The defect
ON CERTAIN TRANSIT BUSES, A LIGHT GAUGE STEEL WAS USED FOR THE FLOOR FRAME CROSSMEMBER LOCATED IN THE FLOOR SUB-FRAME.
The risk
DRIVING THE BUS ON SOME ROAD CONDITIONS COULD CAUSE THE SUB-FLOOR CROSSMEMBER FRAME TO CRACK. THIS CONDITION CAN INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.
The remedy
OWNERS WILL INSPECT FOR CRACKS AND IF CRACKS ARE PRESENT OWNERS ARE TO CONTACT CHAMPION FOR REPAIR INSTRUCTIONS. THE RECALL BEGAN NOVEMBER 16, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT CHAMPION AT 1-800-788-1976.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by MFR
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Champion Challenger | 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 |
| Champion Corporal | 2003, 2004 |
| Champion CTS | 2000, 2001, 2002 |
| Champion Defender | 2000, 2001, 2002 |
| Champion General | 2000, 2001, 2002 |
Components: STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS:UNDERBODY SHIELDS
Model years in this recall
NHTSA complaints and the number of recall campaigns for each model year this recall covers.
| Model | Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Champion CTS | 2000 | 0 | 3 |
| Champion CTS | 2001 | 0 | 3 |
| Champion CTS | 2002 | 0 | 2 |
| Champion Challenger | 2000 | 0 | 3 |
| Champion Challenger | 2001 | 0 | 3 |
| Champion Challenger | 2002 | 0 | 3 |
| Champion Challenger | 2003 | 0 | 2 |
| Champion Challenger | 2004 | 0 | 3 |
| Champion Corporal | 2003 | 0 | 1 |
| Champion Corporal | 2004 | 0 | 1 |
| Champion Defender | 2000 | 0 | 3 |
| Champion Defender | 2001 | 0 | 3 |
| Champion Defender | 2002 | 0 | 2 |
| Champion General | 2000 | 0 | 2 |
| Champion General | 2001 | 0 | 2 |
| Champion General | 2002 | 0 | 1 |
Other structure recalls in 2004
44 of the 601 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 2004 concerned the structure; CHAMPION BUS, INC. filed 35 campaigns in all.
| 04V601000 30 Dec 2004 | PORSCHE CARS NORTH AMERICA, INC. |
| 04V588000 13 Dec 2004 | CHAMPION BUS, INC. |
| 04V569000 3 Dec 2004 | INTERNATIONAL TRUCK & ENGINE CORPORATION |
| 04V564000 30 Nov 2004 | HONDA (AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO.) |
| 04V563000 23 Nov 2004 | VERITRANS SPECIALTY VEHICLES, INC. |
| 04V545000 15 Nov 2004 | ORION BUS INDUSTRIES LTD. |
| 04V533000 2 Nov 2004 | PACCAR INCORPORATED |
| 04V523000 2 Nov 2004 | BIG DOG MOTORCYCLES, LLC |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 2004