2014 CHAMPION DEFENDER — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data
N/A
Safety Rating
0
Owner Complaints
6
Recalls
0
Service Bulletins
0
Investigations
Overview of the 2014 CHAMPION DEFENDER
The 2014 CHAMPION DEFENDER has received a total of 0 safety complaints filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). There have been 6 recall campaigns affecting this vehicle, covering issues with EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY, SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING.
Recalls for the 2014 CHAMPION DEFENDER
NHTSA has recorded 6 recalls for the 2014 CHAMPION DEFENDER, potentially affecting up to 5,545 vehicles.
Recall 18V573000 — EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY
| 219 vehicles affected
Defect: Champion Bus (Champion) is recalling certain 2012-2018 Champion American Coach, American Crusader, American S2, Challenger, Crusader, Defender, and Impulse vehicles, equipped with certain S-Series and K-Series Titanium Wheelchair Lifts, models K200, K201, K550, K551, S200, S2201, S550 and S551. The wheelchair lift positioning input cam may fail while the lift is in use, allowing the platform to travel higher than...
Consequence: If the wheelchair lift platform stops above the vehicle floor, the wheelchair user can tip inwards toward the vehicle when exiting the lift, increasing their risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the injection molded cam with an aluminum machined cam, free of charge. The recall began November 1, 2018. Owners may contact Champion customer service 1-810-724-1753 extension 415 or Ricon customer service at 1-800-322-2884 or by emailing Ricon...
View full details →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....
View full details →Recall 15V391000 — SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING
| 1,818 vehicles affected
Defect: Champion Bus, Inc. (Champion) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 American Crusader, American Coach, Challenger, Crusader, CTS-FE, CTS-RE, Defender, EZ Trans, HCAC, HC, DFUC, LF Transport, Premier, and Spirit transit buses manufactured March 1, 2013, to June 12, 2015. In the affected vehicles, the passenger seat belts may rub against the metal seat frame and fray. As a result, these...
Consequence: A frayed seat belt fray may fail to properly restrain the seat occupant in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Champion will notify owners, and dealers will install a plastic sleeve over the metal seat frame, and replace any seat belts that show evidence of fraying, free of charge. The recall began on September 16, 2015. Owners may contact Champion...
View full details →Recall 14V821000 — EQUIPMENT
| 773 vehicles affected
Defect: Champion Bus, Inc. (Champion) is recalling certain model year 2012-2014 American Crusader, Challenger, Crusader, CTS-FE, CTS-RE, Defender, EZ-Street, HC American, HCAC, LF Transport, M1235, Platinum Shuttle, Stacked Rail, and Federal Coach Premier, and Spirit transit buses manufactured January 1, 2012, to October 1, 2014, equipped with certain triangle warning signs manufactured by Imperial Supplies, LLC. Test reports indicate that the...
Consequence: Warning triangles that do not properly reflect light may fail to warn others that a vehicle is parked, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Champion will notify owners to inspect their triangles for production dates between April 2011, to April 2014, and the affected triangles will be replaced, free of charge. The recall began on January 6, 2015. Owners may contact Champion customer service...
View full details →Recall 14V748000 — SEATS
| 168 vehicles affected
Defect: Champion Bus, Inc. (Champion) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 LF Transport, HCAC, Defender, Crusader, and Challenger transit buses manufactured September 2, 2014, to October 14, 2014. The spring nuts used to secure the passenger seats failed durability testing.
Consequence: Spring nuts that fail to secure the seat and allow seat movement could increase the risk of personal injury in the event of a vehicle crash.
Remedy: Champion will notify owners, and dealers will replace the defective seat nuts, free of charge. The recall began in December 2014. Owners may contact Champion at 1-810-724-6474.
View full details →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...
View full details →Owner Complaints for the 2014 CHAMPION DEFENDER
No complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2014 CHAMPION DEFENDER.
Safety Rating for the 2014 CHAMPION DEFENDER
NHTSA has not yet tested the 2014 CHAMPION DEFENDER in its New Car Assessment Program.
Technical Service Bulletins for the 2014 CHAMPION DEFENDER
No technical service bulletins have been reported for this vehicle.
NHTSA Investigations for the 2014 CHAMPION DEFENDER
There are no NHTSA defect investigations on record for this vehicle.
Other Model Years of the CHAMPION DEFENDER
- 2009 CHAMPION DEFENDER — 0 complaints
- 2010 CHAMPION DEFENDER — 0 complaints
- 2011 CHAMPION DEFENDER — 0 complaints
- 2012 CHAMPION DEFENDER — 0 complaints
- 2013 CHAMPION DEFENDER — 0 complaints
- 2014 CHAMPION DEFENDER (current)
- 2015 CHAMPION DEFENDER — 0 complaints
- 2016 CHAMPION DEFENDER — 0 complaints
- 2017 CHAMPION DEFENDER — 0 complaints
- 2018 CHAMPION DEFENDER — 0 complaints
- 2019 CHAMPION DEFENDER — 0 complaints
Other CHAMPION Models
- CHAMPION EUROCOACH — 6 total complaints
- CHAMPION CHALLENGER — 3 total complaints
- CHAMPION CHAMPION — 1 total complaint
- CHAMPION CLASSIC SIDECAR — 1 total complaint
- CHAMPION CONTENDER — 1 total complaint
- CHAMPION CUT-AWAY CHASSIS — 1 total complaint
- CHAMPION EZ-TRANS — 1 total complaint
- CHAMPION INTERNATIONAL LOW FLOOR — 1 total complaint