By year
Owner complaints and recall campaigns about Smeal vehicles
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, 2016 to 2026. 2026 runs through October.
Source: NHTSA ODI complaints and recalls files. Complaints are not verified by NHTSA.
Make
Smeal
The complete NHTSA record for Smeal vehicles: owner complaints, recall campaigns, defect investigations and manufacturer communications, for every model and model year on file.
Most Smeal recalls are filed by Smeal Holding, part of Smeal.
Owner complaints in the last five years00 on file in all, across 5 models
Recall campaigns123 in five years
Severity indexNoneCrash, fire, injury or death per 100 complaints
Investigations04 service bulletins
Components
Owner complaints by component
Share of all owner complaints on file, by component.
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Source: NHTSA ODI.
Models
The Aerial has the most complaints of any Smeal model
Every Smeal model with complaints or recalls on file, by complaints. Counts are not rates: NHTSA publishes no sales volumes.
| Model | Model years | Complaints | Severity index | Recalls | Investigations |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aerial | 1997 to 2026 | 0 | None | 52 | 0 |
| Pumper | 2013 to 2021 | 0 | None | 9 | 0 |
| Aerial Fire Apparatus | 2016 to 2019 | 0 | None | 8 | 0 |
| MID Mount Aerial | 2024 to 2025 | 0 | None | 2 | 0 |
| Rear Mount Aerial | 2024 to 2025 | 0 | None | 2 | 0 |
Source: NHTSA ODI. Recall counts add campaigns across model years, so a campaign covering three years counts three times.
Latest recalls
Recent campaigns listing a Smeal product
- 25V-742 Oct 30, 2025
Defective crimp may cause the high-pressure hydraulic hose to separate and leak hydraulic fluid
Equipment · 29 vehicles - 23V-808 Dec 1, 2023
In the event of a short circuit or wiring failure, the firmware in the vehicle multiplex system may fail to shut off the output pin, resulting in…
Electrical system · 69 vehicles - 21V-810 Oct 15, 2021
Lifting cables may be improperly crimped
Equipment · 1 vehicles - 21V-029 Jan 28, 2021
If the operator attempts to both extend the ladder, and shift from one mode to the other at the same time, the locking tabs can be broken off the…
Equipment · 343 vehicles - 21V-005 Jan 12, 2021
Monitor is used to direct the water stream and adjust the spray pattern
Equipment · 2 vehicles - 19V-337 Apr 30, 2019
Tube steel used in the base rail of the aerial device may be missing joint welds, which may cause the aerial device to become unsteady and…
Equipment · 12 vehicles - 17V-721 Nov 16, 2017
Rings securing the valves may corrode over time after exposure to water, causing the ring to fail and the pressure relief valve to open, reducing…
Equipment · 20 vehicles - 17V-656 Oct 16, 2017
Torque frame may crack at the notched area
Structure · 74 vehicles - 17V-463 Jul 20, 2017
Hydraulic manifold that controls the aerial device may not be fully seated, possibly resulting in a hydraulic fluid leak
Equipment · 109 vehicles - 16V-887 Dec 9, 2016
Affected vehicles are equipped with a movable ladder access guardrail that may bend or break under heavy loads
Equipment · 216 vehicles
Source: NHTSA ODI recalls file.