2003 Thomas ER recalls and problems
The 2003 Thomas ER has 6 safety recalls and 1 owner complaint filed with NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at any Thomas dealer.
Recalls may cover only some 2003 Thomas ER vehicles. Check your VIN at NHTSA ↗ to see open recalls for your exact car.
2003 Thomas ER recalls
Recall 08V-622: Electrical System
Problem: Daimler trucks is recalling 18,198 my 2003-2009 thomas built er, mvp-er, hdx, and mvp-ef school and transit buses equipped with a dual power switch and manufactured from february 1, 2002 through october 17, 2008. Solid state circuit breakers may trip unnecessarily potentially resulting in a loss of power to the bus chassis and body electrical circuits causing an unexpected loss of engine power and exterior lighting.
Risk: Unexpected loss of engine power and exterior lighting could result in a vehicle crash.
Fix: Thomas built bus dealers will replace the solid state dual power switch with a mechanical circuit production (Mega fuse). The recall is expected to begin during april 2009. Owners may contact thomas built at 1-336-889-4871.
Recall 08V-087: Structure
Problem: 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.
Risk: 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.
Fix: 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.
Recall 07V-544: Electrical System
Problem: 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.
Risk: A vehicle fire can occur possibly resulting in a crash.
Fix: 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.
Recall 05V-347: Other
Problem: Certain 2002-2005 my thomas built minotour, conventional, mvp-er, er, hdx, and mvp-ef model school buses manufactured between january 8, 2002, and march 8, 2005, equipped with specialty mfg "5" series stop arms originally sold in or currently registered in states other than the following states: alaska, colorado, connecticut, delaware, idaho, illinois, indiana, iowa, kansas, kentucky, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, montana, nebraska, nevada, new hampshire, new jersey, new mexico, new york, north dakota, ohio, oregon, pennsylvania, rhode island, south dakota, tennessee, utah, vermont, virginia, washington, west virginia, wisconsin, wyoming, and the district of columbia. In extremely cold weather, the microswitches used internally to position the stop arm sign in the open and closed positions may malfunction, causing the sign to open or close in an improper position, or to not open at all.
Risk: Should the stop arm not perform properly, a child or pedestrian may be endangered by passing vehicles should the motorist not stop at the correct location.
Fix: For those buses operated in or near any of the states listed above, thomas built is encouraging the bus owners to obtain the replacement switch. For those buses operated in the warmer states, dealers will replace the switch upon owner request. For those customers who request the remedy, thomas built will replace the original switch with a switch pack that is not sensitive to extreme cold weather and will inspect to ensure the microswitch heater wiring is properly connected. The recall began on september 14, 2005. Owners may contact thomas built's customer support office at 336-889-4871.
Recall 05V-340: Other
Problem: Certain 2002-2005 my thomas built minotour, conventional, mvp-er, er, hdx, and mvp-ef model school buses manufactured between january 8, 2002, and march 8, 2005, equipped with specialty mfg "5" series stop arms originally sold in or currently registered in the following states: alaska, colorado, connecticut, delaware, idaho, illinois, indiana, iowa, kansas, kentucky, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, montana, nebraska, nevada, new hampshire, new jersey, new mexico, new york, north dakota, ohio, oregon, pennsylvania, rhode island, south dakota, tennessee, utah, vermont, virginia, washington, west virginia, wisconsin, wyoming, and the district of columbia. In extremely cold weather, the microswitches used internally to position the stop arm sign in the open and closed positions may malfunction, causing the sign to open or close in an improper position, or to not open at all.
Risk: Should the stop arm not perform properly, a child or pedestrian may be endangered by passing vehicles should the motorist not stop at the correct location.
Fix: Thomas built will notify its owners and replace the original switch with a switch pack that is not sensitive to extreme cold weather and will inspect to ensure the microswitch heater wiring is properly connected free of charge. The recall began on september 14, 2005. Owners may contact thomas built's customer support office at 336-889-4871.
Recall 05V-208: Vehicle Speed Control
Problem: Certain my 2002-2005 thomas built saf-t-liner er school buses and er transit buses manufactured between november 2002 and february 2005 and equipped with john deere 8.1l compressed natural gas engines models hfn01 and hfn03. The engine control unit and throttle can unexpectedly surge. These units fail to conform to federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 124, accelerator control systems.
Risk: A sudden engine surge could possibly result in a vehicle crash.
Fix: John deere will notify the customers of freightliner/thomas built and will update the engine control unit software free of charge. Owners may contact john deere at 1-800-jd-engine.
2003 Thomas ER problems reported by owners
| Problem area | Reports | |
|---|---|---|
| Other | 1 |
Most reported parts
- Other › School Bus Stop Arm Assembly — 1
Problems that are not covered by a recall are paid repairs; labor rates follow local mechanic pay — see what auto mechanics earn in each state.
Other Thomas ER years
Frequently asked questions
Does the 2003 Thomas ER have any recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 6 recalls for the 2003 Thomas ER: 08V-622 (electrical system), 08V-087 (structure), 07V-544 (electrical system), 05V-347 (other), 05V-340 (other) and more. Not every vehicle is affected, so check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What is the most common problem with the 2003 Thomas ER?
Owners report other problems most often (1 reports).
Are Thomas recall repairs free?
Yes. Safety recall repairs are free at authorized Thomas dealers, whether you are the first owner or bought the car used.