RecallMyCar

2004 Champion Defender Recalls, Complaints & Specs

2 safety recalls list the 2004 Champion Defender. Check your own VIN below.

2
safety recalls
0
owner complaints to NHTSA

2 safety recalls for the 2004 Champion Defender

Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.

  1. Service brakes, hydraulic

    NHTSA 09V313000 Reported 36 vehicles potentially affected CHAMPION BUS, INC.

    Champion bus is recalling 36 model year 2004, 2005, and 2007 defender and model year 2005-2006 m1000 buses built between april 12, 2004 and september 18, 2006. Certain hydraulic brake lines may contact the transmission dipstick tube as the engine rocks.

    Remedy: Daimler trucks is handling the owner notification and remedy for this campaign. Please see 09v-114. Daimler trucks will correct the chassis if found to be defective. This service will be performed for you free of…

  2. Equipment adaptive/mobility

    NHTSA 04V521000 Reported 231 vehicles potentially affected CHAMPION BUS, INC.

    On certain buses equipped with sure-lok wheelchair securement systems, the sprocket teeth of the retractor assembly is out of alignment.

    Remedy: Sure-lok is conducting the owner notification and remedy for this campaign. Dealers will inspect and replace the wheelchair securement retractors as necessary. Owners should contact sure-lock at 1-908-231-1804 or…

No owner complaints on file

NHTSA has no owner complaints on file for the 2004 Champion Defender. For context, the average model year in NHTSA's database has dozens; a zero can mean a reliable vehicle, a rare one, or both.

Compare Champion Defender model years

Recall and complaint counts for every Champion Defender model year in NHTSA's database.

Model yearRecallsComplaints
1999 Champion Defender10
2000 Champion Defender30
2001 Champion Defender30
2002 Champion Defender20
2003 Champion Defender20
2004 Champion Defender20
2005 Champion Defender40
2006 Champion Defender50
2007 Champion Defender100
2008 Champion Defender110
2009 Champion Defender90
2010 Champion Defender70
2011 Champion Defender30
2012 Champion Defender40
2013 Champion Defender50
2014 Champion Defender60
2015 Champion Defender40
2016 Champion Defender10
2017 Champion Defender20
2018 Champion Defender20
2019 Champion Defender10

Checking a specific 2004 Champion Defender

How do I know if my 2004 Champion Defender has an open recall?

Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 2 campaigns currently list the 2004 Champion Defender; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.

Is the recall repair free?

Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Champion dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 04V521000).

What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?

A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.

Other Champion 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.