RoadVitals

2021 Altec Digger Derrick

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
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Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
10
Latest Feb 6, 2026
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
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Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
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Overview

Our database contains no NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2021 Altec Digger Derrick. 10 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; and 24 manufacturer communications are on file.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Safety recalls

10 campaigns cover this model year

View all 10

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov
26V071000

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:POWER DISTRIBUTION MODULE/IPDM

Feb 6, 2026
57 units potentially affected
The defect: Altec Industries, Inc. (Altec) is recalling certain 2021-2025 Digger Derrick and 2021-2025 AM Series Aerial Device vehicles. The chassis engine may start unintentionally due to a missing diode in the Altec power distribution module.
The risk: An engine that starts unexpectedly increases the risk of injury to anyone near the engine compartment during maintenance operations.
The remedy: Altec will provide instructions to inspect the power distribution module for a diode, and provide a repair kit as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 27, 2026. Owners may contact Altec customer service at 1-877-462-5832. Altec's number for this recall is CSN-3281.
Altec Industries, Inc.Manufacturer number CSN-3281View on NHTSA.gov
25V562000

STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS

Aug 29, 2025
903 units potentially affected
The defect: Altec Industries Inc. (Altec) is recalling certain 2011-2025 Aerial Device, Digger Derrick, and 2022-2025 Service Body vehicles. The cable step wire rope assembly may be improperly secured, which can allow the cable entry step to detach from the vehicle.
The risk: A cable step that fails during use increases the risk of injury.
The remedy: Altec will provide owners with instructions to inspect the cable crimps. If the cables are improperly crimped, Altec will provide instructions and a kit to replace the wire rope assemblies. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 24, 2025. Owners may contact Altec customer service at 1-877-462-5832. Altec's number for this recall is CSN-3246.
Altec Industries, Inc.Manufacturer number CSN-3246View on NHTSA.gov
23V636000

EQUIPMENT:MECHANICAL:WINCH

Sep 14, 2023
53 units potentially affected
The defect: Altec Industries, Inc. (Altec) is recalling certain 2004-2023 DL42 and DL45 Digger Derricks. The incorrect hydraulic load holding valve may have been installed, which can cause the winch to lower uncontrollably and the load to fall.
The risk: An uncontrolled load falling increases the risk of injury to personnel or others nearby.
The remedy: Altec will replace the load holding valve, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed October 6, 2023. Owners may contact Altec's customer service at 1-877-462-5832. Altec's number for this recall is MAB 3113.
Altec Industries, Inc.Manufacturer number MAB 3113View on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

No owner complaints recorded for this model year

Either none have been filed with NHTSA, or this vehicle is too new for reports to have accumulated.

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

CSR-3337

Altec Industries, Inc. has been notified by Samson that certain ropes manufactured between May 6 and May 12, 2026 could be mislabeled with incorrect strength ratings on the product tags and supporting certification documentation. These ropes were installed on certain Altec units and require replacement. Altec will mail replacement ropes, along with installation instructions, to affected owners as part of the notification process.

SIL-3243

Altec has learned that hydraulic hoses on certain DM-E and DH derricks, built between 2021 and 2025, can come into contact with the cord reel, causing the reel to stick. This can cause the pole guide to become inoperable.

SIL-3214

STRUCTURE:BODY

Altec has learned that the king pin towing capacity placard might not be installed on certain DL derricks built from August 2005 to October 2024. This could lead to unintentional overloading which could result in cracks or deformations to the king pin assembly. Altec has had no reports of this issue occuring. This area should be inspected regularly as outlined in the Welds and Fasteners subsections in Section 4 of the unit’s Maintenance and Parts Manual.

PUN-3210

Altec has developed additional features and functionality for JEMS Connect. Features include Vehicle Status Indicators and Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs), both are accessed from Connect.

CSR-3207

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; SERVICE BRAKES

Altec Industries, Inc. has received notification from International that a condition exists relating to motor vehicle safety in certain vehicles that are equipped with Altec equipment. Towing variants of the Bendix electronic brake controller’s (EC80) Power Line Communication (PLC) functionality may incorrectly process certain signals. The EC80 may set a fault or stop operating or malfunction. Safety systems that depend on the ECU such as ATC, ABS, ESP, Active Cruise Control (ACC), and Collision mitigation (CMS) systems may have diminished or lost functionality increasing the risk of a crash.

SIL-3175

Altec has learned that certain DC and DM model derricks built from January 2019 to June 2024 could have improper weld fusion. This means the welds could fail, causing a crack.

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Altec Digger Derrick by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2026020—
20250110—
2024090—
20230110—
20220100—
2021Viewing0100—
20200110—
20190140—
20180180—
20170150—
20160150—
2015080—
2014080—
2013090—
20120110—
20110110—
2010080—
2009080—
2008050—
2007040—
2006040—
2005040—
2004040—
2003030—
2002020—
2001020—
2000020—
1999010—
1998010—
1997010—
1996010—
1995010—
1994010—
1993010—
1992010—

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.