Ricon Recalls 1,220 S-Series and K-Series Wheelchair Lifts That May Not Stop

On June 23, 2026, Ricon Corporation filed NHTSA recall 26E-038 for 1,220 S-Series and K-Series wheelchair platform lifts built from January 1, 2024 through June 23, 2026. A part that powers the lift motor can stick on, so the lift may keep moving after the operator stops it. NHTSA warns that “a wheelchair lift that continues to move while occupied increases the risk of injury.” The repair is free. As of October 6, 2026, five vehicle builders that installed the lifts have filed their own recalls.

What is wrong with the lifts

The part is an electrical contactor. Ricon says its supplier moved production outside the United States in 2024 without telling Ricon, and some contactors were built with a bolt turned the wrong way. With debris inside, it can latch closed and keep the motor running.

Ricon reported one incident, which it learned of in April 2026. An occupied lift on a public transit vehicle kept moving after the operator cut power at the hand control, and a person helping the rider was hurt trying to stop it.

The fix adds two diodes to the lift’s wiring so the motor stops when the operator stops the lift. Ricon’s letter says the repair kit is free and the work takes about 30 minutes. Lifts built after June 23, 2026 have the diodes from the factory.

Which lifts and vehicles are covered

The recall covers 1,014 S-Series and 206 K-Series lifts with these part numbers:

• S-Series: S1101, S1200, S1204, S1230, S1231, S2003, S2005, S2010, S2036, S5503, S5505, S5510, ST00, and ST01.
• K-Series: K1203, K2005, K2010, K5505, and K5510.

These builders filed recalls for vehicles they built with the lifts:

• Turtle Top (26V-462). 2026 Terra Transit buses on the Ford Transit, built January through April 2026. As of October 6, 2026, NHTSA lists the repair as still under development, with no letter date set. Call 1-800-296-2105.
• Coach and Equipment (26V-472). 131 buses: 2024 and 2025 Phoenix, 2025 and 2026 Metrolite. Letters went out July 31, 2026, and tell owners to book the repair with a Ricon dealer by calling Ricon at 1-800-322-2884. Coach and Equipment’s number is 1-800-724-8464.
• Blue Bird (26V-556). 82 Vision school buses, model years 2025 to 2027, with K-Series lifts. Letters are due by October 30, 2026. Call 1-478-822-2242 and give recall number R26AH.
• Forest River Bus (26V-565). 55 buses: 2024 Mobility Trans Safetbus and Glaval Universal, 2025 Senator II and Starcraft Allstar. Letters are due October 10, 2026. Call 1-800-348-7440 and give recall number 51-2093.
• Farber Specialty Vehicles (26V-592). 69 vehicles from model years 2021 to 2027, including Ford E450, F550, Transit, and Mercedes-Benz Sprinter builds. Farber planned to mail letters from October 1 to November 10, 2026. Call 1-800-331-3188.

If a mobility dealer or conversion shop put in your lift, no builder recall may list your vehicle, but Ricon’s recall still covers the lift. Ricon began mailing its letters the week of June 29, 2026, to the companies that bought the lifts from it. If you bought your vehicle from a dealer or used, a letter may never reach you, so check the lift yourself.

What NEMT owners should do now

1. Check every lift vehicle. Write down each lift’s model and serial number and compare the model to the part numbers above.
2. Call to confirm. Ricon’s letter says to call Ricon Customer Service at 1-800-322-2884 with questions or to check serial numbers. For a bus on the list, you can also call its builder with the VIN. A VIN search may miss these recalls: federal rules require a public VIN search only from makers that build 25,000 or more light vehicles or 5,000 or more motorcycles a year (49 CFR 573.15), and Ricon’s recall follows the lift, not the vehicle.
3. Book the free repair. A dealer or Ricon technician installs the diodes. Forest River says owners who already paid for this repair on its buses may be eligible for a refund.
4. Take a failing lift out of service. If a lift keeps moving after the driver stops it, keep that vehicle off wheelchair trips until it is fixed, and write it on your lift inspection log.
5. File the repair order. Keep it with the vehicle’s maintenance records for broker and state inspections. When you buy a used wheelchair van or bus with a 2024 or newer Ricon lift, ask for proof of this repair.