RoadVitals

1998 International Harvester 3800

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

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.
4
Latest Jul 20, 2008
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.
1
Latest Feb 25, 2003
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.
1
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.
1

Overview

Our database contains 4 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1998 International Harvester 3800, most frequently naming the electrical and steering categories. 1 safety recall has been issued covering this model year; 1 NHTSA investigation names it; and 2 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.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Electrical375.0%
  • Steering125.0%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

1 campaign cover this model year

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
03V062000

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC

Feb 25, 2003
35,074 units potentially affected
The defect: ON CERTAIN SCHOOL AND TRANSIT BUSES BUILT WITH BOSCH ZERO OFFSET PIN SLIDE (ZOPS) HYDRAULIC DISC BRAKES, THE ZOPS HYDRAULIC DISC BRAKES MAY EXPERIENCE CALIPERS STICKING IN THE APPLIED POSITION, WHICH CAN RESULT IN EXCESSIVE OR ABNORMAL HEAT GENERATION AT ONE OR MORE OF THE BRAKES.
The risk: THE COMBINATION OF THE FOLLOWING FACTORS MAY COLLECTIVELY RESULT IN AN UNREASONABLE RISK TO MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY: POTENTIAL FIRE AT A WHEEL END, HIGH INCIDENT RATES OF STUCK CALIPERS, AND EVACUATION AND CONTAINMENT CONCERNS RELATING TO MULTIPLE PASSENGERS.
The remedy: INTERNATIONAL WILL NOTIFY ITS CUSTOMERS AND REPAIR THE BUSES FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN OCTOBER 29, 2004.
INTERNATIONAL TRUCK & ENGINE CORPORATIONManufacturer number 03502/04501View on NHTSA.gov

Safety investigations

NHTSA inquiries naming this vehicle. An investigation is not a finding of a defect.

EA02034ClosedEngineering Analysis

OVERHEATING FRONT AND REAR BRAKES

Opened Dec 3, 2002
Closed Feb 10, 2004

THIS INVESTIGATION FOCUSED ON INTERNATIONAL MEDIUM DUTY TRUCKSAND SCHOOL BUS CHASSIS WEIGHING UP TO 33,000 POUNDS, EQUIPPED WITH HYDRAULIC BRAKES AND BUILT WITH THE BOSCH ZERO OFFSET PIN SLIDE (ZOPS)BRAKE SYSTEM CALIPERS.INTERNATIONAL USED THE ZOPS CALIPERS FROM APRIL 1997 THROUGH JUNE 2002.ODI WAS CONCERNED ABOUT REPORTS OF THE BRAKE CALIPERS STICKING IN THE APPLIED POSITION, RESULTING IN EXCESSIVE HEAT.AS THE INVESTIGATION PROGRESSED, ODI BECAME AWARE OF WHEEL END FIRES, SOME OF WHICH OCCURRED ON SCHOOL BUSES.DURING THE INVESTIGATION ODI OBTAINED WARRANTY DATA WHICH WAS SORTED AND ANALYZED BY VRTC TEST ENGINEERS AND ODI TO GAIN AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE MAGNITUDE OF THE PROBLEM.AFTER A THOROUGH WARRANTY DATA ANALYSIS, RELATED TESTING AND DOCUMENT REVIEWS, ODI MET WITH INTERNATIONAL, SHARED THE DATA ANALYSIS AND SHORTLY AFTERWARDS, INTERNATIONAL AGREED TO A SAFETY RECALL.FURTHER DETAILS ARE INCLUDED ON PAGES 2 - 4.

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULICLed to recall 03V062000

Recent owner complaints

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

Electrical
Filed Jul 20, 2008

1998 INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL BUS INSTRUMENT PANEL. *TR

NHTSA ID
10234960
Incident
Jul 18, 2008
Mileage
20,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Oct 1, 2006

INSTRUMENT PANEL DOES NOT WORK AND IT IS A PROBLEM THAT COMES FROM INTERNATIONAL AS TOLD TO US BY INTERNATIONAL SERVICE MAN. WE CAN PAY 600 DOLLARS TO HAVE IT FIXED WE SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY IF IT COMES FROM INTERNATIONAL. WE HAVE 3 BUSES ALL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. *JB

NHTSA ID
10169672
Incident
Sep 30, 2006
Electrical
Filed Dec 9, 2004
Fire reported

WHILE DRIVING THE OPERATOR SMELLED SOMETHING HOT. UPON STOPPING AND EXITING THE VEHICLE THE OPERATOR SAW FIRE COMMING FROM BEHIND THE MOTOR COMPARTMENT THROUGH THE WHEEL WELL. HE WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE.*AK OUR MECHANIC INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND DISCOVERED THAT THE CLAMPS HOLDING THE POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE BATTERY LEADS HAD WORN THROUGH THE INSULATION CREATING A DEAD SHORT. THE SAME DEFECT WAS DISCOVERED ON ANOTHER OF OUR SCHOOL BUSES THAT HAD BEEN PURCHASED AT THE SAME TIME.

NHTSA ID
10102431
Incident
Nov 6, 2004
Mileage
69,080 mi
Steering
Filed May 30, 2001

THE SCHOOL BUS EXPERIENCES LOSS OF POWER STEERING WHEN TURNING LEFT OR RIGHT AND ONLY WHEN THE ENGINE SPEED IS INCREASED DURING STEERING OPERATION, THE ORIGINAL PUMP #2107611 WAS REPLACED. NLM

NHTSA ID
561362
Incident
May 18, 2001

Manufacturer communications

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

030401

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

NEW HYDRAULIC DISC BRAKE SLIDE PINS, BOLTS, AND LUBRICANT. VARIOUS MODELS INCLUDING THE 3400, 4200, 4300, AND 4400. *TT

G98506

PARKING BRAKE:DRIVELINE

VEHICLE RECALL REGARDING THE DCM PARKING BRAKE DRUM SEPARATING FROM THE TRANSMISSION FLANGE YOKE AND THE TRANSMISSION COMPANION FLANGE DUE TO AN ASSEMBLY PROBLEM. *TT

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

International Harvester 3800 by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2001021—
2000931—
1999921—
1998Viewing411—
1997331—
1996230—
1995840—
1994340—
1993140—
1992050—
1991150—
1989030—
1988020—
1987120—
1986020—
1985020—
1984020—
1983020—
1982030—
1981020—
1980010—
1979010—

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.