1997 Thomas ER Model: what breaks, and at what mileage
What breaks on the 1997 Thomas ER Model
No owner has filed a defect report with NHTSA about the 1997 Thomas ER Model. That is not a clean bill of health — it usually means few were sold, or the year is too new for problems to have surfaced.
Recalls on the 1997 model year
NHTSA has issued 2 recall campaigns covering the 1997 Thomas ER Model, affecting an estimated 517 vehicles. A recall is a different kind of evidence from a complaint: it is the regulator and the manufacturer agreeing that something has to be fixed, and the fix is free for as long as the car exists.
The campaigns cover steering: steering wheel/handle bar and steering:hydraulic power assist:pump. Whether the work was actually done on the car in front of you is a question only the VIN can answer, and the manufacturer or NHTSA will answer it free.
Recalls also distort complaint counts. Publicity about a campaign reminds owners that complaining is possible, so reports for a recalled component often spike after the recall rather than before it.
STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
953 vehicles 1997-10-20- Defect
- Vehicle description: school and transit buses. If debris becomes trapped between the plastic cup, which seals the opening where the steering column comes through the bus floor and the steering knuckle, the steering linkage can bind.
- Consequence
- Binding of the steering linkage could cause the driver to over steer the vehicle, possibly resulting in loss of control of the vehicle or a crash.
- Remedy
- Owners are requested to remove the plastic seal which will leave an opening between the vehicle floor and the steering column. Thomas built is in the process of designing a proper seal for that area, and this seal will be sent to owners for installation.
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:PUMP
200 vehicles 1997-09-12- Defect
- Vehicle description: transit buses. A burr on the spool bore of the steering gear pumps can result in the loss of oil flow.
- Consequence
- This condition can cause loss of power steering assist and/or overheating the engine.
- Remedy
- Thomas built is requesting owners to inspect the date code on the steering gear pump. If the pump is stamped with a date code prior to 6/1/97 and does not have an "l" or an "rl" stamped on the identification tag, the owner will be instructed to replace the pump. Owners will be shipped a replacement pump and detailed repair instructions. If the owner so desires, thomas built can do the inspection and repair on these buses.
Recall work is free at a franchised dealer regardless of the car's age. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before assuming it was done.
Every year of the Thomas ER Model
Scores compare each year against other cars of the same model year, so a low number on an older car is a real result and not an artefact of age.
Why this page is short
A model year needs about 8 reports before percentiles mean anything, and this one does not have them. Complaint volume tracks how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road, so a thin page usually means a rare car, a new car, or a car whose owners do not file.
Where this comes from. Every figure above is computed from NHTSA owner complaints and recall records for this exact make, model and year. Complaints are voluntary and self-selected, so treat counts as a floor. The methodology page writes out each formula, and the same numbers are available as JSON.
What breaks at my mileage Compare with another car
Source Owner complaints and recall records published by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, model years 1996–2027 Figures rebuilt Published by AtWhatMileage How every figure is computed