2008 Thomas Built Buses SAF-T-Liner C2: common problems

Key figures

Owner complaints

5

What fails most often

• Latches, locks, linkages: 1 complaints (20% of all).
• Parking brake: 1 complaints (20% of all).
• Seats: 1 complaints (20% of all).
• Service brakes: 1 complaints (20% of all).
• Structure: 1 complaints (20% of all).

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 5 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

• A/C or heater1 · 20%
• door locks, latches, handles1 · 20%
• rust, corrosion1 · 20%
• warning lights, check engine1 · 20%

Components owners complain about

What owners report

Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.

• There is a plastic fitting at the rear heater that is failing which causes hot anti-freeze to spill into the passenger area of the school bus. This has happened on three buses in the past two weeks. Hot anti-freeze can cause injury to the students that are being transported.

  Structure · 2016-11-16 · NHTSA complaint #10926403

• The contact has a fleet that includes 18 my2000-2008 thomas school buses. All have exhibited multiple failures to passenger seatbacks; the seat pan becomes detached from the seat frame. The contact is concerned that a damaged seat may not perform its role in compartmentalization as intended by fmvss 222.

  Seats · 2012-05-21 · NHTSA complaint #10459446

• In the process of replacing the emergency exit doors on the 2007-2008 model saf-t-liner c2 buses owned by sc department of education the fleet discovered corrosion related degradation of shaft to the outside door handle.

  Latches, locks, linkages · 2012-02-02 · NHTSA complaint #10446515

• As the bus driver pulled into the bus garage, he noticed his brake warning light on. I checked the brake fluid and found it low. I applied constant pressure to the brake pedal then inspected the brake system. The brake line running down from the master cylinder inside the frame rail was leaking.

  Service brakes · 2011-02-22 · NHTSA complaint #10383939

• Bus brake interlock will not release, must bypass brake switch to move bus from roadway after student pickup. Happens intermittently ,without warning. Have to replace amu brake switch block, part #a12-19776-010-01. To correct. Bus only has 21,485 miles .have 6 buses with similar mileage, have replaced 3 to date.

  Parking brake · 2008-05-23 · NHTSA complaint #10228774

When owners complained

NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.

• 20081
• 20111
• 20122
• 20161

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 14,283 of 36,659 model years in the NHTSA data (top 39% most complained about).

On average one model year of the SAF-T-Liner C2 has 1 complaints (22 years in the data). This year has 5, above average.

What to check before buying

• Latches, locks, linkages. Door, hood and tailgate latches, especially near the impact.
• Parking brake. Electric parking brake, codes, calipers.
• Seats. Occupant sensor, power adjustment, seat mounts.
• Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.

Other years of this model

• SAF-T-Liner C2 20123 sources
• SAF-T-Liner C2 2016149 sources
• SAF-T-Liner C2 2017156 sources
• SAF-T-Liner C2 2018157 sources
• SAF-T-Liner C2 2019147 sources
• SAF-T-Liner C2 2020122 sources
• SAF-T-Liner C2 2021121 sources
• SAF-T-Liner C2 2022113 sources
• SAF-T-Liner C2 202349 sources
• SAF-T-Liner C2 202449 sources
• SAF-T-Liner C2 202535 sources
• SAF-T-Liner C2 202612 sources
• SAF-T-Liner C2 20274 sources

Questions and answers