- Vehicles
- 96
- Built between
- Nov 2017 – Oct 2018
- Models
- 1
- Recall type
- Vehicle
- Initiated by
- Manufacturer
- Owners notified
- 22 October 2018
- Repaired
- 38%
- Unrepaired
- 60
Does this affect my vehicle?
This recall covers vehicles built between November 2017 and October 2018. If yours was built outside that window, it is not part of this recall.
- 2018 Charles Machine Ditch WitchBuilt November 2017 to October 2018
Repair progress
60 of 96 vehicles in this recall had still not been repaired as of Q3 2022.
38% repaired — 36 of 96 reported
Manufacturers file these figures with NHTSA each quarter. Vehicles the manufacturer could not trace, or that have been scrapped or exported, are counted separately and are not included in the unrepaired figure.
What the defect is
Charles Machine Works Inc (Charles Machine) is recalling certain 2018 Ditch Witch VT14, VT20 and VT24 trailers with HX30, HX50 or HX75 vacuum excavators equipped with an optional jib boom. The jib boom on these vehicles can become loose from the latching pin mechanism, allowing the boom to swing outside the trailer while being towed.
What could happen
If the jib boom swings outside the trailer while it is being towed, it can increase the risk of injury or a crash.
What gets fixed
Charles Machine will notify owners, and dealers will replace the latching pin with a hook mechanism that goes over the top of the arm, securing it to the trailer structure, free of charge. The recall began October 22, 2018.
Timeline
- Vehicles builtNovember 2017 to October 2018
- Recall reported to NHTSA18 October 2018
- Owners notified22 October 2018
- Latest repair reportQ3 2022 — 38% repaired
Your rights
A safety recall repair is free. Under US federal law the manufacturer must fix a safety defect at no cost to you — no charge for parts, labor or diagnosis — whether or not you are the original owner. A dealer cannot charge you for recall work, and cannot require you to have bought the vehicle from them.
That entitlement is not unlimited. It applies where the vehicle was first sold less than 15 years before the recall was announced — 5 years for tires. Past that a manufacturer may still do the repair free of charge, and many do, but they are no longer obliged to. This recall was reported on 18 October 2018.
To arrange the repair, contact any franchised dealer for the brand. If a dealer refuses the work or tries to charge for it, you can report that to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/recalls or on 1-888-327-4236.
Manufacturer contact
Owners may contact Charles Machine customer service at 1-800-654-6481. Charles Machine's number for this recall is ID0502488.
Official source
- Manufacturer's recall number
- ID0502488
- Recalling manufacturer
- Charles Machine Works Inc
- Recall initiated by
- MFR
Everything on this page — the models listed, the build dates and the repair figures — comes from the manufacturer's filing to NHTSA and describes the vehicle line as a whole, not any individual car. Only the manufacturer can confirm whether a specific vehicle is affected, and whether its recall work has already been carried out. Check yours by VIN and read the official notice at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Additional notes
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.
Check your own vehicle
This page describes the recall, not any one car. To see which recalls cover a specific vehicle, search by make, model and year.
A VIN lookup here identifies your vehicle and shows recalls issued for that make, model and year. It cannot tell you what is still open on your individual car - only the manufacturer knows that. Search by VIN instead, or check your VIN at nhtsa.gov for whether a recall is still open on your individual car.