Vehicle recall 18V798000 · November 12, 2018
Champion Challenger, Champion Defender and 3 more models
When the back seat cushion is rotated from the stowed position to the upright position, the seat cushion may not remain locked into place when under load, such as in a crash or a…
Source: NHTSA data as of September 22, 2026. Last refreshed Sep 23, 2026, 2:43 AM UTC.
- Summary
- Champion Bus, Inc. (Champion) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Champion Challenger, Defender, LF Transport, Goshen G-Force, and Impulse transit buses, equipped with Freedman GO-ES Foldaway Seats, part numbers 43705, 45467, 48923, and 75719. When the back seat cushion is rotated from the stowed position to the upright position, the seat cushion may not remain locked into place when under load, such as in a crash or a sudden stop. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 207, "Seating Systems," and number 210, "Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages."
- Consequence
- In the event of a crash, if the seat back moves, the seat occupant has an increased risk of injury.
- Remedy
- Champion will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and repair the foldaway seat, free of charge. The recall began December 19, 2018. Owners may contact Champion customer service at 1-810-724-1753, extension 415 or Freedman customer service at 1-800-527-7477.
- Notes
- Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.
Recall details
- NHTSA campaign
- 18V798000
- Reported to NHTSA
- November 12, 2018
- Filed by
- Champion Bus, Inc.
- Owner notification
- December 19, 2018
- Vehicles potentially affected
- 76
- Initiated by
- the manufacturer
- Components
- Seats
Vehicles covered
As listed by NHTSA. A recall usually covers only some vehicles of each model and year, often a production date range.
- Champion Challenger (2017-2018): 2018, 2017
- Champion Defender (2017-2018): 2018, 2017
- Champion LF Transport (2017-2018): 2018, 2017
- Goshen G-Force (2017-2018): 2018, 2017
- Goshen Impulse (2017-2018): 2018, 2017
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.