Wheelchair lift platform failure

What NHTSA investigated

On July 15, 2014, Ricon Corporation released safety recall 14E-041 to address lower pivot fatigue fractures in certain of its S-series wheel chair lifts.Ricon took this action after becoming aware of subject lift field failures including six involving school buses owned and operated by First Student (a school transport contractor) in Baltimore, MD.Ricon?s remedy in 14E-041 was the installation of an ?elastomeric bumper kit? (essentially a rubber bumper), designed to limit lift platform oscillation while in the stowed position. This RQ was opened when it became evident that lower pivot fatigue failures were continuing to occur on buses that had been remedied pursuant to 14E-041.On February 25, 2015, we were contacted by First Student, Baltimore regarding a recall remedy failure of a Ricon S-series wheelchair lift platform in three of its buses.We inspected those buses the following day and later, with Ricon staff.Subsequently the pivot bushing holes in the folding link arms were found to be larger than specified thus allowing the busing to withdraw and the lift to oscillate while stowed.This movement stressed the link arms near the pivot bushing hole causing them to crack.Since the remedy in 14E-041 was inadequate, Ricon decided to conduct a second recall (15E-068) to address the newly discovered root cause.With that recall, this RQ is closed.

Recalls that followed

1. AEV — Equipment Adaptive/Mobility16V0010004 January 20169 vehicles
2. IC Bus — Equipment Adaptive/Mobility15V87000023 December 201568 vehicles
3. IC Bus — Equipment Adaptive/Mobility15V86800022 December 20154,784 vehicles
4. Ford — Equipment Adaptive/Mobility15V77900020 November 2015278 vehicles
5. Micro Bird — Equipment Adaptive/Mobility15V77000019 November 201525 vehicles
6. IC — Equipment Adaptive/Mobility15V77200019 November 2015271 vehicles
7. Coach And Equipment — Equipment Adaptive/Mobility15V77300019 November 20152,029 vehicles
8. Glaval Bus — Equipment Adaptive/Mobility15V76500018 November 2015813 vehicles
9. Starcraft Bus — Equipment Adaptive/Mobility15V76600018 November 20151,001 vehicles
10. Starcraft Bus — Equipment Adaptive/Mobility15V76700018 November 201543 vehicles
11. Elkhart — Equipment Adaptive/Mobility15V76800018 November 20155,675 vehicles
12. Micro Bird — Equipment Adaptive/Mobility15V76900018 November 2015223 vehicles
13. Diamond Coach — Equipment Adaptive/Mobility15V7240003 November 201549 vehicles
14. Thomas Built Buses — Equipment Adaptive/Mobility15V5640004 September 201552 vehicles
15. Thomas Built Buses — Equipment Adaptive/Mobility15V5650004 September 20154,334 vehicles
16. Ricon — Equipment Adaptive/Mobility15E06800021 August 201538,000 vehicles

Vehicles covered

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.