2000 Champion Contender

Routine

No owner complaints are on file for this vehicle. It has been recalled 2 times.

2 safety recalls

Part 573 reports

Structure › Body › Door06V368000

Filed Sep 27, 200622 vehiclesChampion Bus, Inc.

Defect. ON CERTAIN BUSES EQUIPPED WITH VAPOR BUS CONNECTING RODS, WHEN THE CONNECTING ROD IS SUBJECTED TO CERTAIN LOAD COMBINATIONS AND CUMULATIVE CYCLING, INITIATION AND PROPAGATION OF FATIGUE CRACKS ARE SEEN AT THE EXTERNAL THREAD ROOTS. IF THE CRACK INITIATES AND PROPAGATES THROUGH THE CROSS SECTION OF THE CONNECTING ROD, IT MAY RESULT IN THE BENDING OR THE CONNECTING ROD ASSEMBLY AND MALFUNCTION OF THE DOOR ACTUATION ASSEMBLY.

Risk. IF THE CRACK PROPAGATES THROUGH THE ENTIRE CROSS SECTION OF THE CONNECTING ROD, THE CONNECTING ROD MAY BREAK AND THE ASSOCIATED DOOR PANEL MAY BE ABLE TO MOVE FREELY IN AN UNCONTROLLED MANNER, LEAVING PASSENGERS INSIDE THE BUS UNPROTECTED BY THE DOOR PANEL AND POSSIBLY ENABLING A PROTRUDING DOOR PANEL TO STRIKE PERSONS OR OBJECTS OUTSIDE THE BUS.

Remedy. VAPOR BUS IS CONDUCTING THIS RECALL (PLEASE SEE 05E-030). ALL BUSES INVOLVED IN THIS RECALL HAVE BEEN REPAIRED.

Seat Belts › Front › Retractor02V160006

Filed Oct 29, 2002599 vehiclesChampion Bus, Inc.

Defect. ON CERTAIN BUSES EQUIPPED WITH CP TRAVELING RETRACTOR LAP (TYPE 1) SEAT BELTS, THE PLASTIC COVER HOUSING THE RESERVE END OF THE SEAT BELT WEB CAN BREAK. IF THE TWO HALVES OF THE COVER COMPLETELY SEPARATE, THE CONNECTOR PORTION OF THE BELT WILL DETACH FROM THE COVER. ONCE DETACHED, THE CONNECTOR RIVET CAN SEPARATE FROM THE CONNECTOR FRAME CAUSING THE FRAME TO BECOME UNUSABLE.

Risk. THIS CONDITION CANNOT OCCUR DURING USE, HOWEVER, THE BELT WILL BE UNSUABLE AND MAY RESULT IN AN OCCUPANT SEATING POSITION WITHOUT A SEAT BELT. IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, AN UNBELTED INDIVIDUAL COULD BE SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED.

Remedy. AMSAFE WILL NOTIFY ITS CUSTOMERS AND PROVIDE A PLASTIC OUTER COVER THAT SNAPS OVER THE EXISTING COVER ON UNITS IN THE FIELD AND WILL REPLACE BROKEN SEAT BELTS FREE OF CHARGE. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT AMSAFE AT 574-266-8330 OR CHAMPION AT 810-724-6474.

Across model years

Worst on record: 1999

Year	Complaints	Recalls	Assessment
2001	0	1	Routine
2000 — this page	0	2	Routine
1999	1	1	Routine
1998	0	1	Routine

Compare every Contender year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: Sep 27, 2006. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.