Earlier this month, DT Swiss announced a Stop-Use notice for many of their carbon wheels after identifying an issue with the rims. Now, DT Swiss is officially issuing a recall of the affected products, which include eight different product categories. Like the Stop-Ride notice, DT Swiss is urging anyone with recalled wheels to stop riding them immediately, as a manufacturing defect can lead to spontaneous delamination in the rim flange area, which could lead to total rim failure.
UPDATE: After the initial recall notice from DT Swiss, Swiss Side also sent out a notice that their HADRON wheel models from specific batches were also potentially affected. Check out the details on the Swiss Side recall below.
UPDATE #2: DT also updated us on the current status of their recall & inspection process, and how to identify inspected and approved wheelsets. Scroll down to the bottom of the article for this latest clarification…
DT Swiss has not confirmed the number of incidents, but claims a “small number” of reports have shown a delamination in the rim flange area. They mention that the rim bed is not affected, but it can be damaged as a result of structural weakening, with the delamination taking place between 2 & 3 in the graphic above.
What DT Swiss Wheels are part of the recall?
The list of affected wheels includes the following models, all of which were delivered after August 1, 2024. The wheels were all apparently out of a factory in Vietnam, while DT Swiss mentions that the wheels out of their own factory in Poland are not affected. The wheels have been sold aftermarket, and as original equipment on complete bikes.
- ARC 1100, 1400, 1600 DICUT 50 / 55 / 65
- ARC 1600 SPLINE 50 / 55 / 65
- ERC 1100, 1400, 1600 DICUT 35 / 45
- ERC 1600 SPLINE 35 / 45
- ERC LOG CLASSIC 45
- CRC 1100 DICUT 45
- CRC 1400, 1600 SPLINE 35 / 45
- HEC 1400 SPLINE 45
What Swiss Side HADRON Wheels are part of the recall?
Along with the DT Swiss wheels, some of the Swiss Side HADRON wheels from specific batches are also included in the recall. Swiss Side mentions that there have been no reported product defects on their wheels, but as a precautionary measure, they are collaborating with DT Swiss in the recall. The models that may be affected are:
- HADRON2 All road 450
- HADRON2 All road Ultimate 450
- HADRON2 Classic 500
- HADRON2 Ultimate 500
- HADRON3 Classic 550
- HADRON3 Classic 650
How to determine if your wheels are recalled
DT Swiss points out that only wheels with a DT Swiss ID number of 2740000 or higher are potentially included in the recall. They say potentially, because not all of the ID numbers of 2740000 or higher are affected. To find out if your wheels are impacted, first you need to find the DT Swiss ID number, which is located on the rim, rim tape, or rim well. When you find the DT Swiss ID number, the recall website has an ID number checker. Note that the ID numbers are different for front and rear wheels, so make sure to enter both.
For the Swiss Side HADRON wheels, the process is the same. Any affected models were sold after August 01, 2024, and have DT Swiss ID Numbers higher than 2740000.
Once you’ve found the DT Swiss ID number for both DT Swiss or Swiss Side HADRON wheels, input the number on the recall page to see if your wheels are impacted.
If these numbers are no longer visible, or the sticker is gone, you can send the rim series number (located under the rim tape) to recall@dtswiss.com, and they will let you know if it’s affected.
What happens if my wheel is affected?
If your wheel is impacted, the recall process will include returning your wheels to DT Swiss, where they will implement a quality test designed to identify wheels that are problematic. DT Swiss claims that “the test requirements exceed the specifications of the relevant industry standard (ISO 4210 series)”. If the wheel passes the test, the wheels will be labeled as safe and returned to the consumer. If the wheel fails the test, a new wheel of the same type will be delivered.
Important DT Swiss Information on Identifying Inspected Products
Process and Current Situation
For around two weeks, DT Swiss has been sending out many hundreds of return boxes daily to affected customers. All logistics and service processes have now stabilised, and both our inspection capacities and service teams have been significantly increased. Each day, our dedicated service centers receive several hundred wheels, which are inspected as quickly as possible.
From this week onwards, we have begun returning many hundreds of checked and approved wheelsets to customers.
How to Identify Checked and Approved Products
All wheels that have been inspected and released as safe during the recall process are marked with a round Quality Check sticker placed directly next to the DT Swiss ID (see images and diagrams on our website).
A conclusive product check is ONLY possible by scanning the QR code of the DT Swiss ID. This QR Code contains the 12-digit product serial number of the specific product. It is composed of:
- The first 7 digits of this number indicate the production lot number and are visible in numerical form next to the QR code on the product.
- The last 5 digits unique sequence completes the individual serial number. It is uniquely assigned to one specific wheel and it is not visible on the sticker or on the wheel.
- The complete 12-digit serial number can only be accessed by scanning the QR code.
Only products whose full 12-digit serial number appears in our whitelist (i.e. dataset for QR Code scanning) are considered inspected and approved. This whitelist, created specifically for this recall, contains only serial numbers of individual wheels that have passed inspection. Updating this whitelist and releasing the dataset for the QR Code check tool can take up to 2 days.
Important Note:
The 7-digit production lot number alone may continue to appear as “potentially affected” in the DT Swiss ID product checker, as it refers to an entire batch rather than to an individual wheel. Only the combination of the Quality Check sticker and verification of the 12-digit serial number (on the whitelist) guarantees that a wheel has been inspected and approved as safe.
Full details and illustrated step-by-step instructions can be found on our updated recall page:
