RoadVitals

2012 Champion M1235

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
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Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
3
Latest Dec 29, 2014
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
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Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
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Overview

Our database contains no NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2012 Champion M1235. 3 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; and 1 manufacturer communication is on file.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Safety recalls

3 campaigns cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov
14V821000

EQUIPMENT

Dec 29, 2014
773 units potentially affected
The defect: 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 certain triangle warning signs manufactured by Imperial Supplies, LLC. Test reports indicate that the triangle warning signs, labeled C&J, may reflect an inadequate amount of light. As such, these triangle warning kits fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 125, "Warning devices."
The risk: Warning triangles that do not properly reflect light may fail to warn others that a vehicle is parked, increasing the risk of a crash.
The 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 may contact Champion customer service at 1-810-724-6474.
Champion Bus, Inc.View on NHTSA.gov
12V039000

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL

Feb 3, 2012
20 units potentially affected
The defect: CHAMPION BUS (CHAMPION) IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2012 ABC-M1235 TRUCKS MANUFACTURED FROM JUNE 21, 2011, THROUGH NOVEMBER 18, 2011, EQUIPPED WITH A FREIGHTLINER CUSTOM CHASSIS. INACURATE FAULT DETECTION VALUES IN THE BULKHEAD MOUDLE SOFTWARE MAY CAUSE THE SIDE MARKER/DIRECTIONAL LIGHTS TO STOP FUNCTIONING AFTER A FEW MINUTES OF VEHICLE OPERATION. LIGHTS WILL RESUME OPERATION AFTER THE VEHICLE IS SHUT DOWN AND RESTARTED.
The risk: FAILURE OF THE SIDE MARKER/DIRECTIONAL LIGHTS TO ILLUMINATE WILL RESULT IN DECREASED VISIBILITY OF THE VEHICLE AND/OR MISINFORM OTHER DRIVERS AS TO THE INTENDED DIRECTION OF TRAVEL, EITHER OF WHICH COULD INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.
The remedy: FREIGHTLINER WILL NOTIFY THE OWNERS AND PERFORM REPAIRS AT ITS AUTHORIZED FACILITIES, FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON FEBRUARY 2, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CHAMPION AT 1-810-724-6474.
CHAMPION BUS, INC.View on NHTSA.gov
12V040000

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL

Feb 3, 2012
30 units potentially affected
The defect: CHAMPION BUS (CHAMPION) IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011-2012 ABC-M1235 TRANSIT BUSES MANUFACTURED FROM MARCH 9, 2011, TO NOVEMBER 18, 2011, BUILT ON A FREIGHTLINER CUSTOM CHASSIS. THE GRID HEATER GROUND WIRE MAY CONTACT THE RELAY POWER TERMINAL AND RUB AND CHAFE, POTENTIALLY RESULTING IN A SHORT CIRCUIT.
The risk: AN ELECTRICAL FAULT OR SHORT CIRCUIT COULD CAUSE A VEHICLE FIRE.
The remedy: FREIGHTLINER WILL NOTIFY THE OWNERS, AND INSPECT THE BUSES AND CORRECTLY ROUTE THE GROUND WIRE AS NECESSARY THE REPAIRS WILL BE PERFORMED BY FREIGHTLINER AUTHORIZED FACILITIES FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON FEBRUARY 2, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CHAMPION AT 1-810-724-6474.
CHAMPION BUS, INC.View on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

No owner complaints recorded for this model year

Either none have been filed with NHTSA, or this vehicle is too new for reports to have accumulated.

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

2018-002

SEATS

The mounting bolt to install the Freedman driver?s seat to the Ford OEM seat track may not have been sufficiently tightened during installation.

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Champion M1235 by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2014010—
2013010—
2012Viewing030—
2011020—
2008030—
2007020—
2006000—
2005000—

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.