1997 Thomas Mvp EF: what breaks, and at what mileage
What breaks on the 1997 Thomas Mvp EF
Only 4 defect reports have been filed with NHTSA about the 1997 Thomas Mvp EF, which is too few to compute mileage percentiles or a risk score. The reports reported loss of braking.
When each failure gets reported
Tick median reported mileage Solid middle half of reports Faint 10th to 90th percentile Colour how bad the failure is when it happens
Every reported failure mode
| Failure mode | System | Reports | With reading | 25th | Median | 75th | Per 1,000 | Typical repair | Severity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss of braking | brakes | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | 1.3 | $400–$3,000 | Critical |
Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound. Repair costs are typical independent-shop ranges for the failure, not figures from these reports.
Recalls on the 1997 model year
NHTSA has issued 6 recall campaigns covering the 1997 Thomas Mvp EF, affecting an estimated 4,736 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 structure:body:door:hinge and attachments, seat belts, structure:body and seats. 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.
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS
243,435 vehicles 2008-02-26- Defect
- 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.
- Consequence
- 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.
- Remedy
- 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.
SEAT BELTS
11,265 vehicles 2007-03-27- Defect
- Certain my 1994 through 2002 thomas built minotour, fs-65, mvp-ef, er, and hdx-ef school buses manufactured between january 23, 1994, and april 15, 2002. The seat belt may chafe on the edge of a metal bracket and wear prematurely.
- Consequence
- In the event of a vehicle crash, the seat occupant may not be properly restrained, possibly resulting in personal injury.
- Remedy
- Thomas built will notify owners and replace any chafed seat belts and replace or modify the retainer strip to prevent any further chafing. The recall began on february 8, 2008. Owners may contact thomas built at 336-889-4871 or contact freightliner at 800-547-0712.
STRUCTURE:BODY
57 vehicles 2001-12-12- Defect
- Vehicle description: certain school buses fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 217, "bus emergency exits and window retention and release." a third roof hatch must be added to meet the standard requirements. Only vehicles located in the state of washington are involved.
- Consequence
- In the event of a crash, the bus occupant may not be able to exit the bus quickly.
- Remedy
- Dealers will install a third roof hatch. Owner notification began may 1, 2002. 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 336-889-4871.
SEATS
6,500 vehicles 2000-11-03- Defect
- Vehicle description: certain school buses and transit buses equipped with national seating's series 93b-sb driver seat. A bracket attaching the gas spring shock to the height adjuster of the seat can deform and break. This bracket is located at the top of the height adjuster.
- Consequence
- If the bracket is not replaced after deforming, and is allowed to break, its breaking will result in a sudden drop of the driver's seat, increasing the risk of loss of control of the vehicle and a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the seat base and add reinforcement to the seat assembly
SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:ANTILOCK
35,405 vehicles 2000-08-07- Defect
- Vehicle description: heavy duty trucks and school bus chassis built with bendix air ABS with an ec-17 1030r electronic control unit (ecu), there have been reports of unwanted ABS activation at low speeds caused by 1) chafed ABS wheel speed sensor wires on rotating parts or 2) a damaged component at the wheel end that generates a certain type of erratic sensor signal.
- Consequence
- This condition could cause the ABS ecu to exhaust the air at the air brake modulators for one or more of the wheels. This could result in extended braking distances and a possible crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the ABS ecu.
SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:ANTILOCK
4,780 vehicles 2000-08-07- Defect
- Vehicle description: school bus chassis and emergency vehicles built with bendix air ABS with an ec-17 1030r electronic control unit (ecu), there have been reports of unwanted ABS activation at low speeds caused by 1) chafed ABS wheel speed sensor wires on rotating parts or 2) a damaged component at the wheel end that generates a certain type of erratic sensor signal.
- Consequence
- This condition could cause the ABS ecu to exhaust the air at the air brake modulators for one or more of the wheels. This could result in extended braking distances and a possible crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the ABS ecu.
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 Mvp EF
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.
What the reports on file say
The complaints recorded against the 1997 Thomas Mvp EF are loss of braking (4 reports). With a sample this size these are anecdotes rather than a pattern, and they are shown because somebody looking at this exact car would rather see them than nothing.
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