Thomas Built Buses recall 26V-697: Heater Hose May Rupture and Leak
Contact with hot coolant may burn occupants, increasing the risk of injury.
Campaign facts
- NHTSA campaign
- 26V697000 (26V-697)
- Manufacturer number
- F1043
- Filed by
- Daimler Trucks North America, LLC
- Report received
- October 21, 2026
- Component
- Engine
- Vehicles potentially affected
- 8
- Model years
- 2027
- Built between
- August 21, 2026 and August 24, 2026
- Recall initiated by
- The manufacturer
What is wrong
Daimler Trucks North America, LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain Thomas Built Buses 2027 Saf-T-Liner C2 school buses. The heater hose may rupture, which can result in hot coolant leaking inside the passenger compartment.
The risk
Contact with hot coolant may burn occupants, increasing the risk of injury.
Why engine defects matter: An engine failure can cause a loss of motive power while driving, and oil or coolant leaking onto hot parts can start a fire.
The remedy
Dealers will inspect and replace the heater hose as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed December 18, 2026. Owners may contact DTNA customer service at 1-800-547-0712. DTNA's number for this recall is F1043.
About the engine and cooling
The engine and its cooling system turn fuel into motive power and keep temperatures in range; leaks and internal failures are common recall causes.
Vehicles covered by campaign 26V-697
What to do
- Enter your VIN in NHTSA’s lookup (below) to confirm that your vehicle is included and that the repair has not already been done.
- Call a dealer for the brand and book the repair. Quote NHTSA campaign 26V-697 and the manufacturer’s number F1043.
- Watch for warning lamps, smoke, unusual noises or leaks under the vehicle, and stop driving if any appear.
- Safety recall repairs are carried out free of charge by the manufacturer’s dealers. If you already paid for this repair yourself, ask the manufacturer about reimbursement and keep your receipt.
Check by VIN
A campaign rarely covers every vehicle of a model year. Enter your 17-character VIN to find the recall campaigns filed for your make, model and model year. The VIN is on the driver’s side of the dashboard (visible through the windshield), on the door-jamb label, and on your registration and insurance documents.
Is a recall still open on your vehicle? Only NHTSA’s official VIN check can say whether a campaign applies to your exact vehicle and whether the repair has already been done.
Your VIN is decoded with NHTSA’s public vPIC service to identify the make, model and year. It is not stored and is not added to any page address.
The official record
This page reproduces the campaign as filed with NHTSA. The NHTSA record is authoritative — if anything here differs, follow the agency.
Open campaign 26V-697 on NHTSA.gov