Champion American Crusader Recalls & Complaints by Model Year

NHTSA lists 10 safety recalls and 0 owner complaints across 13 model years of the Champion American Crusader (2006–2018).

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All Champion American Crusader recalls (10)

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

1. Equipment adaptive/mobility

   NHTSA 18V573000 Reported August 30, 2018 219 vehicles potentially affected Champion Bus, Inc.

   Champion Bus (Champion) is recalling certain 2012-2018 Champion American Coach, American Crusader, American S2, Challenger, Crusader, Defender, and Impulse vehicles, equipped with certain S-Series and K-Series Titanium Wheelchair Lifts, models K200, K201, K550, K551, S200, S2201, S550 and S551. The wheelchair lift positioning input cam…

   Remedy: Dealers will replace the injection molded cam with an aluminum machined cam, free of charge. The recall began November 1, 2018. Owners may contact Champion customer service 1-810-724-1753 extension 415 or Ricon…

   Model years: 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018

2. Equipment adaptive/mobility

   NHTSA 15V757000 Reported November 16, 2015 1,338 vehicles potentially affected Champion Bus, Inc.

   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,…

   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…

   Model years: 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015

3. Webbing (seat belts)

   NHTSA 15V391000 Reported June 19, 2015 1,818 vehicles potentially affected Champion Bus, Inc.

   Champion Bus, Inc. (Champion) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 American Crusader, American Coach, Challenger, Crusader, CTS-FE, CTS-RE, Defender, EZ Trans, HCAC, HC, DFUC, LF Transport, Premier, and Spirit transit buses manufactured March 1, 2013, to June 12, 2015. In the affected vehicles, the passenger seat belts may rub…

   Remedy: Champion will notify owners, and dealers will install a plastic sleeve over the metal seat frame, and replace any seat belts that show evidence of fraying, free of charge. The recall began on September 16, 2015. Owners…

   Model years: 2013, 2014, 2015

4. Equipment

   NHTSA 14V821000 Reported December 29, 2014 773 vehicles potentially affected Champion Bus, Inc.

   Champion Bus, Inc. (Champion) is recalling certain model year 2012-2014 American Crusader, Challenger, Crusader, CTS-FE, CTS-RE, Defender, EZ-Street, HC American, HCAC, LF Transport, M1235, Platinum Shuttle, Stacked Rail, and Federal Coach Premier, and Spirit transit buses manufactured January 1, 2012, to October 1, 2014, equipped with…

   Remedy: Champion will notify owners to inspect their triangles for production dates between April 2011, to April 2014, and the affected triangles will be replaced, free of charge. The recall began on January 6, 2015. Owners…

   Model years: 2012, 2013, 2014

5. Equipment adaptive/mobility

   NHTSA 14V742000 Reported November 19, 2014 1,229 vehicles potentially affected Champion Bus, Inc.

   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,…

   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.…

   Model years: 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

6. Electrical (equipment)

   NHTSA 13V422000 Reported September 12, 2013 598 vehicles potentially affected Champion Bus, Inc.

   Champion Bus is recalling certain model year 2010 American Crusader, American Coach, CTS-FE, CTS-RE, and IC Low Floor buses; and 2009-2010 Challenger and Crusader buses; and 2009-2011 Defender and EZ Trans buses; and 2010-2011 IC High Floor buses. The buses are manufactured from August 1, 2009, through May 19, 2011, and equipped with…

   Remedy: Champion Bus will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the door header and replace any defective circuit board, free of charge. The recall began on October 22, 2013. Owners may contact Champion at 1-810-724-6474.

   Model years: 2010

7. Equipment

   NHTSA 12V593000 Reported December 18, 2012 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

8. Equipment adaptive/mobility

   NHTSA 12V275000 Reported May 17, 2012 892 vehicles potentially affected CHAMPION BUS, INC.

   Champion bus is recalling certain model year 2008 through 2011 transit buses equipped with braun century-2 and/or vista-2 wheelchair lifts. Over time and with frequent use, the roll stop latches on the outer barrier may become bent or misaligned.

   Remedy: Champion bus will notify owners, and the repairs will be performed by authorized braun dealers free of charge. The safety recall began on august 17, 2012. Owners may contact champion bus at 1-810-724-6474.

   Model years: 2007, 2008, 2009

9. Air conditioner (equipment)

   NHTSA 11V141000 Reported March 1, 2011 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: 2010

10. Interior lighting

    NHTSA 09V369000 Reported September 24, 2009 69 vehicles potentially affected CHAMPION BUS, INC.

    Champion bus is recalling certain model year 2003 through 2010 transit buses manufactured between january 2003 and august 2009 equipped with luminator horizon LED side destination signs. The connector board can corrode due to an accumulation of moisture under the connector.

    Remedy: Champion bus will notify owners and luminator will repair the buses free of charge. Please see luminator's defect report 09e-054. The safety recall began on december 11, 2009. Owners may contact luminator at…

    Model years: 2007

Other Champion models

• Eurocoach4 complaints
• Challenger2 complaints
• Champion1 complaints
• Classic Sidecar1 complaints
• Contender1 complaints
• Cut-Away Chassis1 complaints
• Ez-Trans1 complaints
• International Low Floor1 complaints

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.