Recall 15V018 covers 9 2007-2011 Frontline Communications Mobile Medical Unit vehicles for wheelchair lift side plates that crack. Free repair through Frontline Communications.
Frontline Communications is recalling 9 2007-2011 Mobile Medical Unit vehicles because platform side plates on the Ricon wheelchair lift can crack. If the plates crack, the lift platform can separate, rest against the lift door, and fall when the doors open, increasing injury risk for the lift operator; the dealer repair is free.
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What's wrong?
The wheelchair lift on 2007-2011 Frontline Communications Mobile Medical Unit vehicles is the platform that raises and lowers a wheelchair user between the ground and the vehicle floor. Its side plates help support the platform and keep it aligned as the lift deploys, lifts, lowers, and stows. When those plates stay intact, the platform remains level and the lift can fold back into its stowed position.
On affected units equipped with certain Ricon lifts, the platform side plates can crack while the lift is stowed. The exact root cause was not identified, but failed parts showed high-load, low-cycle fatigue. Ricon linked the cracking conditions to vibration in these vehicles, along with lift conditions such as a drifting hydraulic system, a misadjusted stow lock, bent vertical arms, or low hydraulic fluid.
Owners or operators can see cracks during routine maintenance checks. If a plate separates, the platform can sag to one side, jam when stowed, fail to deploy, or make abnormal noise against the door.
Who's affected?
Spans 5 model years (2007-2011), all tied to the same adaptive/mobility equipment component.
| 2010 Frontline Communications Mobile Medical Unit | Equipment adaptive/mobility |
|---|---|
| 2009 Frontline Communications Mobile Medical Unit | Equipment adaptive/mobility |
| 2007 Frontline Communications Mobile Medical Unit | Equipment adaptive/mobility |
| 2011 Frontline Communications Mobile Medical Unit | Equipment adaptive/mobility |
| 2008 Frontline Communications Mobile Medical Unit | Equipment adaptive/mobility |
| Units affected | 9 |
| Field incidents | NHTSA has logged no field incidents to date. |
The year and model narrow the scope, but the VIN decides. Check your VIN to confirm whether your specific vehicle is included.
What's the safety risk?
Cracked platform side plates can let the lift platform separate and rest against the lift door. When the doors open, the platform can fall out and injure the lift operator. Visible cracks, sagging, jamming, or abnormal door noise are reasons to stop using the lift and call for service. Repair is free at any franchised Frontline Communications dealer.
What should I do?
- Check your VIN to confirm your 2007-2011 Frontline Communications Mobile Medical Unit is included in this recall.
- Contact Frontline Communications customer service at 1-727-573-0400 or Ricon customer service at 1-800-322-2884 to arrange the free wheelchair-lift platform support bumper installation.
- Reference recall number 15V018 when you call so the service contact can match the repair to the correct campaign.
- Tell the service contact if the lift platform has started cracking, because the remedy covers platform replacement when cracking has already started.
- Keep people clear of the wheelchair lift door and platform until the support-bumper repair or platform replacement is complete.
What happens at the repair
The recall repair is available now. At the service visit, a Frontline Communications technician arranges installation of supplemental platform support bumpers on the affected Ricon wheelchair lift. If the lift platform has already started cracking, the platform is replaced instead. The repair is free under the recall, including parts and labor. Frontline Communications has a general reimbursement plan for this campaign. If you already paid for this lift related repair before the recall repair, contact Frontline Communications with documentation to ask for reimbursement under that plan.
| Reimbursement | Reimbursement available |
|---|
Timeline
| January 20, 2015 | NHTSA published the recall |
|---|---|
| January 30, 2015 | VIN-searchable in NHTSA's database — Check your VIN to see whether this recall applies to your specific vehicle. |
| January 30, 2015 | Interim owner notification (was planned for this date) |
| February 25, 2015 | Owner notification mailed |
Frequently asked questions
What is recall 15V018?
Recall 15V018 covers 9 2007-2011 Frontline Communications Mobile Medical Unit vehicles equipped with certain Ricon wheelchair lifts. The lift platform side plate can crack, and the platform can separate and fall when the lift doors open. Frontline Communications arranged free supplemental support bumpers, with cracked platforms replaced for free.
What should I do if my 2007-2011 Frontline Communications Mobile Medical Unit is on this recall?
Check your VIN to confirm your specific vehicle is included in recall 15V018. If it is, contact Frontline Communications at 1-727-573-0400 or Ricon Customer Service to arrange the wheelchair-lift repair. Reference recall number 15V018 when you call. The repair is free.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Federal recall law requires the manufacturer to correct the defect at no cost. For recall 15V018, Frontline Communications arranged installation of supplemental platform support bumpers, and any platform that has already started cracking is replaced free of charge.
What is the safety risk?
The safety risk is injury to the lift operator. If the platform side plates crack, the wheelchair-lift platform can separate from the lift and rest against the vehicle's lift door. When the doors open, the platform can fall out.
What if I bought this Mobile Medical Unit used?
The free recall repair still applies. Recall coverage follows the vehicle, not the first owner. Check your VIN to confirm whether your 2007-2011 Frontline Communications Mobile Medical Unit is included, then call Frontline Communications and reference recall number 15V018.
More information
| NHTSA campaign page | nhtsa.gov/vehicle-recalls/15V018000 |
|---|---|
| Frontline Communications customer service | 1-727-573-0400 |
| NHTSA recall # | 15V018 |
| NHTSA recall # (full) | 15V018000 |
Source documents
-
Download Recall Document (PDF) (PDF) - Download Recall Report (PDF)
- Download Recall Acknowledgement (PDF)
This article is generated from NHTSA's primary recall filings and reviewed against the source on June 1, 2026. RecallNotify does not paraphrase NHTSA's consequence language; that text is reproduced as written above. Editorial standards →