How many recalls does the 2011 Champion Defender have?

The 2011 Champion Defender has 3 NHTSA safety recall campaigns on record.

How do I check if my 2011 Champion Defender has an open recall?

Enter your 17-character VIN at NHTSA's official recall lookup (nhtsa.gov/recalls) to see open, unrepaired recalls for your specific vehicle. Recall repairs are free.

2011 Champion Defender Recalls

Recalls on record Updated July 2026

The 2011 Champion Defender has 3 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 3,165 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Last updated July 5, 2026.

Recall campaigns

EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY 15V757000 2015-11-16 1,338 affected

Defect

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…

Consequence

If the bearings move out of position, the stowed platform may have excessive movement resulting in failure of the platform mounting. This failure could cause the wheel chair lift platform to fall out of the vehicle when the doors are opened, increasing the risk of injury for the lift operator.

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 December 21, 2015. Owners may contact Champion customer service at 1-810-724-1753 extension…

EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY 14V742000 2014-11-19 1,229 affected

Defect

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…

Consequence

If the platform side plates crack, the lift platform can separate from the lift and come to rest against the vehicle's lift door. When the doors are opened, the platform may fall out, increasing the risk of injury to the lift operator.

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. The recall began in November 2014. Owners may contact Champion Bus customer service at…

EQUIPMENT 13V422000 2013-09-12 598 affected

Defect

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,…

Consequence

High resistance may cause the board to overheat, increasing the risk of a fire.

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.

Sources & methodology

Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL, FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 2011 Champion Defender as of July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page contains ads and affiliate links. Full methodology.