Recall Campaign

Daimler Trucks
North America LLC

November 2019
FL819AB
NHTSA#19V-549 (Non-School Buses)
#19V-550 (School Buses)
Transport Canada #2019-363 (Non-School Buses)
#2019-362 (School Buses)

 

Subject: TBB SMI Prolo Roof Hatches

Models Affected: Specific Model Year 2019-2020 Thomas Built Buses Minotour and Saf-T-Liner C2, EFX, and HDX model buses manufactured September 10, 2018, through June 26, 2019, with certain Specialty Manufacturing Prolo 924X Series Roof Escape Hatches manufactured August 1, 2018, through May 20, 2019.

 

General Information

Daimler Trucks North America LLC, on behalf of its wholly owned subsidiary, Thomas Built Buses, Inc., has decided that a defect which relates to motor vehicle safety exists on the vehicles mentioned above.

Certain roof escape hatches may have external cast handles that contain a higher than allowed/specified level of porosity or voids. This may create failure points in the handle, leading to breakage under reasonable use. A failure of the external release handle may delay the evacuation of the vehicle during an emergency, increasing the risk of injury.

Roof hatches will be inspected and the external handles replaced as needed.

 

Additional Repairs

Dealers must complete all outstanding Recall and Field Service campaigns prior to the sale or delivery of a vehicle. A Dealer will be liable for any progressive damage that results from its failure to complete campaigns before sale or  delivery of a vehicle.

Owners may be liable for any progressive damage that results from failure to complete campaigns within a reasonable time after receiving notification.

 

Work Instructions

Please refer to the attached work instructions.

 

Replacement Parts

Replacement parts are now available and can be obtained by ordering from Specialty Manufacturing in your choice of the following three ways.

 

Online

• Go to https://busandrail.safefleet.net/resources/technical-support/
• Click on “Recall Forms”
• Click on “Safety Recall: 19E-042 – Prolo Hatch”
• Fill out the online form

 

Email

• Email address: [email protected] Subject line: Safety Recall FL819/19E-042
• Information to include in your email:
  • Quantity of replacement kits
  • Company name
  • Contact name
  • Contact phone
  • Contact e-mail address
  • Mailing address
  • Shipping address (if different than mailing address)
  • Vehicle manufacturer
  • VIN(s)
  • Body number(s)
  • Hatch part number (s)
  • Hatch build date(s)

 

Phone

Call SMI Customer Service at (800) 951-7867 (have the information listed above under “Email” available)

 

Table 1 – Replacement Parts for FL819 – Ordered from Specialty Manufacturing

Campaign Number	Description	Qty.
FL819AB	Specialty Manufacturing, Inc. Kit Contains: 1 ea Replacement Handle 1 ea O-Ring 1 ea Screw 1 ea Green Sticker	1 Kit per Hatch

 

Table 1

 

Removed Parts

Please follow Warranty Failed Parts Tracking shipping instructions for the disposition of all removed parts.

 

Labor Allowance

Table 1 – Labor Allowance

Campaign Number	Procedure	Time Allowed (Hours)	SRT Code	Corrective Action
FL819AB	Inspect roof hatch handle(s)	0.1	996-R077A	06 – Inspect
	Inspect all hatches/replace 1 handle	0.2	996-R077B	12 – Repair Recall/Campaign
	Inspect all hatches/replace 2 handles	0.5	996-R077C
	Inspect all hatches/replace 3 handles	0.7	996-R077D

 

Table 2

 

Claims for Credit

You will be reimbursed for your parts, labor, and handling by submitting your claim through the Warranty system within  30 days of completing this campaign. Please reference the following information in OWL:

• Claim Type is Recall Campaign.
• In the Campaign field, enter the campaign number (FL819-A or FL819-B).
• In the Primary Failed Part field, enter 25-FL819-000.
• Do not list anything in the parts section. Replacement parts are ordered directly from Specialty Manufacturing (SMI).
• In the Labor section, enter the appropriate SRT from the Labor Allowance Table.
• The VMRS Component Code is F99-999-005 and the Cause Code is A1 – Campaign.
• U.S. and Canada – Reimbursement for Prior Repairs. When a customer asks about reimbursement, please do the following:
• Accept the documentation of the previous repair.
• Make a brief check of the customer’s paperwork to see if the repair may be eligible for reimbursement.
• Submit a Recall Pre-Approval request for a decision and authorized amount.
• Submit a “based on” claim for the approved pre-approval.
• Attach the documentation to the pre-approval request.
• When your claim is paid, reimburse the customer the appropriate amount.

IMPORTANT: OWL must be viewed prior to performing the recall to ensure the vehicle is involved and the campaign has not been previously completed.

If you have any questions or need additional information, contact the Warranty Campaigns Department via Web inquiry at DTNAConnect.com / WSC.

A sample letter notifying vehicle owners is included for your reference.

Please note that the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act, as amended (Title 49, United States Code, Chapter 301), requires the owner’s vehicle(s) be corrected within a reasonable time after parts are available to you. The  Act states that failure to repair a vehicle within 60 days after tender for repair shall be prima facie evidence of an unreasonable time. However, circumstances of a particular situation may reduce the 60-day period. Failure to repair a vehicle within a reasonable time can result in either the obligation to (a) replace the vehicle with an identical or reasonably equivalent vehicle, without charge, or (b) refund the purchase price in full, less a reasonable allowance for depreciation. The Act further prohibits dealers from selling a vehicle unless all outstanding recalls are performed. Any lessor is required to send a copy of the recall notification to the lessee within 10 days. Any subsequent stage manufacturer is required to forward this notice to its distributors and retail outlets within five working days.

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Copy of Notice to Owners

Subject: TBB SMI Prolo Roof Hatches

The U.S. notice is used for reference: This notice is sent to you in accordance with the requirements of the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act.

Daimler Trucks North America LLC, on behalf of its wholly owned subsidiary, Thomas Built Buses, Inc., has decided that a defect which relates to motor vehicle safety exists on specific Model Year 2019-2020 Thomas Built Buses Minotour and Saf-T-Liner C2, EFX, and HDX model buses manufactured September 10, 2018, through June 26, 2019, with certain Specialty Manufacturing Prolo 924X Series Roof Escape Hatches manufactured August 1, 2018, through May 20, 2019.

Certain roof escape hatches may have external cast handles that contain a higher than allowed/specified level of porosity or voids. This may create failure points in the handle, leading to breakage under reasonable use. A failure of the external release handle may delay the evacuation of the vehicle during an emergency, increasing the risk of injury.

Roof hatches will be inspected and the external handles replaced as needed.

This is the second letter regarding this subject. The repair is now available. To arrange for repairs, you should contact your local Thomas Built Buses dealer immediately. The repair should take up to an hour, depending on the work needed, and will be performed at no charge to you. You may also confirm your vehicle’s involvement in this recall at this URL: https://dtna-dlrinfo.prd.freightliner.com:48518/VinLookup/vin-module/getVinLookupPage .

You may be liable for any progressive damage that results from your failure to complete the Recall within a reasonable time after receiving notification.

If you do not own the vehicle that corresponds to the identification number(s) which appears on the Recall Notification, please return the notification to the Warranty Campaigns Department with any information you can furnish that will assist us in locating the present owner. If you have leased this vehicle, Federal law requires that you forward this notice to the lessee within 10 days. If you are a subsequent stage manufacturer, Federal law requires that you forward this notice to your distributors and retail outlets within five working days. If you have paid to have this recall condition corrected prior to this notice, you may be eligible to receive reimbursement. Please see the reverse side of this notice for details.

If you have any questions about this recall, please contact the Warranty Department at (336) 889-4871, 8:00 a.m. to  5:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday. If you are not able to have the defect remedied without charge and within a reasonable time, you may wish to submit a complaint to the Administrator, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE. Washington, DC 20590; or call the Vehicle Safety Hotline at  (888) 3274236 (TTY: (800) 424-9153)); or to https://www.safercar.gov .

We regret any inconvenience this action may cause but feel certain you understand our interest in motor vehicle safety.

 

THOMAS BUILT BUSES WARRANTY DEPARTMENT

Enclosure

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Reimbursement to Customers for Repairs Performed Prior to Recall

If you have already paid to have this recall condition corrected you may be eligible to receive reimbursement.

Requests for reimbursement may include parts and labor. Reimbursement may be limited to the amount the repair would have cost if completed by an authorized Daimler Trucks North America LLC dealer. The following documentation must be presented to your dealer for consideration for reimbursement.

Please provide original or clear copies of all receipts, invoices, and repair orders that show:

• The name and address of the person who paid for the repair.
• The Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) of the vehicle that was repaired.
• What problem occurred, what repair was done, when the repair was done.
• Who repaired the vehicle.
• The total cost of the repair expense that is being claimed.
• Proof of payment for the repair (such as the front and back of a cancelled check or a credit card receipt).

Reimbursement will be made by check from your Thomas Built Buses dealer. Please speak with your Thomas Built Buses authorized dealer concerning this matter.

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Work Instructions

Subject: TBB SMI Prolo Roof Hatches

Models Affected: Specific Model Year 2019-2020 Thomas Built Buses Minotour and Saf-T-Liner C2, EFX, and HDX model buses manufactured September 10, 2018, through June 26, 2019, with certain Specialty Manufacturing Prolo 924X Series Roof Escape Hatches manufactured August 1, 2018, through May 20, 2019.

 

Roof Hatch Inspection

1. Park the vehicle on a level surface, shut down the engine, place the bus in Park, and set the parking brake. Chock the tires.
2. Locate the silver label on the bottom of the Prolo hatch (inside the bus). There may be more than one Prolo roof hatch, inspect all hatches. See Figure 1.
3. Confirm the part number. See Figure 2 for part number location. The affected part number format is: “92XX-XXXXX.” If the part number is in this format, continue with the next step.

If the part number is not in this format, the roof hatch handle does not need to be replaced. No further work is needed.

4. Check the date. See Figure 2 for date location. The suspect date range is between 08/01/18 and 5/20/19 (August 1, 2018, and May 20, 2019)

If the date is in this range, replace the external handle on the Prolo hatch. Most buses are expected to need a handle replaced. (Replacement parts are ordered directly from Specialty Manufacturing. See “Replacement Parts” on  page 1.)

If the date is not within this date range, the roof hatch handle does not need to be replaced. No further work is needed.

 

Figure 1: Roof Hatch Label Location

 

Figure 2: Part Number and Build Date

 

Roof Hatch Release Handle Replacement

NOTE: Replacement parts are ordered directly from Specialty Manufacturing. See “Replacement Parts” on page 1.

 

1. Remove the screw from the red handle. Set the handle aside for reinstallation and discard the screw. See Figure 3. Use a cordless drill with a 1/8-inch Allen bit, and the torque set to approximately 4-5.

 

Figure 3: Removing the Screw from the Red Handle

 

2. Open the hatch 5-6 inches and pull the black exterior handle from the bushing. See Figure 4.

 

Figure 4: Removing the Exterior Hatch Handle

 

3. Discard any existing O-ring on the bushing and secure the new O-ring from the kit around the base of the stem of the new black handle.
4. Insert the shaft of the new handle into the bushing, oriented as shown in Figure 5.

 

Figure 5: New Handle Inserted in the Hatch

 

5. From inside the lid, locate the shaft of the outer handle. See Figure 6.

 

Figure 6: Handle Stem through the Interior of the Hatch

 

6. The red handle, removed earlier, has ribs to self-orient the handle when reinstalled with the black handle. See Figure 7.

 

Figure 7: Ribs Inside the Red Interior Handle that Self-Orient

 

7. From inside the bus, place the red handle on the stem of the external handle. Orient as shown in Figure 8.

 

Figure 8: Installing the Red Handle on the Interior of the Hatch

 

8. Install the screw from the kit using a drill or 1/8-inch Allen wrench. Tighten to 10-12 lbf^.in.
9. Once the red handle is installed, confirm the micro switch is mounted to the black mounting bracket the red handle activates. The switch activates when the handle is oriented at 90 degrees to the bracket.
10. Secure the lid to the trim subassembly by rotating the inside (red) handle into position. There should be a “click” when the switch is activated. If this does not occur, replace the switch.
11. Place a green sticker on silver label on the bottom of the Prolo hatch (from inside the bus). See Figure 9.

 

Figure 9: Green Sticker on the Data Label

 

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Daimler Trucks
North America LLC

November 2019
FL819AB
NHTSA #19V-549 (Non-School Buses)
#19V-550 (School Buses)

 

 

IMPORTANT SAFETY RECALL

See enclosed VIN list

Subject: TBB SMI Prolo Roof Hatches

 

This notice is sent to you in accordance with the requirements of the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act.

Daimler Trucks North America LLC, on behalf of its wholly owned subsidiary, Thomas Built Buses, Inc., has decided that a defect which relates to motor vehicle safety exists on specific Model Year 2019-2020 Thomas Built Buses Minotour and Saf-T-Liner C2, EFX, and HDX model buses manufactured September 10, 2018, through June 26, 2019, with certain Specialty Manufacturing Prolo 924X Series Roof Escape Hatches manufactured August 1, 2018, through May 20, 2019.

Certain roof escape hatches may have external cast handles that contain a higher than allowed/specified level of porosity or voids. This may create failure points in the handle, leading to breakage under reasonable use. A failure of the external release handle may delay the evacuation of the vehicle during an emergency, increasing the risk of injury.

Roof hatches will be inspected and the external handles replaced as needed.

This is the second letter regarding this subject. The repair is now available. To arrange for repairs, you should contact your local Thomas Built Buses dealer immediately. The repair should take up to an hour, depending on the work needed, and will be performed at no charge to you. You may also confirm your vehicle’s involvement in this recall at this URL: https://dtna-dlrinfo.prd.freightliner.com:48518/VinLookup/vin-module/getVinLookupPage .

If you do not own the vehicle that corresponds to the identification number(s) which appears on the Recall Notification, please return the notification to the Warranty Campaigns Department with any information you can furnish that will assist us in locating the present owner. If you have leased this vehicle, Federal law requires that you forward this notice to the lessee within 10 days. If you are a subsequent stage manufacturer, Federal law requires that you forward this notice to your distributors and retail outlets within five working days. If you have paid to have this recall condition corrected prior to this notice, you may be eligible to receive reimbursement. Please see the reverse side of this notice for details.

If you have any questions about this recall, please contact the Warranty Campaigns Department at (800) 547-0712,  7:00 a. m to 4:00 p. m, Monday through Friday. If you are not able to have the defect remedied without charge and within a reasonable time, you may wish to submit a complaint to the Administrator, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE, Washington, DC 20590; or call the Vehicle Safety Hotline at  (888) 327-4236 (TTY: (800) 424-9153)); or to https://www.safercar.gov .

We regret any inconvenience this action may cause but feel certain you understand our interest in motor vehicle safety.

 

WARRANTY CAMPAIGNS DEPARTMENT

Enclosure

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Reimbursement to Customers for Repairs Performed Prior to Recall

 

If you have already paid to have this recall condition corrected you may be eligible to receive reimbursement.

Requests for reimbursement may include parts and labor. Reimbursement may be limited to the amount the repair would have cost if completed by an authorized Daimler Trucks North America LLC dealer. The following documentation must be presented to your dealer for consideration for reimbursement.

Please provide original or clear copies of all receipts, invoices, and repair orders that show:

• The name and address of the person who paid for the repair.
• The Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) of the vehicle that was repaired.
• What problem occurred, what repair was done, when the repair was done.
• Who repaired the vehicle.
• The total cost of the repair expense that is being claimed.
• Proof of payment for the repair (such as the front and back of a cancelled check or a credit card receipt).

Reimbursement will be made by check from your Thomas Built Buses dealer.

Please speak with your Thomas Built Buses authorized dealer concerning this matter.

 

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Daimler Trucks
North America LLC

 

September 2019
FL819AB
Interim Recall Notice
NHTSA #19V-549 (Non-School Buses)
#19V-550 (School Buses)

 

IMPORTANT SAFETY RECALL

See enclosed VIN list

Subject: TBB SMI Prolo Roof Hatches

 

This notice is sent to you in accordance with the requirements of the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act.

Daimler Trucks North America LLC, on behalf of its wholly owned subsidiary, Thomas Built Buses, Inc., has decided that a defect which relates to motor vehicle safety exists on specific Model Year 2019-2020 Thomas Built Buses Minotour and Saf-T-Liner C2, EFX, and HDX model buses manufactured September 10, 2018, through June 26, 2019, with certain Specialty Manufacturing, Inc. (SMI) Prolo Roof Escape Hatches.

Certain roof escape hatches may have external cast handles that contain a higher than allowed/specified level of porosity or voids. This may create failure points in the handle, leading to breakage under reasonable use. A failure of the external release handle may delay the evacuation of the vehicle during an emergency, increasing the risk of injury.

This is the first of two notices you will receive regarding this subject. This letter is to inform you of an upcoming Recall to correct the issue noted above. You may continue to operate your vehicle in the interim.

The second notice will inform you when the final remedy is available. When you receive the second notice, please contact your authorized Thomas Built Buses dealer to schedule the Recall for your vehicle.

If you have any questions about this recall, please contact the Warranty Campaigns Department at (800) 547-0712,  7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Pacific Time, Monday through Friday. If you are not able to have the defect remedied without charge and within a reasonable time, you may wish to submit a complaint to the Administrator, National Highway Traffic  Safety Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590; or call the Vehicle Safety Hotline at  (888) 3274236 (TTY: (800) 424-9153); or to https://www.safercar.gov .

We regret any inconvenience this action may cause but feel certain you understand our interest in motor vehicle safety.

 

WARRANTY CAMPAIGNS DEPARTMENT

Enclosure

 

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8 Affected Products

Vehicles

MAKE	MODEL	YEAR
THOMAS BUILT BUSES	MINOTOUR	2019-2020
THOMAS BUILT BUSES	SAF-T-LINER C2	2019-2020
THOMAS BUILT BUSES	SAF-T-LINER EFX	2019-2020
THOMAS BUILT BUSES	SAF-T-LINER HDX	2019-2020

 

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9 Associated Documents

Owner Notification Letter(Part 577)

RCONL-19V550-3638.pdf 54.142KB

 

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Remedy Instructions and TSB

RCRIT-19V550-6236.pdf 338.996KB

 

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Manufacturer Notices(to Dealers,etc)

RCMN-19V550-4409.pdf 75.239KB

 

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Recall Quarterly Report #1, 2019-4

RCLQRT-19V550-8789.PDF 211.157KB

 

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Interim Owner Notification Letter(Part 577)

RIONL-19V550-9439.pdf 38.018KB

 

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Recall Quarterly Report #2, 2020-1

RCLQRT-19V550-8416.PDF 211.258KB

 

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Defect Notice 573 Report

RCLRPT-19V550-2326.PDF 214.602KB

 

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Miscellaneous Document- 573 Defect Information Report

RMISC-19V550-2441.pdf 443.768KB

 

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Recall Acknowledgement

RCAK-19V550-3699.pdf 245.106KB

 

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Latest Recalls Documents

https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/acms/cs/documentList.xhtml?docId=19V550&docType=RCL

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Last update on 2026-05-24 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

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