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Champion Bus Defender Recalls & Complaints by Model Year

NHTSA lists 4 safety recalls and 0 owner complaints across 6 model years of the Champion Bus Defender (2009–2014).

4
safety recalls, all years
0
owner complaints, all years
2011
year with most recalls

Pick your Champion Bus Defender model year

Model yearRecallsComplaints
2014 Champion Bus Defender20
2013 Champion Bus Defender10
2012 Champion Bus Defender10
2011 Champion Bus Defender20
2010 Champion Bus Defender10
2009 Champion Bus Defender10

All Champion Bus Defender recalls (4)

Every NHTSA safety campaign that lists a Champion Bus Defender, most recent first, with the model years each one covers.

  1. Seat belts

    NHTSA 14V302000 Reported 25 vehicles potentially affected Champion Bus, Inc.

    Champion Bus, Inc. (Champion) is recalling certain model year 2014 Defender shuttle buses built on Freightliner M2 chassis equipped with IMMI-brand L9 seat belt buckles. When the button is pressed to release the seat belt, the latch plate can become partially engaged with the buckle, making the seat belt difficult to unlatch. Thus,…

    Remedy: Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA), manufacturer of the Freightliner chassis, has notified owners, and DTNA dealers will inspect and replace the seat belt buckle, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on May…

    Model years: 2014

  2. Power train: control module (tcm/pcm/tecm)

    NHTSA 14V303000 Reported 2 vehicles potentially affected Champion Bus, Inc.

    Champion Bus, Inc. (Champion) is recalling certain model year 2014 Defender shuttle buses built on Freightliner M2 chassis, equipped with Eaton-brand hybrid automated transmissions. The software controlling the affected transmissions may improperly raise the vehicle's engine speed during downshifts without the driver's input.

    Remedy: Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA), manufacturer of the Freightliner chassis, has notified owners, and Eaton authorized service facilities has updated the Hybrid Control Module Software version, free of charge. The…

    Model years: 2014

  3. Equipment

    NHTSA 12V593000 Reported 73 vehicles potentially affected Champion Bus, Inc.

    Champion Bus is recalling certain model year 2006, and certain model year 2008-2013 buses, models: American Crusader, Challenger, Crusader, and Defender; manufactured September 30, 2006, through November 16, 2012. The buses are equipped with a Ricon manufactured wheelchair lift which has an optional armored pendant cable. The cable may…

    Remedy: Champion Bus is working with Ricon to notify owners. Ricon will provide a supplemental cover kit with instructions, free of charge. Owners may contact Champion Bus at 1-819-724-6474 or Ricon at 1-818-267-3000.

    Model years: 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013

  4. Air conditioner (equipment)

    NHTSA 11V141000 Reported 974 vehicles potentially affected CHAMPION BUS, INC.

    Champion bus is recalling certain vehicles equipped with carrier genv em-1 evaporator units. Due to time, temperature, and/or vibration, the fuse may loosen in the fuse holder resulting in high resistance and arcing.

    Remedy: Champion bus will notify owners and provide information on how to obtain the retrofit kit from carrier along with repair instructions. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall began on march 8,…

    Model years: 2011

Other Champion Bus models

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.