Champion Bus, Inc.: Seat Belts › Front › Retractor
Champion Bus, Inc. reported this defect to federal regulators on Oct 29, 2002 and put the number of vehicles at risk at 599. The repair is free for as long as the recall stands.
The 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.
The 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.
The 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.
21 model years covered
Newest first| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Fires | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 Champion CGT | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2001 Champion Challenger | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 2001 Champion Contender | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2001 Champion Crusader | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2001 Champion CTS | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 2001 Champion Defender | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 2001 Champion General | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2000 Champion CGT | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2000 Champion Challenger | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 2000 Champion Contender | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2000 Champion Crusader | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2000 Champion CTS | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 2000 Champion Defender | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 2000 Champion General | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999 Champion CGT | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999 Champion Challenger | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999 Champion Contender | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999 Champion Crusader | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999 Champion CTS | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999 Champion Defender | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999 Champion General | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What this page is, and what to do next
A recall is not an opinion. It is a Part 573 report a manufacturer is required by federal law to file once it decides a defect poses an unreasonable risk to safety, and it commits them to repairing the vehicle at no cost to the owner. The three passages above are the manufacturer’s own wording as published by NHTSA.
This page describes the campaign. It cannot tell you whether one particular car has already been through the shop — that is tracked by VIN, and only the manufacturer knows it. Check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with a franchised dealer, quoting campaign number 02V160006.
Full record for the 2001 Champion CGT → · Recalls carrying a do-not-drive advisory → · Where this data comes from →