1999 Thomas SCHOOL BUS problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
3 owner complaints analyzed
0 distinct recall campaigns
58,335 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1999 model year. Data updated: . 1 complaints include usable failure mileage. View data status.
This selection has limited data. It remains available for lookup but is excluded from search indexing.
Most common problems
Electrical System:Alternator/Generator/Regulator is the most frequently named component, appearing in 1 of 3 complaints (33.3%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 1 | 33.3% |
| Steering behavior | 1 | 33.3% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Electrical System:Alternator/Generator/Regulator | 1 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 1 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System | 1 |
Electrical System:Alternator/Generator/Regulator: 1; Engine And Engine Cooling: 1; Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 0 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 1 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 1; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0
50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (1). 2 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2002 | 1 |
| 2004 | 2 |
2002: 1; 2004: 2
Pattern summary
Electrical System:Alternator/Generator/Regulator leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 1 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 1 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10064710 · 2004-03-23 (March 23, 2004)
WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH VEHICLE SHUT OFF. THIS RESULTED IN LOSS OF STEERING CAPABILITY AND POWER BRAKING. AFTER BEING SERVICED TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10064710 at NHTSA ↗
Vehicle analysis explorer
Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.
Data completeness
3 unique complaints in this selection. Analysis snapshot: 2026-10-01.
Missing, zero and invalid mileage is excluded. Dates after the snapshot are excluded. Examples are limited selections, not a representative sample.
Problems by model year
Model-wide comparison of the eight most reported components across the model. Cells show counts and shares within each model year. Open a cell for source examples.
| Component | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2002 | 2004 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exterior Lighting:Headlights:Switch | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 5100.0%ODI 549569HIGH AMPERAGE LOAD IS ROUTED THROUGH THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH, THIS CIRCUITRY IS OVERLOADED AND OVERHEATS (SHORT) RESULTING IN LOSS OF HEADLIGHTS,MARKET LIGHTS AND TAIL LIGHT CIRCUITS. MJS | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Seats | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 266.7%ODI 10595064 · 46,558 miSEAT BACKS BROKEN, SHEET METAL BACKING BREAKING AROUND THE SPOT WELDS WHERE IT IS SECURED TO THE TUBE FRAME. SYNTEC SEAT - MANUFACTURER. *TR | 150.0%ODI 10592680 · 35,036 miON THE SYNTEC SCHOOL BUS SEATS THE SHEET METAL BACKING IS BREAKING AWAY FROM THE TUBE FRAME. THE SHEET METAL IS BREAKING AROUND THE SPOT WELDS. THIS PARTICULAR BUS HAD 6 BROKEN SEATS. *TR | 2100.0%ODI 10595067 · 45,127 miSEAT BACKS BROKEN, SHEET METAL BACKING BREAKING AROUND THE SPOT WELDS WHERE IT IS SECURED TO THE TUBE FRAME. SYNTEC SEAT - MANUFACTURER. *TR |
| Electrical System | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 1100.0%ODI 10545001TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 THOMAS SCHOOL BUS BODY EQUIPPED WITH AN INTERNATIONAL CHASSIS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT BURNING FUMES WERE EMITTED FROM UNDER THE DASHBOARD AND WITHIN MINUTES, THE VEHICLE HAD BECOME ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A FIRE REPORT WAS FILED OF THE INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. A PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION WAS CONDUCTED AND THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FIRE WAS CAUSED BY AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE UNDER THE DASHBOARD. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS … | 133.3%ODI 10486190 · 72,354 miBUS WAS IN SERVICE AND ON ROUTE WITH STUDENTS ON BOARD. BUS INTERIOR STARTED FILLING WITH SMOKE. DRIVER PULLED OVER AND DID AN EMERGENCY EVACUATION OF STUDENTS. SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE A/C 24 VOLT ALT HAD FULL FIELDED AND CAUSED THE WIRING TO COMPLETELY MELT THE SHEATHING ON THE ALT POWER WIRE. BACKFEED THROUGH THE SYSTEM CAUSED THE CONTROLLER TO BURN UP INSIDE THE BUS. CARRIER HAS TOLD US THEY KNOW OF THIS PROBLEM AND THEY HAVE A FIX FOR IT. THIS IS ONE OF AT LEAST 10 WE HAVE HAD HAPPEN. SOMETIME IT BURNS UP THE CONDENSER MOTORS… | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Electrical System:Alternator/Generator/Regulator | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 133.3%ODI 8002058ALTERNATOR IS CLOSE TO OIL FILTER. LOWER BRACKET FELL WHERE ALTERNATOR IS LOCATED TOUCHING OIL FILTER. CONTACTED DEALER. *AK | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 133.3%ODI 10064710WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH VEHICLE SHUT OFF. THIS RESULTED IN LOSS OF STEERING CAPABILITY AND POWER BRAKING. AFTER BEING SERVICED TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 133.3%ODI 10009419 · 58,335 miTHE SCHOOL BUS LEAKED ANTIFREEZE AND FUMES SEEPED OUT INTO THE SCHOOL BUS. *JB MANUFACTURES DEFECT, ANTIFREEZE VAPORS INSIDE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. PUMP TO POWERFUL OMITS ANTIFREEZE VAPORS. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT DRIVERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE GETTING PERMINENT LUNG DAMAGE FROM THE FUMES. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT SHE HAS BEEN SICK EVER SINCE THE BUS WAS ASSIGNED. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE HEATER PUMP IS TO LARGE IN THE BUSES HOSES HELD ON WITH TINY CLAMS. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE EMPLOYER REFUSED TO GIVE HER THE VIN NUMBER. *TC… | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Fuel System, Gasoline:Fuel Injection System:Fuel Rail | 1100.0%ODI 545149FUEL RAIL STUCK OPEN CAUSING THE ENGINE TO CONTINUE TO RUN AT HIGH RPMS AFTER IGNITION SWITCH TURNED OFF AND KILL SWITCH WAS ENGAGED, RESULTING IN ENGINE FIRE. MJS | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Service Brakes | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 150.0%ODI 11190547 · 91,084 miI WAS DRIVING THOMAS REAR ENGINE HDX BUS WITH 38 PASSENGERS ON 3/19/20. MY LEFT FOOT ,STEEL TOE BOOT,WAS POSITIONED IN FRONT OF AND POSSIBLY UNDER BRAKE PEDAL AS I MOVED TO BE COMFORTABLE WHILE DRIVING. I APPROACHED A STOP LIGHT USING ENGINE BRAKE TO SLOW DOWN ON A 50MPH HWY NO INJURIES WHEN I TRIED TO APPLY FOOT BRAKE I COULDN'T FIND IT. ULTIMATELY REAR ENDED A 2007 GMC YUKON PLEASE SEE RECREATED PICTURE . I'M CONCERNED THIS COULD HAPPEN TO OTHERS IN MORE SERIOUS ACCIDENT. THOMAS HAS NOW CHANGED OPERATORS COMPARTMENT BUT THERE WERE AB… | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
Darker cells indicate a larger share of submitted complaints. Components overlap. This measures complaint composition, not failure probability.
Failure mileage by component
Median and middle 50% of usable owner-reported mileages. Ranges require at least five records.
| Component | Mileage range (25th–75th percentile) | Median | Usable records | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System | Too few reports for a range | 58,335 mi | 1 (sparse) | ODI 10009419 · 58,335 miTHE SCHOOL BUS LEAKED ANTIFREEZE AND FUMES SEEPED OUT INTO THE SCHOOL BUS. *JB MANUFACTURES DEFECT, ANTIFREEZE VAPORS INSIDE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. PUMP TO POWERFUL OMITS ANTIFREEZE VAPORS. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT DRIVERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE GETTING PERMINENT LUNG DAMAGE FROM THE FUMES. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT SHE HAS BEEN SICK EVER SINCE THE BUS WAS ASSIGNED. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE HEATER PUMP IS TO LARGE IN THE BUSES HOSES HELD ON WITH TINY CLAMS. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE EMPLOYER REFUSED TO GIVE HER THE VIN NUMBER. *TC… |
Complaint and recall timeline
Explore monthly filing activity alongside recall announcements. Up to ten years of monthly history is available.
Solid line: filed complaints. Dashed amber lines: recall announcement dates for this vehicle selection; markers include all recall components. The latest month is partial. Temporal proximity does not establish causation.
Monthly counts, recall campaigns and complaint examples
| Month | Complaints | Campaigns announced | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-11 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2024-12 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-01 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-02 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-03 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-04 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-05 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-06 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-07 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-08 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-09 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-10 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-11 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-12 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-01 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-02 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-03 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-04 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-05 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-06 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-07 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-08 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-09 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-10 (partial) | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
Emerging complaint spikes
Complete months in the latest six months with at least 10 complaints, at least twice the preceding 12-month average, and at least three square-root deviations above that average.
This is a descriptive screening rule, not a statistical defect finding. Publicity and reporting changes can increase submissions.
No complete months meet the spike thresholds for this selection.
Equal-age model-year comparison
Model-wide cumulative reports during the first three or five calendar years, starting with the model year (age 0). Only fully elapsed windows are compared.
2010: 0 complaints · 2011: 0 complaints
| Model year | Through age 0 | Through age 1 | Through age 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2011 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Date coverage across each selected cohort
| Year | Incident dates used | Filing date fallbacks | Excluded dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2011 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Incident date is preferred when valid and no later than filing; otherwise filing date is used. Model year approximates age. Equal observation time does not adjust for sales, distance driven or reporting delays. One complaint linked to multiple model years can appear in each cohort.
Components reported together
Each cell counts unique complaints naming both components. Open a nonzero cell for examples.
| Component | Electrical System:Alternator/Generator/Regulator | Engine And Engine Cooling | Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System:Alternator/Generator/Regulator | — | 0 | 0 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 0 | — | 0 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System | 0 | 0 | — |
Co-reporting does not establish that one component caused another concern.
Recurring narrative patterns
Specific keyword mentions beyond broad component labels. Matching includes negations and comparisons and does not confirm a diagnosis.
0 patterns with matching reports.
No narratives match the published patterns.