- The problem
- 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 that may have pivot holes that are too big, allowing the bearings to move out of position.
- The 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.
- The fix
- 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.
Vehicle safety record
2006 Champion Corporal Problems, complaints & recalls
No owner complaints about the 2006 Champion Corporal have been filed with NHTSA. It is covered by 4 recalls, the latest in November 2015 for the equipment adaptive / mobility.
NHTSA data checked
DMore problems than a typical Corporal year, for its age
- Complaints
- 0
- Recalls
- 4
- Crashes
- 0
- Fires
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Deaths
- 0
2006 Champion Corporal recalls 4
Recall repairs are free. Your dealer fixes them whether or not you bought the car there - check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see if yours is done. What to do
- The problem
- 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 of the affected wheelchair lifts may crack.
- The 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.
- The fix
- 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.
- The problem
- Champion bus is recalling 503 my 2005-2007 challenger, crusader, defender, my 2005-2006 corporal, my 2006 cts-re, and my 2007 cts-fe and ic defender transit buses equipped with a ricon platform style wheelchair lift. This lift fails to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 403, "Platform lift systems for motor vehicles." The anti-stow interlock may not detect the presence of a wheelchair or mobility aid user. The pressure sensing switch that detects the presence of weight on the platform was not adjusted to the necessary sensitivity level. The lift could stow even though someone or something is still on the lift.
- The risk
- A lift occupant can be injured should the lift begin to stow unintentionally.
- The fix
- Champion bus is working with ricon to correct the wheelchair lift free of charge (please see 07e097). Owners may contact ricon at 1-818-267-3000 or champion bus at 1-800-331-5761.
- The problem
- Certain buses equipped with ricon platform style wheelchair lifts fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 403, 'Platform lift systems for motor vehicles.' The inner barrier interlock switch system in the lift baseplate may not detect the presence of a passenger (either wheelchair or standee) on the barrier and can allow the platform to move down more than one inch below floor level when occupied.
- The risk
- In the event this condition occurs during passenger operations, it may be possible for the wheelchair to tip backwards onto the platform if the user is backing onto the lift from inside the vehicle and has the small front wheels fully or partially on the inner barrier when the platform was lowered. A person standing could lose his or her balance if they were positioned fully or partly on the inner barrier when the platform was lowered. Either condition could cause personal injury.
- The fix
- Champion bus is working with ricon to repair these wheelchair lifts (please see 06e101). Owners can contact ricon at 1-800-322-2884 Or champion bus at 1-800-331-5761.
What owners say
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No complaints about the 2006 Champion Corporal yet
No owner has filed a complaint about this vehicle with NHTSA. If yours has a problem, share it here and report it to NHTSA.
Champion Corporal: every year compared
All Corporal yearsQuestions about the 2006 Champion Corporal
Does the 2006 Champion Corporal have any recalls?
Yes - NHTSA lists 4 recalls for the 2006 Champion Corporal: equipment adaptive / mobility (November 2015); equipment adaptive / mobility (November 2014); equipment adaptive / mobility (September 2008); equipment adaptive / mobility (February 2007). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours has been fixed.
How many complaints has the 2006 Champion Corporal had?
None have been filed with NHTSA so far.
Is the 2006 Champion Corporal a reliable vehicle?
Its Safety Index is 26 out of 100 (grade D: more problems than a typical Champion Corporal year, for its age). The index weighs complaints, crashes, fires, injuries, deaths and recalls against how long the vehicle has been on the road, compared with the same model's other years. It is not a measure of every repair - read the complaints and owner experiences, and have any used vehicle inspected before you buy.
What should I do if my 2006 Champion Corporal has a problem?
If it is a safety problem, stop driving it if it is unsafe and contact your dealer. Report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem - enough reports start investigations and recalls - and share your experience here so other owners know what to look for.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints and recalls, checked . Complaints are owners' own reports and are not verified. How we use the data