Skip to content
AnyRecalls

2006 Champion Defender recalls

Source: NHTSA data as of September 22, 2026. Last refreshed Sep 23, 2026, 2:43 AM UTC.

5 recalls found in NHTSA data as of September 22, 2026

For the 2006 Champion Defender. These apply to the model and year, not to one particular vehicle: check your VIN to see whether yours is included and whether it has been repaired.

Has your Champion been repaired?

Recalls here come from NHTSA’s records for the model and year. Not every vehicle of a model is included in every recall, and this site can’t see whether a repair has been done. Only a VIN lookup can tell you that.

NHTSA’s VIN search doesn’t show recalls that were already repaired, recalls more than 15 years old, or some small manufacturers’ recalls. A Champion dealer can also check your VIN. Recall repairs are free.

2006 Champion Defender recalls, newest first

November 16, 2015NHTSA 15V7570001,338 vehicles potentially affected

Equipment adaptive/mobility

Summary
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.
Consequence
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.
Remedy
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.

This recall on nhtsa.gov

November 19, 2014NHTSA 14V7420001,229 vehicles potentially affected

Equipment adaptive/mobility

Summary
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.
Consequence
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.
Remedy
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.

This recall on nhtsa.gov

September 25, 2008NHTSA 08V490000503 vehicles potentially affected

Equipment adaptive/mobility

Summary
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.
Consequence
A lift occupant can be injured should the lift begin to stow unintentionally.
Remedy
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.

This recall on nhtsa.gov

April 24, 2008NHTSA 08V182000503 vehicles potentially affected

Equipment adaptive/mobility

Summary
Champion bus is recalling 503 my 2005-2008 defender, challenger, cts-re, cts-fe and crusader buses equipped with ricon platform style wheelchair lifts. These buses fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 404, "platform lift installations in motor vehicles." the threshold warning system may not detect the presence of a wheelchair or mobility aid user in a certain spot within the defined threshold area.
Consequence
The user of the lift could be injured should the lift move unintentionally.
Remedy
Champion bus is working with ricon to correct the wheelchair lifts free of charge (please see 07E095). Owners may contact ricon at 1-818-267-3000 or champion bus at 1-937-596-6849.

This recall on nhtsa.gov

February 21, 2007NHTSA 07V06100083 vehicles potentially affected

Equipment adaptive/mobility

Summary
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.
Consequence
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.
Remedy
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.

This recall on nhtsa.gov

Owner complaints

No owner complaints about the 2006 Champion Defender were found in NHTSA’s complaint data.

Other Champion Defender years

Other 2006 Champion models

Most recalled 2006 vehicles

  1. 2006 Ford E-350 (39 recalls)
  2. 2006 Ford E-250 (31 recalls)
  3. 2006 Thomas Built Buses Minotour (22 recalls)
  4. 2006 Freightliner Columbia (21 recalls)
  5. 2006 Thomas Built Buses SAF-T-Liner C2 (21 recalls)
All of 2006’s most recalled vehicles

Questions

Does the 2006 Champion Defender have any recalls?
5 recalls found in NHTSA data as of September 22, 2026, covering: equipment adaptive/mobility. Recalls apply to the model and year; whether a particular vehicle is included, and whether it has been repaired, depends on its VIN.
How do I check if my 2006 Champion Defender recall has been fixed?
Enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls, or ask a Champion dealer. Recall repairs are free. NHTSA's VIN search doesn't list recalls that were already repaired.
How many complaints have owners filed about the 2006 Champion Defender?
0 complaints filed with NHTSA. Complaints are unverified reports from the public that NHTSA uses to decide what to investigate.