STARCRAFT ALLSTAR 2009: EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY

NHTSA Campaign ID Number: 10V279000

Production Dates: 2007-10-01 - 2009-12-31

Manufacturers Involved: Starcraft Bus

Component: EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY

Potential Number Of Units Affected: 1020

Report Initiator: MFR MFR Report

STARCRAFT IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2007 THROUGH 2009 ALLSTAR SHUTTLE BUSES MANUFACTURED FROM OCTOBER 2007 THROUGH DECEMBER 2009 AND FITTED WITH CERTAIN RICON S SERIES AND K SERIES L-MODEL WHEELCHAIR LIFTS. DUE TO A PROBLEM IN THE SOFTWARE THAT CONTROLS THE LIFT'S "UP" FUNCTION, SHOULD THE "UP" BUTTON BE RELEASED BEFORE THE FLOOR LEVEL LIMIT SWITCH IS ACTIVATED, THE LIFT MAY CONTINUE ITS UPWARD TRAVEL AND MAY OVERRUN THE FLOOR LEVEL CUT OFF POINT.

WHEN THE PLATFORM OVERRUNS THE VEHICLE FLOOR LEVEL AND STOPS AT AN ANGLE FROM 15-20 DEGREES, IT IS POSSIBLE FOR A PERSON IN A WHEELCHAIR TO TIP OVER AND FOR SOMEONE STANDING ON THE PLATFORM TO FALL, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN INJURIES.

STARCRAFT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND THE REPAIRS WILL BE PERFORMED BY AUTHORIZED RICON DEALERS FREE OF CHARGE. A SOFTWARE SOLUTION FOR THIS SAFETY DEFECT IS UNDER INVESTIGATION. UNTIL THE SOFTWARE SOLUTION IS AVAILABLE, RICON WILL PROVIDE OWNERS WITH A BULLETIN OUTLINING PROPER WHEELCHAIR LIFT OPERATION AND WILL SHIP OWNERS A DVD-BASED TRAINING AID TO PROMOTE PROPER LIFT OPERATION AT NO COST. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 12, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT RICON AT 1-818-267-3000 OR STARCRAFT AT 1-800-348-7440.

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 .