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Thomas Built Buses Saf-t-liner HDXYears to avoid, problems & recalls

NHTSA has 5 owner complaints and 81 safety recalls on record for the Thomas Built Buses Saf-t-liner HDX.

Years to avoidNoneBased on weighted complaintsBest years—Fewest complaints for their ageOwner complaints5Top: Service brakes, airSafety recalls812002–2026 model years

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports. Updated daily. How we score years.

Best & worst years

Thomas Built Buses Saf-t-liner HDX years to avoid

Complaints by model year, colored by the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Saf-t-liner HDX median. Tap a year for its full report.

'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
2026Too new–/1000 complaints · 3 recalls2025Too new–/1000 complaints · 3 recalls2024Not rated–/1000 complaints · 2 recalls2023Not rated–/1000 complaints · 8 recalls2022Not rated–/1000 complaints · 11 recalls2021Not rated–/1000 complaints · 16 recalls2020Not rated–/1000 complaints · 18 recalls2019Not rated–/1001 complaint · 21 recalls2018Not rated–/1000 complaints · 26 recalls2017Not rated–/1000 complaints · 32 recalls2016Not rated–/1000 complaints · 29 recalls2015Not rated–/1000 complaints · 31 recalls2014Not rated–/1000 complaints · 30 recalls2013Not rated–/1000 complaints · 23 recalls2012Not rated–/1000 complaints · 19 recalls2011Not rated–/1000 complaints · 23 recalls2010Not rated–/1000 complaints · 16 recalls2009Not rated–/1001 complaint · 14 recalls2008Not rated–/1000 complaints · 14 recalls2007Not rated–/1000 complaints · 10 recalls2006Not rated–/1001 complaint · 9 recalls2005Not rated–/1000 complaints · 5 recalls2004Not rated–/1002 complaints · 5 recalls2003Not rated–/1000 complaints · 5 recalls2002Not rated–/1000 complaints · 1 recall
Complaints by system

Most common Thomas Built Buses Saf-t-liner HDX problems

All model years combined: 5 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Service brakes, air30
Wheels30
Electrical system11
Power train11
Steering10
81 recalls

Thomas Built Buses Saf-t-liner HDX recalls

Newest first. The ring shows the share of affected vehicles repaired, from the manufacturer's latest report to NHTSA.

27%Cooling system: hoses/lines/piping/fittings26V-087 · 2023–2026 · Feb 13, 2026 · 52 vehicles31%Cooling system: hoses/lines/piping/fittings26V-086 · 2023–2026 · Feb 13, 2026 · 2,843 vehicles37%Latch/anchor: 25V-849 · 2026 · Dec 9, 2025 · 600 vehicles38%Steering: critical fasteners25V-604 · 2025 · Sep 11, 2025 · 99 vehicles58%Other: labels24V-555 · 2019–2022 · Jul 24, 2024 · 27,494 vehicles48%Body: roof and pillars22V-762 · 2011–2023 · Oct 12, 2022 · 17,613 vehicles68%Structure: body22V-688 · 2020–2023 · Sep 14, 2022 · 1,259 vehicles43%Seats: barriers22V-634 · 2011–2021 · Aug 19, 2022 · 7,561 vehicles79%Engine: engine control module (ecu/ecm)22V-553 · 2023 · Jul 29, 2022 · 71 vehicles38%Seats22V-510 · 2014–2023 · Jul 19, 2022 · 1,806 vehicles67%12v/24v/48v battery: cables22V-272 · 2019–2023 · Apr 22, 2022 · 138 vehicles75%12v/24v/48v battery: cables22V-271 · 2019–2023 · Apr 22, 2022 · 2,943 vehicles

Showing the 12 newest of 81 recalls. Each model-year page lists all recalls for that year.

1 investigation

NHTSA investigations of the Saf-t-liner HDX

  1. Thomas Built CNG Tank AbrasionPE11029 · 2003–2011 · closed Feb 17, 2012
    No recall