- 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
2009 Champion Corporal Problems, complaints & recalls
No owner complaints about the 2009 Champion Corporal have been filed with NHTSA. It is covered by 2 recalls, the latest in November 2015 for the equipment adaptive / mobility.
NHTSA data checked
CAbout as many problems as a typical Corporal year, for its age
- Complaints
- 0
- Recalls
- 2
- Crashes
- 0
- Fires
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Deaths
- 0
2009 Champion Corporal recalls 2
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.
What owners say
Problems or none - your experience is exactly what the next buyer is looking for. Write it now
No complaints about the 2009 Champion Corporal yet
Champion Corporal: every year compared
All Corporal yearsQuestions about the 2009 Champion Corporal
Does the 2009 Champion Corporal have any recalls?
Yes - NHTSA lists 2 recalls for the 2009 Champion Corporal: equipment adaptive / mobility (November 2015); equipment adaptive / mobility (November 2014). 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 2009 Champion Corporal had?
None have been filed with NHTSA so far.
Is the 2009 Champion Corporal a reliable vehicle?
Its Safety Index is 50 out of 100 (grade C: about as many problems as 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 2009 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