RoadVitals

Van-Con Recalls, Complaints & Safety Data

NHTSA safety recalls, owner-reported complaints and investigations, by model and model year · 1975–2018

Data refreshed

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. This total counts a complaint once for each Van-Con model year it names.
39
Safety recallsDistinct NHTSA recall campaigns covering at least one Van-Con model year. One campaign can cover several models and many model years; it is counted once here.
14
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.
1
Models coveredModels with at least one model year that has enough NHTSA data to publish.
8
34 model years

Overview

Our database holds 39 NHTSA owner-reported complaints filed against Van-Con vehicles. Our database also holds 14 safety recall campaigns and 1 NHTSA investigation covering at least one Van-Con model year.

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

Van-Con models

Ordered by total owner-reported complaint volume, which is not a ranking of quality

Van-Con models with published safety data
ModelModel yearsComplaintsRecalls
Chevy2008–2009381
GMC Savana1997–199912
33803 Dual Rear-Wheel2011–201803
Dual Rear Wheel2007–201701
Handrails1986–199300
School Bus1975–200505
Type A1990–199201
Wheelchair Lift Bus2016–201801

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. Complaint totals count a report once for each model year it names; recall totals count a campaign once per model.

Recently issued recalls

The 8 newest campaigns covering a Van-Con vehicle in our database

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
18V47200033803 Dual Rear-Wheel

SEATSVan-Con, Inc. (Van-Con) is recalling certain 2011-2018 33803 Dual Rear Wheel school buses, equipped with CE White/HSM SB11-30" series, standard, unbelted, school bus seats, or SB11-30" series school bus seats with lap belts only. The foam in the knee impact area of the lower seat back may not absorb enough impact in the event of a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 222, "School Bus Passenger Seating and Crash Protection."

18V36500033803 Dual Rear-Wheel

STRUCTURE; STRUCTURE:BODYVan-Con, Inc. (Van-Con) is recalling one 2016 33803 Dual Rear Wheel school bus. The roof panel seams were not correctly bonded and thus may separate in the event of a crash. As such, this vehicle fails to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 221, "School Bus Body Joint Strength."

18V037000Wheelchair Lift Bus

EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITYVan-Con, Inc. (Van-Con) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Van-Con Dual Rear-Wheel school buses, model 33803, built on Chevrolet 3500 chassis and equipped with wheelchair lifts. The lifts in the affected vehicles may not deactivate until they are beyond the acceptable limit for being uneven. As such, these lifts fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 403 "Platform lift systems" and FMVSS number 404 "Platform lift installations."

17V694000Dual Rear Wheel

SEATS:BARRIERSVan-Con, Inc. (Van-Con) is recalling certain 2007-2017 Dual Rear Wheel school buses built on Chevrolet 3500 Express chassis. The seat barrier behind the driver seat may be pinned to the bulkhead preventing it from deforming in the event of an impact. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 222, "School Bus Passenger Seating and Crash Protection."

17V66600033803 Dual Rear-Wheel

SEAT BELTS: REAR/OTHER:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY; SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLYVan-Con, Inc. (Van-Con) is recalling certain 2011-2017 Dual Rear-Wheel school buses, model 33803, built on Chevrolet 3500 chassis. The seat belt buckle latch plate assembly, when buckled, may rest across the seated passenger's lap instead of being located to the side of the passenger. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 222, "School Bus Passenger Seating and Crash Protection."

10V113000Chevy

EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITYVAN-CON HAS NOTIFIED NHTSA OF A DEFECT IN CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2008-2009 HANDICAP SCHOOL BUSES BUILT ON FORD AND CHEVY CHASSIS, FITTED WITH RICON PUBLIC USE LIFTS. THE RESTRAINT BELT ON THESE LIFTS WAS DESIGNED TO PREVENT THE LIFT FROM MOVING, UNLESS THE TONGUE OF THE BELT IS FULLY ENGAGED AND LATCHED IN THE BUCKLE. RICON HAS DISCOVERED, HOWEVER, THAT IT IS POSSIBLE FOR THE OPERATOR TO INSERT THE BELT TONGUE INTO THE BUCKLE WITHOUT FULLY ENGAGING THE LATCHING MECHANISM. IN THIS CASE, THE RESTRAINT BELT WOULD APPEAR TO BE LATCHED, AND THE OPERATOR COULD RUN THE LIFT. IF THE RESTRAINT BELT TONGUE IS NOT FULLY ENGAGED INTO THE RESTRAINT BELT BUCKLE, AND LATCHED, THE LIFT MAY OPERATE WITH AN OCCUPANT ON THE PLATFORM.

05V308000School Bus

OTHER:SCHOOL BUS STOP ARM ASSEMBLYVAN-CON 2002 THROUGH 2005 MODEL YEAR 15, 16, 20, 25, AND 30 PASSENGER SCHOOL BUSES BUILT ON GMC, CHEVROLET, AND FORD CHASSIS. IN EXTREMELY COLD WEATHER, THE MICROSWITCHES USED INTERNALLY TO POSITION THE STOP ARM SIGN IN THE OPEN AND CLOSED POSITIONS MAY MALFUNCTION, CAUSING THE SIGN TO OPEN OR CLOSE IN AN IMPROPER POSITION, OR TO NOT OPEN AT ALL.

99V321000GMC Savana

STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTSVEHICLE DESCRIPTION: CONVERSION TYPE-A SCHOOL BUSES EQUIPPED WITH PLUNGER/SOCKET POSITIVE DOOR OPENERS ON SINGLE REAR EMERGENCY DOORS. THESE BUSES DO NOT COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 217, "BUS WINDOW RETENTION AND RELEASE."

Browse by model year

Every year with at least one publishable Van-Con model year

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .