MAXON LIFT CORP. WHEELCHAIR LIFTS

MAXON LIFT CORP. HAS IDENTIFIED CERTAIN EARLY MODEL WHEELCHAIR LIFTS AS BEING NONCOMPLIANT WITH FMVSS. CERTAIN WL-7 & & WL-7A WHEELCHAIR LIFTS FAIL TO MEET 49 CFR 571.403 S6.4.7.3 INDICATING THE LIFTS MAY SEPARATE, FRACTURE, OR BREAK BEARING WEIGHT UP TO 1,600 LBS. IF A WHEELCHAIR LIFT WERE TO BREAK OR SEPARATE WHILE DEPLOYED, AN OCCUPANT COULD FALL, FROM A HEIGHT UP TO 4 FEET, AND EXPERIENCE SERIOUS, PERSONEL INJURY AND/OR EQUIPMENT DAMAGE. RMD MAILED 20 COMPANIES INFORMATION REQUEST LETTERS IN MID-APRIL. IN MOST CASES, THESE COMPANIES WERE INSTALLATION SHOPS OR REPAIR SHOPS ONLY. DEFECT REPORTS WERE RECEIVED FROM INTERNATIONAL TRUCK & ENGINE CORPORATION (08V-212) AND THOMAS BUILT BUSSES (08V-321). A WRITTEN RESPONSE WAS NEVER RECEIVED FROM IBERT GRANITE & MARBLE INC. BUT, THROUGH PHONE CONVERSATION, IT WAS DISCOVERED IBERT IS A GRAVESTONE MANUFACTURER AND THE GIVEN ADDRESS DOES NOT RECEIVE U.S. MAIL. WHERE APPLICABLE, MOST RESPONDANTS WERE DIRECTED BACK TO MAXON TO PASS ALONG END-USE CUSTOMER CONTACT INFORMATION. THIS EQ SHOULD HAVE RAISED RECALL AWARENESS AND GIVEN MAXON THE OPPROTUNITY TO REPAIR ADDITIONAL WHEELCHAIR LIFTS. THIS EQ IS CLOSED. IR RESPONSES CAN BE FOUND BELOW OR IN THE DOCUMENT REPOSITORY.