The Used Car Index

2005 Thomas FS-65 problems

NHTSA lists 2 complaints for the 2005 Thomas FS-65, 0 of them mention a crash and 0 mention a fire. 0 complaints mention an injury, with 0 injuries and 0 deaths reported.

Data build 2026-10-07.

NHTSA lists this vehicle as THOMAS FS-65.

At a glance

Complaints
2
With crash
0
With fire
0
With injury (complaints)
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
0
Recalls
2
Do not drive recalls
0
Park outside recalls
0
Recall potential units (maximum)
1,630
Investigations
1
Open investigations
0
Manufacturer communications
2

Complaints per 100k sold unavailable. No sales source is available for this record.

Where the complaints are

Top systems
SystemComplaintsShare of this vehicle's complaints
EXTERIOR LIGHTING2100.0%
Top subsystems
SystemSubsystemComplaints
EXTERIOR LIGHTINGTURN SIGNAL1

One complaint can name several systems, so shares can add to more than 100 percent.

Model-generated complaint tags: This model year has not been tagged.

Recalls

2 recalls.

05V467000

Date: 2005-10-05. Systems: SUSPENSION.

Defect: CERTAIN 2005 THOMAS BUILT FS-65 AND C-2 SCHOOL BUSES AND 2005 FREIGHTLINER ARGOSY, COLUMBIA, CENTURY ST, AND M2 BUSINESS CLASS TRUCKS MANUFACTURED BETWEEN JUNE 4 AND JULY 8, 2005. THE SPINDLES IN THE REAR AXLE HOUSING WERE OVERHEATED DURING THE HEAT TREATMENT PROCESS. INCORRECTLY HEAT TREATED SPINDLES COULD RESULT IN A FRACTURE OF THE SPINDLE.

Consequence: INCORRECTLY HEAT TREATED SPINDLES COULD FRACTURE, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.

Remedy: FREIGHTLINER WILL NOTIFY ITS CUSTOMERS AND INSPECT FOR THE HEAT TREAT DATE CODE ON THE END OF THE REAR SPINDLES AND REPLACE THE AXLE HOUSING IF NECESSARY. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON JANUARY 23, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FREIGHTLINER

Do not drive: No. Park outside: No.

05V426000

Date: 2005-09-20. Systems: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC.

Defect: CERTAIN FREIGHTLINER CUSTOM CHASSIS FS-65 SCHOOL BUS CHASSIS AND FB-65 SHUTTLE BUS CHASSIS EQUIPPED WITH CATERPILLAR C7 ENGINES AND REVISED COOLING PACKAGES AND MANUFACTURED BETWEEN JANUARY 24, 2004, AND JUNE 15, 2005. THE FRONT HYDRAULIC LINE MAY RUB THROUGH ON A RADIATOR TUBE, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN THE LOSS OF BRAKE FLUID TO THE FRONT BRAKES.

Consequence: THE DEFECT MAY CAUSE THE LOSS OF FRONT BRAKES, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCES AND POSSIBLY A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy: FREIGHTLINER AND THOMAS BUILT WILL NOTIFY ITS CUSTOMERS AND WILL INSPECT AND SECURE THE BRAKE LINE TO PROVIDE MORE CLEARANCE FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JANUARY 20, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FREIGHTLINER AT 1-800-547-0712.

Do not drive: No. Park outside: No.

Investigations

1 investigations; 0 open.

EA07002

Opened: 2007-01-30. Closed: 2007-07-12.

STEERING COLUMN WELD CRACKS

AS A RESULT OF THE ODI INVESTIGATION, FREIGHTLINER HAS AGREED TO RECALL (NUMBER 07V-289) ALL OF THE VEHICLES MANUFACTURED WITH STEERING COLUMNS POTENTIALLY MISSING WELDS.THE RECALL REMEDY WILL INVOLVE INSPECTING THE RECALLED VEHICLES FOR MISSING WELDS AND IF FOUND REPLACE THE STEERING COLUMN.EARLY WARNING AGGREGATE DATA SUBMITTED TO NHTSA BY FREIGHTLINER SUGGESTED THAT A STEERING PROBLEM (EWR CODE

Systems: STEERING.

Linked campaign numbers: 07V289000.

Manufacturer communications

2 manufacturer communications.

Communications by system
SystemCount
SERVICE BRAKES, AIR1
STRUCTURE1

10036588

Date: 2010-11-29. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: SERVICE BRAKES, AIR.

THOMAS BUILT BUS: ALL MODELS OF THOMAS BUSES USING AUTOMATIC SLACK ADJUSTERS. THE AUTOMATIC SLACK ADJUSTERS ARE ROUTINELY BEING ADJUSTED BY SOME OPERATORS AND SERVICE TECHNICIANS TO MAKE BRAKE PUSHROD STROKE APPEAR TO BE WITH LEGAL BRAKE ADJUSTMENT LIMITS, OR TO COMPENSATE FOR MIS-DIAGNOSED OUT OF

10025902

Date: 2008-02-14. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: STRUCTURE.

THOMAS BUILT BUSES: THERE HAVE BEEN REPORTS OF THE FORWARD DOOR LEAF HEX SHAFT BREAKING. *PE

Notes on this record

  • Complaints from the API and bulk file are merged and deduplicated by ODI number; the API alone misses records.
  • System and subsystem counts are numbers of distinct complaints, recalls or communications that name them. One record can name several systems, so shares across systems can add to more than 100 percent; a single share never exceeds 100 percent.
  • Recalls are counted once per campaign, investigations once per action and manufacturer communications once per NHTSA id, even when NHTSA lists several model names for the same record.
  • A sales denominator is a calendar-year proxy, not the population of vehicles still in use. Rates are copied from verified pipeline output.

Other names NHTSA uses

None listed.

Matched NHTSA models

Matched labels and complaints
NHTSA model labelComplaints
FS-652

Same model, other years

All model years | All Thomas models

Other Thomas models, 2005

Sources

Get this record as JSON

The free rate-limited demo needs no key.

curl "https://api.theusedcarindex.com/v1/demo/vehicle_risk?make=Thomas&model=FS-65&year=2005"

Paid endpoint: https://api.theusedcarindex.com/v1/vehicle_risk. MCP endpoint: https://api.theusedcarindex.com/mcp.