2000 Thomas ER Model: what breaks, and at what mileage
What breaks on the 2000 Thomas ER Model
No owner has filed a defect report with NHTSA about the 2000 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 2000 model year
NHTSA has issued 2 recall campaigns covering the 2000 Thomas ER Model, affecting an estimated 222 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 seat belts and seat belts:front:buckle assembly. 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.
One caution about reading these together: a recall usually raises the complaint count for the same part, because owners who read about it go and file. The mileages stay informative; the counts get noisy.
SEAT BELTS
2,371 vehicles 2002-10-31- Defect
- On certain school or transit buses with passenger seat belts with retractors, the cover halves for the retractable portion of the belt can separate completely and release the seat belt connector. If this occurs, one of the load bearing pins in the connector could separate from the connector and render the seat belt unusable. In the event of a crash, the seat occupant would not be properly restrained resulting in an injury. The seat belt supplier, amsafe, will provide a snap on "over-cover" to owners to prevent the seat belt cover from separating.
- Consequence
- If this occurs, one of the load bearing pins in the connector could separate from the connector and render the seat belt unusable. In the event of a crash, the seat occupant would not be properly restrained resulting in an injury.
- Remedy
- Dealers will provide a plastic outer cover that snaps over the existing cover on units in the field and will replace broken seat belts free of charge. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact thomas built at 336-841-5924 or amsafe at 574-266-8330.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
129 vehicles 2001-06-26- Defect
- Vehicle description: school and transit buses equipped with safety belt assemblies produced by am-safe. On some seat belts, the buckle and connector may unlatch during a collision.
- Consequence
- Serious injury or death could occur if the vehicle occupant is not properly restrained.
- Remedy
- Am-safe notified thomas built's customers to return their vehicle to an authorized dealer to have the seat belts repaired free of charge. Owner notification began september 21, 2000. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact thomas built at 1-336-889-4871.
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