2008 Champion Defender
Safety record from NHTSA: recalls, owner complaints, investigations and service bulletins.
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Vehicles › Champion › Defender › 2008
These records cover every 2008 Champion Defender. To see whether one car still needs a recall repair, decode its VIN or check it with NHTSA.
Recalls
11 recalls name the 2008 Champion Defender. Newest first.
Champion Bus, Inc. (Champion) is recalling certain model year 2006-2015 Challenger, Defender, Crusader, American, American Coach, American Crusader, Corporal, CTS-FE, CTS-RE, HC American, Platinum Shuttle, and Stacked Rail transit buses manufactured January 1, 2006, to August 25, 2015, equipped with certain model S2005, S2010, S5005, S5010, S5505, and S5510…
Risk and remedy
Risk
If the bearings move out of position, the stowed platform may have excessive movement resulting in failure of the platform mounting. This failure could cause the wheel chair lift platform to fall out of the vehicle when the doors are opened, increasing the risk of injury for the lift operator.
Remedy
Champion will notify owners, and Ricon will inspect the link arms for damage or for displaced bearings. The platform will be inspected for cracks. Any damaged parts will be replaced, free of charge. The recall began on December 21, 2015. Owners may contact Champion customer service at 1-810-724-1753 extension 415, or Ricon customer service at 1-800-322-2884. Champion's number for this recall is 15E-068. Note: These buses and wheelchair lifts were subject to a similar recall in 2014. All vehicles that received that recall remedy are still affected by this recall as well.
Champion Bus, Inc. (Champion Bus) is recalling certain model year 2006-2014 American Coach, American Crusader, Challenger, Corporal, Crusader, CTS-FE, CTS-RE, Defender, HCAC, HC American, Platinum Shuttle, and Stacked Rail transit buses manufactured January 1, 2006, to July 31, 2014, equipped with certain model S2005, S2010, S5005, S5010, S5505, and S5510…
Risk and remedy
Risk
If the platform side plates crack, the lift platform can separate from the lift and come to rest against the vehicle's lift door. When the doors are opened, the platform may fall out, increasing the risk of injury to the lift operator.
Remedy
Champion Bus will notify owners to take buses to a Ricon dealer or service center who will install supplemental platform support bumpers. Any platform that has already started cracking will be replaced, free of charge. The recall began in November 2014. Owners may contact Champion Bus customer service at 1-810-724-6474. Owners may contact Ricon customer service at 1-800-322-2884.
Champion bus IS recalling certain model year 2008 through 2011 transit buses equipped with braun century-2 and/or vista-2 wheelchair lifts. over time and with frequent use, the roll stop latches on the outer barrier may become bent or misaligned.
Risk and remedy
Risk
A wheelchair occupant may defeat or ride over the insufficiently latched roll stop. if this occurs when the lift platform IS in an elevated position, the wheelchairs occupant could fall and sustain injury.
Remedy
Champion bus will notify owners, and the repairs will be performed by authorized braun dealers free of charge. the safety recall began on august 17, 2012. owners may contact champion bus at 1-810-724-6474.
Champion bus IS recalling certain vehicles equipped with carrier genv EM-1 evaporator units. due to time, temperature, and/or vibration, the fuse may loosen in the fuse holder resulting in high resistance and arcing.
Risk and remedy
Risk
If sufficient arcing occurs, the fuse holder may melt, and may be accompanied by flame, smoke and potential fire.
Remedy
Champion bus will notify owners and provide information on how to obtain the retrofit kit from carrier along with repair instructions. this service will be performed free of charge. the safety recall began on march 8, 2011. owner may contact carrier at 1-800-793-4741 or champion bus at 1-810-724-6474.
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…
Risk and remedy
Risk
The user of the lift could be injured should the lift move without the restraint belt properly buckled.
Remedy
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.
Champion bus has notified nhtsa about a defect in certain model year 2008-2010 buses manufactured between september 2007 and february 2010, equipped 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. if the "up" switch IS released before the floor level limit switch IS…
Risk and remedy
Risk
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.
Remedy
Champion bus will notify owners and the repairs will be performed by authorized ricon dealers please see ricon's defect report 09e-061. 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. the safety recall IS expected to begin during may 2010. owners may contact ricon customer service at 800- 322-2884, emailing at www.dmata@wabtec.com.
Champion bus has notified nhtsa of a defect in certain model year 2006-2010 buses equipped with trans/air air conditioning systems installed between may 2006 and june 2009. each trans/air system comes with an electrical kit which contains a relay board and ec pc board which if improperly installed could overheat.
Risk and remedy
Risk
An electrical failure in the relay board, can cause overheating and pose a serious fire hazard.
Remedy
Trans air will notify the owners and the buses will be repaired free of charge. please also see trans/air defect report 09e-042. the safety recall began on may 19, 2010. owners may contact trans/air warranty and service department at 1-800-673- 2446.
Champion bus IS recalling certain model year 2003 through 2010 transit buses manufactured between january 2003 and august 2009 equipped with luminator horizon led side destination signs. the connector board can corrode due to an accumulation of moisture under the connector.
Risk and remedy
Risk
A short could occur, possibly causing smoke and fire.
Remedy
Champion bus will notify owners and luminator will repair the buses free of charge. please see luminator's defect report 09e-054. the safety recall began on december 11, 2009. owners may contact luminator at 1-972-516-3033 or champion bus at 1-800-331-5761.
Champion IS recalling 68 my 2007-2009 transit buses. the fasteners that are used to hold electrical connectors in place on the roof mounted air conditioner control panel may not be tightened down to the proper torque and/or there may be a possible frayed wire at the connection point.
Risk and remedy
Risk
If these connections are loose, it could result in overheating and cause a fire.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect the fasteners on the electrical control board and tighten them to the proper torque value if they are found to be loose. the recall began on july 1, 2008. owners may contact champion bus at 1-810-724-1735.
Champion bus IS recalling 31 my 2007-2008 defender, challenger and my 2008 crusader buses built on general motors 560 chassis and equipped with intermotive gateway 401 module interlock harness. these buses have been found to exhibit extreme voltage spikes during engine cranking. these extreme spikes can damage the diode in the harness near the shift lock…
Risk and remedy
Risk
If this occurs, the shift lock solenoid may not engage. if this lock does not engage, the vehicle will have the ability to move while the wheelchair lift IS deployed which may result in personal injury.
Remedy
Intermotive IS handling the remedy for this campaign (please see 08e004). intermotive will replace the defective harness free of charge. owners may contact intermotive at 1-800-969-6080 or champion bus at 1-810-724-6474.
Champion bus IS recalling 503 my 2005-2008 defender, challenger, cts-re, cts-fe and crusader buses equipped with ricon platform style wheelchair lifts. these buses fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 404, "platform lift installations in motor vehicles." the threshold warning system may not detect the presence…
Risk and remedy
Risk
The user of the lift could be injured should the lift move unintentionally.
Remedy
Champion bus IS working with ricon to correct the wheelchair lifts free of charge (please see 07e095). owners may contact ricon at 1-818-267-3000 or champion bus at 1-937-596-6849.
Service bulletins
Technical service bulletins and other communications the manufacturer sent dealers about this vehicle. Ask a dealer for the full document by its number.
- 10153609The mounting bolt to install the Freedman driver?s seat to the Ford OEM seat track may not have been sufficiently tightened during installation.
Every Champion Defender model year
Bars are owner complaints, dots mark years with recalls. Select a year to open its report.