Braun Pacifica Wheelchair Retractor Recall — When the Securement That Holds a Wheelchair Won't Lock
The conversion manufacturer has acknowledged the defect to federal regulators: NHTSA campaign 26V296000 covers Braun-converted wheelchair-accessible Pacificas whose retractors may not lock — meaning a wheelchair may not be properly secured during transit. When a mobility-conversion defect puts a wheelchair user at risk, RockPoint Law's attorneys pursue a buyback, replacement, or cash settlement.
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Braun Corporation is recalling certain 2023–2026 Chrysler Pacifica wheelchair-accessible conversion vehicles because the wheelchair retractors may not lock, preventing the wheelchair from being properly secured (NHTSA 26V296000, reported May 2026). Braun's filing warns that an unsecured wheelchair can move during transit, increasing the risk of injury. Braun, working with Q'Straint, will inspect and replace the retractors as necessary, free of charge. This is a defect in the mobility conversion, not the base minivan, and it strikes at the single feature these owners bought the vehicle for: safely transporting a person in a wheelchair. A recall is the manufacturer admitting in writing that the vehicle was sold defective. If the fix doesn't hold, or Braun can't make the securement system right in a reasonable time, your state's Lemon Law and the federal warranty acts may entitle you to a refund, a replacement, or cash, and RockPoint Law pursues that claim directly.
The official NHTSA filing
| NHTSA Campaign | 26V296000 |
|---|---|
| Date Reported | May 11, 2026 |
| Manufacturer | Braun Corporation (mobility conversion) |
| Vehicles Affected | 476 |
| Models Covered | Braun-converted wheelchair-accessible Chrysler Pacifica |
| Model Years | 2023–2026 (Pacifica conversion) |
| Defect | Wheelchair retractors may not lock, preventing the wheelchair from being properly secured |
| Manufacturer Remedy | Braun, with Q'Straint, inspects and replaces the retractors as necessary, free of charge |
| Braun Customer Service | 1-800-488-0359 (Q'Straint: 1-800-987-9987) |
| Safety Severity | Injury Risk |
Can I keep driving while I wait for the repair?
NHTSA has not issued a Do Not Drive or Park Outside warning for this recall. You can generally keep driving while you wait for the free repair, but you should not ignore it: An unsecured wheelchair can move during transit, increasing the risk of injury. Schedule the recall service as soon as parts are available, and keep every repair order in case the fix does not hold.
When the part that holds a wheelchair won't lock
For a family that bought a wheelchair-accessible Pacifica, the conversion is the vehicle. The ramp, the lowered floor, and especially the retractors , the securement devices that lock a wheelchair in place, are the entire reason to choose this van over any other. This recall strikes exactly there. Braun concedes that “the retractors may not lock, preventing the wheelchair from being properly secured.”
Braun's filing states the consequence plainly: “an unsecured wheelchair can move during transit, increasing the risk of injury.” A wheelchair that shifts, rolls, or tips while the van is moving endangers the person seated in it most of all — often someone who cannot brace or react the way other passengers can. This is not a cosmetic or comfort defect; it is a failure of the one safety system the vehicle exists to provide.
It also matters who is responsible. This defect is in the Braun mobility conversion — not the base Chrysler minivan, and the remedy involves Braun working with the restraint maker Q'Straint to inspect and replace the retractors. By filing recall 26V296000, Braun has formally acknowledged these conversions were delivered with a securement system that may not hold. Whether the replacement retractors fully and reliably restore safe transport is exactly the question a Lemon Law claim is built to test.
Wheelchair retractors in your Braun Pacifica not locking reliably? A securement failure in a mobility conversion is the kind of substantial safety defect that most often turns a recall into a claim. Let our attorneys review your service history.
Free Case Review →Why a mobility-conversion securement defect raises the stakes
Owners are right to feel that a wheelchair van that can't safely secure a wheelchair has failed at its core purpose. That is also the legal heart of a Lemon Law or warranty claim — the defect goes to the very use the vehicle was bought for.
A recall obligates Braun to attempt a free repair — nothing more. It does not refund you, replace the conversion van, or compensate you for the time a family member couldn't be transported safely. A Lemon Law claim is your personal right to a real remedy when that repair comes up short. A recall documents the problem; a claim is what makes the manufacturer pay for it.
Lemon Law and the federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act can reach both the base vehicle and added equipment like a mobility conversion. Most claims require three things, and a securement recall helps satisfy the first two before you ever reach the service center:
- A substantial defect — a wheelchair retractor that may not lock defeats the single feature the vehicle was purchased for, and endangers the person it's meant to protect.
- The manufacturer's knowledge — recall 26V296000 is Braun's written admission, on the record, that the retractors may fail to secure the wheelchair.
- A reasonable number of failed repair attempts — this is the part you build — by documenting the inspection, the retractor replacement, and any securement problem before or after the fix.
Protect the vehicle, and the record
Owners who recover the most treat every service visit as evidence. Here is the path that keeps your options open:
- Step 1 · Confirm
Verify your VIN and get the inspection
Check your 17-digit VIN at NHTSA.gov or call Braun at 1-800-488-0359 (Q'Straint 1-800-987-9987). If included, have the retractors inspected and replaced as necessary, free of charge.
- Step 2 · Document
Get the repair order — in writing
Keep the work order showing the date, mileage, which retractors were inspected or replaced, and the recall number. For a securement defect, proof of exactly what was corrected is essential to any later claim.
- Step 3 · Observe
Test the securement after the fix
After the repair, confirm the retractors lock firmly and hold the wheelchair on every trip. If a retractor slips, won't latch, or releases, log the date, mileage, and what happened — a securement failure that returns is exactly what to capture.
- Step 4 · Act
If it isn't right, call counsel
If the retractors still don't hold reliably, or the conversion can't be made safe in a reasonable time, you may qualify for a buyback, replacement, or cash. That's when you hand the matter to RockPoint Law.
Worried the wheelchair securement still isn't holding? With a mobility van, that's not a risk to live with. Send us your service records and we'll tell you where you stand, free.
Talk to an Attorney →Braun Pacifica wheelchair recall & Lemon Law questions
Does this recall automatically make my wheelchair van a lemon?
No. Recall 26V296000 is Braun conceding the wheelchair retractors may not lock — strong evidence, but not the whole case. Whether your conversion van is a lemon depends on two more things: that the defect substantially impairs the vehicle, and that it can't be put right in a reasonable number of attempts. A securement system that still won't hold after the retractor replacement is what tips it into a claim. We review your records and tell you if you've crossed that line.
The recall is from Braun, not Chrysler — can Lemon Law still apply?
Yes, in many cases. The defect is in the Braun mobility conversion rather than the base Chrysler minivan, but Lemon Law and the federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act can reach added equipment and the company that built or warranted it. Because the conversion is the reason the vehicle was purchased, a defect in it can go to the heart of a claim. We can tell you who is responsible in your situation.
How dangerous is an unsecured wheelchair during transit?
Braun's own NHTSA filing states that an unsecured wheelchair can move during transit, increasing the risk of injury. The person in the wheelchair is usually the most vulnerable occupant in the vehicle and often can't brace against movement. A defect that can leave that person unprotected in a crash or even a hard stop is among the most serious a Lemon Law claim can rest on.
What does it cost to have RockPoint Law review my case?
Nothing to start. Your case review is free and confidential. In most Lemon Law and warranty matters the responsible manufacturer pays attorney's fees if your claim succeeds, so you can pursue the claim without paying us out of pocket. Lemon Law eligibility depends on the specific facts of your case.
Wheelchair van securement still not safe after the recall?
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