repaired · 2025 Q1
Body: roof and pillars
Risk. A school bus exterior roof panel with insufficient joint strength may separate during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
2018 Thomas Built Buses Saf-t-liner EFXProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 0 owner complaints about the 2018 Thomas Built Buses Saf-t-liner EFX. It is covered by 14 safety recalls, and for recall 18V-193 the manufacturer reports only 33% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through October 12, 2022. Updated daily.
Complaints by system
Where the 2018 Thomas Built Buses Saf-t-liner EFX has problems
0 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
14 recalls
2018 Thomas Built Buses Saf-t-liner EFX recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
repaired · 2025 Q3
Seats
Risk. Cracked passenger seat frames may not adequately secure passengers in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
repaired · 2022 Q1
Seats
Risk. The lack of impact absorption increases the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
repaired · 2021 Q2
Service brakes, air: disc
Risk. The dragging brakes may lead to high temperatures at the wheel end, increasing the risk of smoke and fire, possibly resulting in the bus having to be…
Show 10 more recalls
repaired · 2020 Q4
Steering
Risk. Loose tie rod arm bolts may lead to separation of the tie rod arm, affecting vehicle steering, and increasing the risk of a crash.
repaired · 2020 Q3
Disc: caliper
Risk. Loose brake caliper mounting bolts can reduce brake effectiveness, increasing the risk of a crash.
repaired · 2019 Q4
Supply: check valve
Risk. In the event of a rapid loss of air pressure in the secondary system, the incorrectly plumbed check valve can cause rapid air loss in both secondary and…
repaired · 2019 Q4
Supply: check valve
Risk. In the event of a rapid loss of air pressure in the secondary system, the incorrectly plumbed check valve can cause rapid air loss in both secondary and…
repaired · 2019 Q4
Disc: caliper
Risk. If the brake caliper mounting bolts come loose, braking performance may be reduced, increasing the risk of a crash.
repaired · 2020 Q4
Seats
Risk. In the event of a crash, if the seat does not remain secured to the wall, the occupant has an increased risk of an injury.
repaired · 2020 Q4
Seats
Risk. In the event of a crash, if the seat does not remain secured to the wall, the occupant has an increased risk of an injury.
repaired · 2021 Q1
Seats
Risk. In the event of a crash, if the seat does not remain secured to the wall, the occupant has an increased risk of an injury.
repaired · 2021 Q1
Seats
Risk. In the event of a crash, if the seat does not remain secured to the wall, the occupant has an increased risk of an injury.
repaired · 2018 Q3
Seats
Risk. Without under-rail washers, in the event of a crash, the seats may come loose, increasing the risk of injury.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Thomas Built Buses.
Best & worst years
2018 vs. every other Saf-t-liner EFX year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Saf-t-liner EFX median. How we score
'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
Own a 2018 Saf-t-liner EFX?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.