Charles Machine Ditch Witch Recalls & Complaints by Model Year

NHTSA lists 5 safety recalls and 0 owner complaints across 9 model years of the Charles Machine Ditch Witch (1977–2019).

Pick your Charles Machine Ditch Witch model year

• 1977
• 1978
• 1979
• 1980
• 1981
• 1982
• 1983
• 2018
• 2019

All Charles Machine Ditch Witch recalls (5)

Every NHTSA safety campaign that lists a Charles Machine Ditch Witch, most recent first, with the model years each one covers.

1. Trailer hitches

   NHTSA 19V490000 Reported June 25, 2019 290 vehicles potentially affected Charles Machine Works Inc

   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.

   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…

   Model years: 2018, 2019

2. Service brakes, electric

   NHTSA 19V487000 Reported June 21, 2019 796 vehicles potentially affected Charles Machine Works Inc

   Charles Machine Works Inc. (Charles Machine) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Ditch Witch VT9, VT12, VT14, VT17, VT20 and VT24 trailers. The brake wire terminals may have been improperly crimped, which can result in the trailer brakes failing to apply when commanded.

   Remedy: Charles Machine has notified owners, and dealers will replace the brake terminals with a machine terminal, free of charge. The recall began June 25, 2019. Owners may contact Charles Machine customer service at…

   Model years: 2018, 2019

3. Non-powered axle assembly (suspension)

   NHTSA 19V154000 Reported March 1, 2019 59 vehicles potentially affected Charles Machine Works Inc

   Charles Machine Works, Inc (Charles) is recalling certain 2019 Ditch Witch VT24 trailers. The axle bearings may not have been greased.

   Remedy: Charles will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the axles for the affected batch number and rework the hubs with new seals and bearings, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 25, 2019. Owners may…

   Model years: 2019

4. Structure

   NHTSA 18V727000 Reported October 18, 2018 96 vehicles potentially affected Charles Machine Works Inc

   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.

   Remedy: 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,…

   Model years: 2018

5. Wheels

   NHTSA 83V109000 Reported October 13, 1983 1,678 vehicles potentially affected CHARLES MACHINE WORKS INC

   Wheels may contain defective welds that may fail when the vehicle is carrying the rated load or a lesser weight.

   Remedy: Wheel welds will be inspected and if evidence of defective welding is found, the wheels will be replaced.

   Model years: 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983

Other Charles Machine models

• Ditch Witch T180 complaints
• Ditch Witch T260 complaints

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.