Wheelchair lift arm fractures

An NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation into Ricon vehicles. Closed 1 February 2006.

Investigation
PE06003
Type
Preliminary Evaluation
Opened
5 January 2006
Closed
1 February 2006

What NHTSA investigated

This investigation was opened after odi received a complaint from a school bus fleet alleging cracks had developed on two of their wheelchair lift's vertical arms.the lifts are used to raise wheelchairs from the street level to allow entry into the school bus.odi conducted secondary discussions with ricon and also discussed the matter with other fleets.on january 23, 2006, ricon initiated a safety recall.ricon will notify all owners and replace all the vertical arms on wheelchair lifts produced between june 12, 2005 and july 1, 2005. Ricon determined that the defect was the result of welds that did not receive full penetration.this was due to a software error on the newly installedrobotic welder.the recall action taken by ricon resolves the issues raised by this investigation.accordingly, this investigation is closed.

Recalls that followed

  1. Champion — Equipment Adaptive/Mobility06V12700024 April 20067 vehicles
  2. Goshen — Equipment Adaptive/Mobility06V12900024 April 200613 vehicles
  3. Ricon — Equipment Adaptive/Mobility06E00800025 January 2006588 vehicles

Vehicles covered

MakeModelModel years
RiconKLEARVUE (K SERIES)Model year not recorded
RiconKLEARVUE (S SERIES)Model year not recorded

Source

From NHTSA’s investigation file, rebuilt daily. To report a problem with your own vehicle, go to nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem. All open investigations.