1995-1998 Altec A0442 Aerial Devices MAB770 Uncontrolled Boom Movement

July 20, 2020 NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V420000

Uncontrolled Boom Movement

Uncontrolled movement of the boom can increase the risk of injury.

 

NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V420

Manufacturer Altec Industries Inc.

Components EQUIPMENT

Potential Number of Units Affected 141

 

Summary

Altec Industries, Inc. (Altec) is recalling certain 1995-1998 Altec A0442 aerial devices. The boom lift hydraulic cylinder end gland may fail causing uncontrolled boom movement.

 

Remedy

Altec will notify owners, and instruct them to inspect the boom lift cylinders for an externally threaded head gland design. The customer will be instructed whether the unit can be used with restricted lower and/or upper boom articulation until the cylinder(s) are repaired or replaced, free of charge. The recall began September 14, 2020. Owners may contact Altec customer service at 1-877-462-5832. Altec’s number for this recall is MAB 770.

 

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.

 

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IMPORTANT SAFETY RECALL

This notice applies to your vehicle. See attached serial number list

 

NHTSA Safety Recall

No. 20V-420

 

September 4, 2020

 

Dear Altec Owner,

This notice is sent to you in accordance with the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act, and Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Act.

 

Altec Industries, Inc. has decided that a defect which relates to motor vehicle safety exists in certain AO442/445 aerial devices. These units may have a hydraulic cylinder on the upper boom and/or lower boom that can fail. A failed cylinder can cause uncontrolled movement resulting in death or serious injury.

 

Refer to MAB 770 for the items covered under the warranty policy. Altec will supply, free of charge, new hydraulic cylinder(s) to correct this condition.

 

In order to determine if your unit is affected by MAB 770, compare the serial number of your unit with the list of affected units attached to the MAB. The repair can be performed by the customer or you may contact Altec at 1-877-GO-ALTEC (1-877-462-5832) for further assistance. The repair is expected to take up to 10 hours to complete.

 

At any time, you may contact Altec at 1-877 GO ALTEC (1-877-462-5832) with your unit’s serial number to determine if there are any other outstanding notices.

 

For US owners: after contacting Altec, if you are still not able to have the safety condition remedied without charge and within a reasonable time, you may submit a complaint to: Administrator, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590 or call toll-free 1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 1-800-424-9153) or  go to https://www.safercar.gov.

 

For Canadian Owners: if you are still not able to have the safety condition remedied by your dealer within a reasonable time, please contact Altec Customer Service at 1-877-GO-ALTEC (1-877-462-5832).

 

If you had this repair performed before you received this letter, you may be eligible to receive reimbursement for the cost of obtaining a pre-notification remedy of the problem associated with this recall. If you have sold or retired the unit please call Altec at 1-877-GO-ALTEC (1-877-462-5832) so the records may be changed.

 

If you have leased this equipment to another person or company, you are required by Federal Law to forward a copy of this notice to the lessee by first class mail within ten (10) days of the receipt of this notice.

 

We are sorry to cause this inconvenience; however we are taking this action in the interest of your safety and continued satisfaction with Altec products.

 

Thank you for your immediate attention on this important matter.

 

MAB 770

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September 4, 2020

Mandatory Action Bulletin

Units Affected: AO442/445 units built from 1995 to 1998 (please verify that your unit serial number is affected by reviewing the attached list in this MAB or by accessing your fleet on connect.altec.com/login)

 

Upper and Lower Boom Cylinder Inspection

This Mandatory Action Bulletin requires immediate action.

This Mandatory Action Bulletin requires immediate inspection of the upper boom cylinder and lower boom cylinder on units in the affected list. Altec has received a report of a cylinder failure when the lower boom was in the near vertical position. The failure of the lower boom cylinder or upper boom cylinder can cause uncontrolled boom movement. Death or serious injury can result from uncontrolled movement.

 

Investigation has determined that some upper boom cylinders and lower boom cylinders have the potential for failure. Units affected must be inspected immediately to check for the specific cylinders. The specific cylinders are identified by the design characteristic of a head gland retaining cap that is threaded to the outside of the cylinder barrel (refer to Figure 1).

 

Figure 1 — Cylinder with Externally Threaded Barrel with Retaining Cap

 

Cylinders having the specified design characteristic MUST be replaced. Until the cylinders are replaced, the booms must be operated with the following limitations (refer to Figure 2).

 

Altec Use Only
Inspection labor	0.5 hr
Repair labor	10.0 hr
Account #	010.1093.43151.000.9101.000
Travel	Not included
NHTSA code	98
Prime fail P/N	035040124, 035040128
Doc ref	074900729

 

Kit Description	Part Number	Qty	Warranty
Upper Boom Cylinder	991160224	1	Yes
Lower Boom Cylinder	991159976	1	Yes

 

• The upper boom operation must be limited to no more than 75 degrees of unfold movement above horizontal.
• The lower boom operation must be limited to no more than 55 degrees of raise movement above horizontal.
• Make sure that all operators and service technicians are aware of these restricted ranges of movement.

 

If BOTH the upper boom cylinder and the lower boom cylinder DO NOT have the specified design characteristic, no cylinder replacement is needed. Return the unit to service. Complete the Inspection Sheet at the end of this MAB and return it to Altec.

 

ALL cylinders having the specified design characteristic MUST BE replaced. For each cylinder requiring replacement, locate the part number on the original cylinder, usually stamped into the barrel at the rod end of the cylinder. Compare the part number on the cylinder to the original cylinder part number listed in Figure 3. If the part numbers match, call 1-877-GO ALTEC (1-877-462-5832) to order the corresponding replacement cylinder kit shown in Figure 3. If the cylinder part number cannot be found on the cylinder barrel or the part numbers do not match, call Altec for assistance before ordering a replacement cylinder kit. Do not complete the Inspection Sheet at the end of this MAB if ordering replacement cylinder kit(s).

 

Cylinder Location	Original Cylinder Part Number	Replacement Kit Part Number
Upper Boom	035040124	991160224
Lower Boom	035040128	991159976

 

Figure 3 — Cylinder and Replacement Kit Part Numbers

 

The part number 991160224 replacement kit will not be in stock until mid-October 2020. Orders for both replacement kits may be delayed due to the age of the affected units and limited production availability of the replacement cylinders.

 

This repair is covered under the Altec Warranty Policy and can be performed by Altec, the customer, or the customer’s warranty provider. Altec will perform the repair for free at an Altec facility. If the customer or the customer’s warranty provider performs the repair, a warranty claim must be submitted to be reimbursed for the cost of the parts and/or labor. Altec will allow up to $45 for the labor to perform this inspection and up to $900 for the labor to replace both cylinders. Call 1-877-GO ALTEC (1-877-4625832) to schedule the work to be done by an Altec service technician. Customers are responsible for the travel costs of an Altec Mobile Service technician if the technician performs the inspection or repair at the owner’s location. If calling to schedule an Altec Mobile Service technician for this repair, confirm whether the technician will be able to perform the repair at the owner’s location. If the technician cannot do this, the repair must be performed at an Altec facility.

 

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4 Affected Products

Vehicle

MAKE	MODEL	YEAR
ALTEC	AERIAL DEVICE	1995-1998

 

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8 Associated Documents

Recall Quarterly Report #3, 2021-1

RCLQRT-20V420-8911.PDF 211.304KB

 

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Recall Quarterly Report #1, 2020-3

RCLQRT-20V420-0891.PDF 211.123KB

 

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Defect Notice 573 Report

RCLRPT-20V420-1888.PDF 213.651KB

 

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Defect Notice 573 Report

RCLRPT-20V420-5355.PDF 213.651KB

 

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Recall Acknowledgement

RCAK-20V420-8141.pdf 244.584KB

 

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Recall Quarterly Report #2, 2020-4

RCLQRT-20V420-8309.PDF 211.223KB

 

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Owner Notification Letter(Part 577)

RCONL-20V420-7459.pdf 362.482KB

 

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Recall Quarterly Report #4, 2021-2

RCLQRT-20V420-2479.PDF 211.409KB

 

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Latest Recalls Documents

https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/acms/cs/documentList.xhtml?docId=20V420&docType=RCL

 

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Last update on 2026-06-26 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

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