Champion Bus Defender Recall for Defective Seat Belt Buckles
Champion Bus is recalling 2014 Defender shuttle buses because seat belt buckles may fail to release, hindering emergency egress.
What this means for you
Real risk of harm even if no illness or injury has been reported yet. Stop using the product and follow the agency's guidance.
Our severity reasoning: The recall involves a risk-of-harm product where injury has not yet been reported, specifically a defect that could hinder emergency egress and increase injury risk.
Plain-English summary
Champion Bus, Inc. is recalling certain model year 2014 Defender shuttle buses built on Freightliner M2 chassis. These vehicles are equipped with IMMI-brand L9 seat belt buckles that may fail to conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 209, "Seat Belt Assemblies."
The defect involves the latch plate becoming partially engaged with the buckle when the release button is pressed, making the seat belt difficult to unlatch. If the latch plate remains partially engaged, egress from the vehicle could be hindered, which would increase the risk of injury in the event of an emergency.
Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA), the manufacturer of the Freightliner chassis, has notified owners. DTNA dealers will inspect and replace the seat belt buckle, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on May 27, 2014. Owners may contact Champion Bus at 1-810-724-6474 or DTNA at 1-800-385-4357.
The recalled product
- Product
- CHAMPION BUS DEFENDER
- Brand
- CHAMPION BUS
- Manufacturer
- Champion Bus, Inc.
- Category
- Vehicle — Shuttle Bus
- Affected units
- 25
Is your product affected?
Check your packaging against the codes below. If any of them match, the product is part of this recall.
Model numbers (1)
- DEFENDER
Distribution
Distributed nationwide across the United States.
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