Recall 12V517 affects 205 2011-2012 Altec Cfd 1217 Wood Chipper units with improperly hardened blades. Altec replaces the blades free.
Altec is recalling 205 2011-2012 Cfd 1217 Wood Chipper machines because their wood chipper blades were not made to the required hardness. A blade that fails during use can separate and cause personal injury; the Altec dealer repair will be free once available.
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What's wrong?
The cutting blades on the 2011-2012 Altec Cfd 1217 Wood Chipper are the steel edges that grab branches and slice them into chips as the feed system pulls material through the machine. The blades have to be hard enough to hold an edge, but not so hard that they lose the toughness needed for repeated impacts. That balance is part of the blade specification.
On affected chippers, the blades were not manufactured to the required hardness specification. A blade outside that range does not respond to cutting force the way Altec designed it to. It can dull, deform, chip, or break under loads the chipper is built to handle, which changes how the machine cuts and how safely the cutting system contains the blade.
There is no warning sign before failure. Do not rely on noise, vibration, or visible blade wear to decide whether this recall applies; the VIN or equipment identifier decides.
Who's affected?
| 2012 Altec Cfd 1217 Wood Chipper | Equipment |
|---|---|
| 2011 Altec Cfd 1217 Wood Chipper | Equipment |
| Units affected | 205 |
A matching 2011-2012 Altec Cfd 1217 Wood Chipper does not guarantee inclusion. Check your VIN to confirm whether your specific vehicle is included.
What's the safety risk?
The wood chipper blades are the wrong hardness, which can let a blade fail and separate during use. Blade separation during operation creates a personal injury risk for people near the machine. Schedule the blade replacement before continued chipper work. Repair will be free at any franchised Altec dealer once available.
What should I do?
- Check your VIN to confirm your 2011-2012 Altec Cfd 1217 Wood Chipper is included in this recall.
- Contact Altec customer service at 1-877-462-5832 to confirm the current repair instructions before using the chipper.
- Ask Altec about the free hardness-spec blade replacement that fixes blades that can separate during use.
- Reference recall number 12V517 when you call, and keep any owner notice with the chipper paperwork.
What happens at the repair
Altec's recall notice says owner notification began on November 12, 2012. The known repair is blade replacement: an Altec technician replaces the wood chipper blades that were not made to the required hardness specification. The dealer repair will be free once available, with parts and labor covered under the recall. Ask the Altec service contact to confirm blade availability for your 2011-2012 Cfd 1217 Wood Chipper before arranging service.
Timeline
| October 24, 2012 | NHTSA published the recall |
|---|---|
| November 12, 2012 | Owner notification mailed |
Frequently asked questions
What is recall 12V517?
Recall 12V517 covers 205 2011-2012 Altec Cfd 1217 Wood Chipper units with blades that were not made to the required hardness specification. If a blade fails and separates during use, personal injury can result. Altec replaces the blades for free.
What should I do if my 2011-2012 Altec Cfd 1217 Wood Chipper is on this recall?
Check your VIN to confirm whether your specific equipment is included in recall 12V517. If it is, contact Altec or an Altec service location and reference recall 12V517. Altec's owner notification and blade replacement program began on November 12, 2012.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Altec's remedy says the affected wood chipper blades are replaced free of charge. Federal recall law requires the manufacturer to provide the recall remedy at no cost when the equipment is included in the campaign.
What is the safety risk?
The safety risk is blade separation during use. The recalled blades were not made to the correct hardness specification, and a failed blade can separate from the wood chipper. The official consequence for recall 12V517 is personal injury.
Who do I contact about recall 12V517?
Contact Altec at 1-877-462-5832 and reference recall 12V517. Have your equipment details ready so the service team can confirm whether your 2011-2012 Altec Cfd 1217 Wood Chipper is included and arrange the free blade replacement.
More information
| NHTSA campaign page | nhtsa.gov/vehicle-recalls/12V517000 |
|---|---|
| Altec customer service | 1-877-462-5832 |
| NHTSA recall # | 12V517 |
| NHTSA recall # (full) | 12V517000 |
Source documents
-
Download Recall Document (PDF) (PDF) - Download Owner Notification Letter (PDF)
- Download Defect / Noncompliance Notice (PDF) (PDF)
- Download Recall Acknowledgement (PDF)
This article is generated from NHTSA's primary recall filings and reviewed against the source on June 2, 2026. RecallNotify does not paraphrase NHTSA's consequence language; that text is reproduced as written above. Editorial standards →