The Recall Desk
HighNHTSA·15V391000·Announced 2015-06-19

Champion Transit Bus Recall for Fraying Seat Belts

Champion is recalling 2013-2015 transit buses because seat belts may rub against metal frames and fray, failing federal safety standards.

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 structural vehicle defect where seat belts may fail to restrain occupants, increasing injury risk, but no specific injuries or fatalities are reported in the source text.

Plain-English summary

Champion Bus, Inc. 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 between March 1, 2013, and June 12, 2015. The recall involves 1,818 vehicles.

In the affected vehicles, passenger seat belts may rub against the metal seat frame and fray. As a result, these vehicles fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 209, "Seat Belt Assemblies." A frayed seat belt may fail to properly restrain the occupant in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Champion will notify owners, and dealers will install a plastic sleeve over the metal seat frame and replace any seat belts showing evidence of fraying, free of charge. The recall began on September 16, 2015. Owners may contact Champion customer service at 1-810-724-1753 extension 562 or the NHTSA Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236.

The recalled product

Product
CHAMPION AMERICAN COACH, SPIRIT, AMERICAN CRUSADER, LF TRANSPORT
Brand
CHAMPION
Manufacturer
Champion Bus, Inc.
Category
Vehicle — Transit Bus
Hazard
Affected units
1,818

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 (14)

  • AMERICAN COACH
  • SPIRIT
  • AMERICAN CRUSADER
  • LF TRANSPORT
  • HCAC
  • EZ-TRANS
  • DFUC
  • CTS-RE
  • CTS-FE
  • PREMIER
  • HC
  • CHALLENGER
  • CRUSADER
  • DEFENDER

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

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