CHAMPION DEFENDER 2009: EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY

NHTSA Campaign ID Number: 10V129000

Production Dates: 2007-11-01 - 2010-02-28

Manufacturers Involved: Champion Bus, Inc.

Component: EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY

Potential Number Of Units Affected: 300

Report Initiator: MFR MFR Report

CHAMPION BUS HAS NOTIFIED NHTSA OF A DEFECT IN CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2007-2010 BUSES FITTED WITH RICON PUBLIC USE LIFTS. THE RESTRAINT BELT ON THESE LIFTS WAS DESIGNED TO PREVENT THE LIFT FROM MOVING, UNLESS THE TONGUE OF THE BELT IS FULLY ENGAGED AND LATCHED IN THE BUCKLE. RICON HAS DISCOVERED, HOWEVER, THAT IT IS POSSIBLE FOR THE OPERATOR TO INSERT THE BELT TONGUE INTO THE BUCKLE WITHOUT FULLY ENGAGING THE LATCHING MECHANISM. IN THIS CASE, THE RESTRAINT BELT WOULD APPEAR TO BE LATCHED, AND THE OPERATOR COULD RUN THE LIFT. IF THE RESTRAINT BELT TONGUE IS NOT FULLY ENGAGED INTO THE RESTRAINT BELT BUCKLE, AND LATCHED, THE LIFT MAY OPERATE WITH AN OCCUPANT ON THE PLATFORM.

THE USER OF THE LIFT COULD BE INJURED SHOULD THE LIFT MOVE WITHOUT THE RESTRAINT BELT PROPERLY BUCKLED.

CHAMPION BUS IS WORKING WITH RICON AND RICON WILL BE HANDLING THE REMEDY FOR THIS CAMPAIGN. PLEASE SEE RICON'S DEFECT REPORT 09E-060. RICON WILL PROVIDE CUSTOMERS WITH A WARNING DECAL AND A DVD-BASED TRAINING AID. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 5, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT RICON CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 800-322-2884, EMAILING AT WWW.DMATA"WABTEC.COM.

OWNERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 'TTY 1-800-424-9153', OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV .