Charles Machine Works Inc: Trailer Hitches
Charles Machine Works Inc reported this defect to federal regulators on Jun 25, 2019 and put the number of vehicles at risk at 290. The repair is free for as long as the recall stands.
The defect
Charles Machine Works Inc (Charles Machine) is recalling certain 2018 Ditch Witch VT17, 2018-2019 VT20 and VT24 trailers. The lock nuts that attach the hitch to the trailer may be insufficient to clamp the load after the hitch height has been adjusted.
The risk
Without a sufficient clamp load, the hitch may unexpectedly detach from the trailer, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Charles Machine has notified owners, and will provide new hardware, free of charge. The recall began June 28, 2019. Owners may contact Charles Machine customer service at 1-800-654-6481. Charles Machine's number for this recall is ID0568989.
2 model years covered
Newest first| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Fires | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 Charles Machine Ditch Witch | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 2018 Charles Machine Ditch Witch | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
What this page is, and what to do next
A recall is not an opinion. It is a Part 573 report a manufacturer is required by federal law to file once it decides a defect poses an unreasonable risk to safety, and it commits them to repairing the vehicle at no cost to the owner. The three passages above are the manufacturer’s own wording as published by NHTSA.
This page describes the campaign. It cannot tell you whether one particular car has already been through the shop — that is tracked by VIN, and only the manufacturer knows it. Check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with a franchised dealer, quoting campaign number 19V490000.
Full record for the 2019 Charles Machine Ditch Witch → · Recalls carrying a do-not-drive advisory → · Where this data comes from →