NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Equipment Query EQ10-001: Ricon 6-Way Power Seat Base
- Closed
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Equipment Query EQ10-001 on January 25, 2010 and closed it on November 8, 2010. NHTSA's investigations file lists 3 Ricon models for it and links 4 recalls to it.
Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file
Key facts
- NHTSA number
- EQ10-001 (also written EQ10001)
- Investigation type
- Equipment Query An administrative investigation that reviews recall reports to confirm that the equipment suppliers and vehicle manufacturers involved in an equipment recall have filed the recall reports required of them.
- Status
- Closed November 8, 2010
- Opened
- Closed
- Vehicle or equipment manufacturer
- Ricon Corporation
- Component
- Seats
- Recalls linked by NHTSA
- Vehicles and equipment
- 3 Ricon models, including the R1209 (SEATBASE) and R1209-E (SEATBASE)
NHTSA's summary
As NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation wrote it for Equipment Query EQ10-001.
On July 30, 2008, Ricon reported that certain 6-way power seat bases, produced between January 1, 2006 and May 14, 2007, contain a weld on the pivot shaft that may fail due to poor (cold) welding.
A failed pivot shaft weld can cause the driver's seat to become detached from the seat base, possibly causing injury to the driver and increasing the risk of a crash.
NHTSA assigned recall number 08E-046 to this matter.
On February 5, 2010, the Recall Management Department (RMD) requested Ricon provide its customer list of all recipients that purchased the defective seat bases.
Ricon did not respond.
After several e-mail exchanges and a second IR letter mailed on April 2, 2010, Ricon responded with its customer list on April 9, 2010.
RMD mailed IR letters to the 10 companies on Ricon's list.
Those being: Siebert Mobility, Hoglund Bus Co., Inc., Ilderton Conversion Co, New England Wheels Inc, Northern Bus Sales, Inc., Sunset Vans, Inc., The Mobility Specialist, Thomas Bus Sales of IA, Vantage Mobility International, Malley Industries Inc.
Only The Mobility Specialist filed a subsequent Defect Report with NHTSA for new vehicles it modified with these seat bases.
It was assigned recall number 10V-270.
RMD received responses from nine of the above companies.
Eight of those companies were not required to file a Defect Report for their units for the following reasons:Hoglund Bus Co and Northern Bus Sales, Inc. sold their units over the counter and did not install the units.
Siebert Mobility purchased only the assets from the former Arkansas Convention Center and Siebert was not provided any sales records for customer contact.
Ilderton Conversion Co and Thomas Bus Sales of IA did not actually perform their installations but contracted them out to other companies.
New England Wheels only installed their units on used vehicles.
Malley Industries Inc. installed their unit on a Canadian vehicle.
Vantage Mobility International (VMI) is a distributor that re-sold their units to 250 dealers.
VMI did not file a Defect Report, as distributors are not required by regulation to do so, but did provide copies of the letters mailed to its dealer body.
VMI's letters included verbiage about subsequent reporting responsibilities the dealers might have if they altered new vehicles and also included a template Defect Report for their convenience.
Only three of VMI's dealers filed subsequent Defect Reports with NHTSA.They were: Arizona Mobility (10V-261), All in One Mobility (10V-271), Driving Specialties (10V-338).
Only Sunset Vans, Inc. did not respond to RMD's April 20, 2010 IR letter.
Another IR letter was sent to Sunset Vans on May 26, 2010.
Phone calls and e-mail exchanges with Sunset Vans on September 1, 2010 did not motivate a response submission.
A third IR letter was mailed on October 1, 2010.
No response was received.
Sunset Vans, Inc.'s lack of a response to RMD's recall inquiry will be forwarded to NHTSA's Office of the Chief Counsel for further enforcement consideration and action.
This EQ is closed.
Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation
NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Equipment Query EQ10-001. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. Model years with a try.vin recall page link to that page's NHTSA investigations section.
Ricon
Ricon R1209 (SEATBASE)
- model year not given
Ricon R1209-E (SEATBASE)
- model year not given
Ricon R1209-L (SEATBASE)
- model year not given
What an NHTSA investigation is
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) looks into possible safety defects in vehicles and equipment, often after owner complaints. An investigation usually starts as a Preliminary Evaluation, or as a Recall Query when it concerns whether an existing recall covers the right vehicles or fixes the problem, and ODI can upgrade it to a more detailed Engineering Analysis. A Defect Petition asks NHTSA to open an investigation, and Audit and Equipment Queries are administrative investigations into whether companies complied with federal vehicle safety requirements, such as reporting, recall and certification rules.
An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.
To see whether a specific vehicle has an open recall, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Free VIN check: decode a VIN to see its year, make and model.
Sources
NHTSA's investigation record for EQ10-001
Investigation details come from NHTSA's investigations file, which try.vin imports once a day. The investigation types are described from the U.S. Department of Transportation Inspector General's May 2023 report on NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation, NHTSA's petition rules (49 CFR Parts 552 and 557) and NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation procedures. How try.vin reads NHTSA investigations.