2008 CHAMPION CHALLENGER — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

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N/A

Safety Rating

0

Owner Complaints

10

Recalls

ACTIVE RECALL

0

Service Bulletins

0

Investigations

Overview of the 2008 CHAMPION CHALLENGER

The 2008 CHAMPION CHALLENGER has received a total of 0 safety complaints filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). There have been 10 recall campaigns affecting this vehicle, covering issues with EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY, EQUIPMENT.

Recalls for the 2008 CHAMPION CHALLENGER

NHTSA has recorded 10 recalls for the 2008 CHAMPION CHALLENGER, potentially affecting up to 5,638 vehicles.

Recall 15V757000 — EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY

| 1,338 vehicles affected

Defect: 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 wheelchair lifts. The affected lifts are equipped with folding link arms...

Consequence: 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....

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Recall 14V742000 — EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY

| 1,229 vehicles affected

Defect: 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 wheelchair lifts manufactured by Ricon Corporation. The platform side plate...

Consequence: 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...

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Recall 12V593000 — EQUIPMENT

| 73 vehicles affected

Defect: Champion Bus is recalling certain model year 2006, and certain model year 2008-2013 buses, models: American Crusader, Challenger, Crusader, and Defender; manufactured September 30, 2006, through November 16, 2012. The buses are equipped with a Ricon manufactured wheelchair lift which has an optional armored pendant cable. The cable may have been installed such that it doesn't clear the wheelchair lift...

Consequence: The cable may contact the power lug at the base of the wheel chair lift causing a short circuit that could result in a fire.

Remedy: Champion Bus is working with Ricon to notify owners. Ricon will provide a supplemental cover kit with instructions, free of charge. Owners may contact Champion Bus at 1-819-724-6474 or Ricon at 1-818-267-3000.

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Recall 12V275000 — EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY

| 892 vehicles affected

Defect: 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.

Consequence: 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 WHEELCHAIR’S 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.

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Recall 11V141000 — EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER

| 974 vehicles affected

Defect: 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.

Consequence: 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...

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Recall 10V593000 — EQUIPMENT

| 107 vehicles affected

Defect: CHAMPION BUS IS RECALLING CERTAIN BUSES EQUIPPED WITH TRANS AIR TA 73 EVAPORATORS. THE EVAPORATOR UTILIZES A POWER RESISTOR TO REGULATE BLOWER SPEED. SHOULD A SHORT OCCUR IN THE "LOW OR MEDIUM SPEED" CIRCUIT WHILE THE BLOWER IS IN HIGH SPEED, THE SHORT WILL CAUSE THE SUPPLY VOLTAGE TO FEEDBACK THROUGH THE RESISTOR TO GROUND, NOT DRAWING ENOUGH CURRENT TO...

Consequence: THIS WOULD CAUSE THE RESISTOR TEMPERATURE TO RISE TO A POINT WHERE IT WILL MELT AND POSSIBLY IGNITE THE PLASTIC BLOWER HOUSING TO WHICH IT IS MOUNTED. THE OVERHEATING CAN RESULT IN A FIRE.

Remedy: CHAMPION BUS IN COOPERATION WITH TRANS AIR WILL INSTALL A THERMAL SHUTDOWN DEVICE IN SERIES WITH THE SPEED RESISTORS. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 6, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TRANS AIR...

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Recall 10V127000 — EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER

| 191 vehicles affected

Defect: 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.

Consequence: 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-...

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Recall 10V129000 — EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY

| 300 vehicles affected

Defect: 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...

Consequence: 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...

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Recall 08V182000 — EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY

| 503 vehicles affected

Defect: 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 OF A WHEELCHAIR OR MOBILITY AID USER IN...

Consequence: 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.

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Recall 08V225000 — EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY

| 31 vehicles affected

Defect: 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 SOLENOID CONNECTOR. IF THE...

Consequence: 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.

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Owner Complaints for the 2008 CHAMPION CHALLENGER

No complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2008 CHAMPION CHALLENGER.

Safety Rating for the 2008 CHAMPION CHALLENGER

NHTSA has not yet tested the 2008 CHAMPION CHALLENGER in its New Car Assessment Program.

Technical Service Bulletins for the 2008 CHAMPION CHALLENGER

No technical service bulletins have been reported for this vehicle.

NHTSA Investigations for the 2008 CHAMPION CHALLENGER

There are no NHTSA defect investigations on record for this vehicle.

Other Model Years of the CHAMPION CHALLENGER

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Other CHAMPION Models

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