RoadVitals

2012 International Prostar

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.
6
Latest Oct 28, 2017
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.
18
Latest May 18, 2023
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.
3
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.
0

Overview

Our database contains 6 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2012 International Prostar, most frequently naming the engine, electrical and fuel system categories. 18 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; 3 NHTSA investigations name it; and 496 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

  • Engine444.4%
  • Electrical222.2%
  • Fuel system111.1%
  • Other / unspecified111.1%
  • Suspension111.1%

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

18 campaigns 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

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BACK UP LIGHTS

May 18, 2023
32,880 units potentially affected
The defect: Navistar, Inc. (Navistar) is recalling certain 2000-2003 International 8100, 2001-2003 International 9100i, 2001-2007 International 9400i, 2001-2010 International 9200i, 2002-2007, 2009 International 8500, 2003-2007, 2013 International 9900i, 2003-2018 International 8600, 2004, 2007 International 9900iX, 2008-2018 International ProStar, 2010-2011, 2013, 2016 International LoneStar, 2011-2012, 2016 International 4400, 2017-2024 International LT, 2018-2024 International RH, 2019-2021 International LS, 2019-2024 International MV vehicles. The back-up lights offer low visibility when the vehicle is in reverse and bobtail mode. Also, the vehicles have not been equipped with additional unobstructed back-up lights. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
The risk: Low visibility or obstructed back up lights may not alert other drivers that the vehicle is backing up, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy: Dealers will replace the existing rear stop/turn signal lights, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 06, 2024. Owners may contact Navistar's customer service at 1-800-448-7825. Navistar's number for this recall is 23514.
Navistar, Inc.Manufacturer number 23514View on NHTSA.gov

EQUIPMENT

Dec 11, 2017
10,195 units potentially affected
The defect: Navistar, Inc. (Navistar) is recalling certain 2000-2001 International 4700, 2000-2002 4900, 2001-2003 8100 (TranStar) and 9100I, 2002-2003, 2005, 2007-2009, 2012-2014 and 2016-2018 DuraStar, 2012 and 2014-2017 ProStar, 2014-2015 TerraStar, and 2018 LT trucks. These vehicles are equipped with Kidde Plastic-Handle or Push Button 'Pindicator' fire extinguishers that may become clogged, preventing the extinguisher from discharging as expected or excessive force may be needed to activate the extinguisher. Additionally, in certain models, the nozzle may detach from the valve assembly with enough force that it could cause injury and also render the product inoperable. For a full list of the affected fire extinguisher models visit: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2017/RMISC-17E062-5427.pdf
The risk: In the event of a fire, if the fire extinguisher does not function properly, it can increase the risk of injury.
The remedy: Navistar will notify owners, instructing them to notify Kidde for a replacement fire extinguisher, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin February 9, 2018. Owners may contact Navistar customer service at 1-331-332-1590, or contact Kidde customer service toll-free at 1-855-262-3540, or online at www.kidde.com and click on "Product Safety Recall" for more information.
Navistar, Inc.Manufacturer number NONEView on NHTSA.gov

TRAILER HITCHES:FIFTH WHEEL ASSEMBLY

Sep 29, 2015
3,776 units potentially affected
The defect: Navistar, Inc. (Navistar) is recalling certain model year 2011-2014 International ProStar trucks manufactured May 18, 2010, to April 5, 2013, 2012-2014 International LoneStar trucks manufactured September 7, 2011, to March 25, 2013, and 2011-2013 International TranStar trucks manufactured October 18, 2010, to February 20, 2013. The affected trucks are equipped with Fontaine Ultra LT Fifth Wheel connectors, which, due to cumulative damage to the fifth wheel and its locking mechanism, have a locking mechanism that may fail to operate or to properly engage.
The risk: If the fifth wheel and locking mechanism are sufficiently damaged, the locking mechanism may fail to operate as intended and the trailer may unexpectedly detach from the tractor, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy: Navistar will notify owners, and Fontaine dealers will replace the fifth wheel with an Ultra NT model fifth wheel, free of charge. The recall began on November 18, 2015. Owners may contact Navistar customer service at 1-800-448-7825, or Fontaine customer service at 1-844-597-7393.
Navistar, Inc.Manufacturer number NoneView on NHTSA.gov

Safety investigations

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

PE15013ClosedPreliminary Evaluation

Accelerator Pedal Fails to Return

Opened Apr 17, 2015
Closed Dec 4, 2015

The Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation (PE15-013) on 2012-2013 model year (MY) Navistar Prostar vehicles for throttle pedals failing to return to the idle position after being depressed.EWR field reports supplied by Navistar describe the non-returning throttle pedals as preventing the engine brake from activating and elevated engine speed making it difficult to stop the vehicle.ODI contacted complainants who alleged the accelerator pedal didn?t return to the idle position.Some drivers indicated they were annoyed, while others stated that at idle they were able to keep the vehicle stopped but need to apply more pressure to the brake pedal.Some consumers indicated that the engine speed was so high with a manual transmission that the engine-brake would not work, while other stated they were able to pull the accelerator pedal back from underneath with their foot and bring the engine speed back to normal.In Navistar?s response to an ODI information request letter, they made ODI aware of 24 consumer complaints concerning non-returning pedals, mostly on manual transmission vehicles.There were no crashes, property damage, injuries or fatalities reported.Navistar identified 1,233 warranty clams related to all accelerator pedal issues, with 70.3% of these claims were on manual transmission vehicles.Navistar informed ODI that they became aware of an unauthorized part change to the throttle control unit assembly (manufactured by Williams Controls) from April 2012 to March 2013.This unauthorized change was corrected and all vehicles were being retrofitted with the new/original designed part.The design of the subject vehicle throttle pedal is a solid-state rotary position sensor device, which transfers voltage based on shaft rotation in either direction from a reference angle.Shaft rotation is obtained by the driver stepping on the accelerator pedal or allowing the pedal to return back to closed throttle (CT) position.Navistar has described how the throttle does not return completely to the CT position due to stack up tolerance issues and backlash in the pinion/lever arm gear set.The accelerator pedal sensor stator can move slightly on the mounting bracket if the accelerator pedal is pushed with extra force.On two separate occasions an ODI investigator drove several of the subject vehicles.The vehicles that had a high idle with automatic transmissions were reasonable to stop even at the elevated engine speeds.Due to the architecture of an automatic transmission, the engine speeds never got high enough to demonstrate a safety related defect while being driven by the ODI investigator.However, the manual transmission vehicles showed a propensity to increase engine speeds in excess of 2,300 RPM?s while the vehicle was at rest.This condition occurs when the clutch is depressed the engine can rise to the elevated governed RPM, resulting in difficulty selecting gears while shifting.In the condition of a loaded vehicle going down a long grade, the inability to down shift could cause difficulty in maintaining or reducing vehicle speed with just the service brakes.Navistar recognizes the pedal issue as a safety related defect and is preforming Safety Recall 15V-776.The recall will only address vehicles with the manual transmission.ODI believes the manual transmission population exhibits a failure mechanism that represents a safety defect and the automatic supplied transmissions vehicles are drivable without similar consequence.The remedy involves recalibration of the engine Electronic Control Module (ECM) to eliminate the high idle condition caused by pedal housing tooling chan

FUEL SYSTEM, OTHERLed to recall 15V776000
EQ13002ClosedInvestigation

Brake S-Cam Tube Bracket Failure

Opened May 28, 2013
Closed Jun 18, 2013

BACKGROUNDIn a letter dated January 15, 2012, Navistar, Inc. (Navistar) notified the NHTSA that it had decided a defect exists in certain Model Year 2012 and 2013 International brand ProStar and TranStar commercial trucks, manufactured from August 1, 2011 through June 12, 2012, and equipped with brake S-Cam tube bracket assemblies.The brake S-Cam tube bracket assembly on the steering axle may exhibit fractures between the wing bracket and the tube steel when mounted.According to Navistars filing, fractures between the wing bracket and the tube steel may result in an inoperative brake on the affected wheel end resulting in an unexpected pull condition during braking application or an unexpected increase in stopping distance.Either result may increase the risk of a vehicle crash.NHTSA assigned recall number 12V-546 to this matter.On May 28, 2013, the Recall Management Division (RMD) opened this Equipment Query Investigation in order to write to the company that supplied Navistar with these brake S-cam tube bracket assemblies, to notify the supplier of this defect, and to ensure thorough safety recalls are conducted where appropriate.An Information Request (IR) letter was sent to Meritor, Inc. (Meritor) on May 31, 2013 requesting: a list of original equipment vehicle manufacturers and after-market customers that purchased the affected brakes; the name, address and phone number of a contact for each customer; the quantity sold; the dates shipped; and, a defect report.MERITOR RESPONSEIn a letter dated June 13, 2013, Meritor responded to the IR letter and reported that based on its review of the data and information on the brake S-cam tube bracket assemblies, it did not believe these brake assemblies contain a safety related defect.Meritor investigated returned components and determined that fractures in the brake S-Cam tube bracket assemblies resulted from vehicle front-end system vibration; and, there were no defects in the design, material or manufacture of the returned components.Accordingly, Meritor stated that it will not file a defect report or conduct a recall of any equipment.However, as requested by RMD, Meritor provided a purchaser list identifying Navistar as the only purchaser of these brake S-Cam tube bracket assemblies. RECALL MANAGEMENT DIVISION ACTION All vehicle and replacement equipment manufacturers have been identified and have either filed a recall report and are conducting a recall, or have provided a response explaining why they do not believe the products they manufactured are defective.Accordingly, this equipment query is closed.

SERVICE BRAKES
EQ12011ClosedInvestigation

Leaking MGM brake chambers

Opened Dec 4, 2012
Closed Jul 12, 2013

The summary for this investigation is provided in a separate attachment to this resume.This equipment query is closed.

PARKING BRAKE:DRIVELINE:AIR:CHAMBERLed to recall 13E012000

Recent owner complaints

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

Engine
Filed Oct 28, 2017

THE EGR VAL THE REGEN SYSTEM THE MOTOR IT SELF IT BROKEN TWO OIL CHECK TUBE WHEN THEY WAS REPLACE IT WAS LONGER THEN THE ONE BROKEN IT SHOW MORE OIL THAT WAS IN THE MOTOR THE MOTOR BEGAN TO KNOCK THERE WAS PROLEM WITH THIS MAXXFORCE MOTOR FROM DAY ONE IT BROKE DOWN BEFORE I MADE IT HOME I COULD NOT GET ANY HELP FROM THE DEALER IT COST ME 16,000 THOUSAND DOLLAR TO HAVE IT REPAIRED

NHTSA ID
11040727
Incident
Aug 7, 2017
Mileage
530,543 mi
Engine
Filed Sep 19, 2017

OIL LEAKS

NHTSA ID
11024144
Incident
Sep 18, 2017
Filed Sep 18, 2017

TRUCK KEEPS SHUTTING DOWN NAVISTAR IS REFUSING TO FIX IT OR TO REPLACE OR BUY IT BACK FOR WHAT I OWE IT HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR TWO YEARS . THEY HAVE LOST MANY LAW SUITS TO LARGE COMPANIES BUT ATE REFUSING TO HELP THE ONE TRUCK OWNER. THE ISSUE HAPPENS WHILE DRIVING SITTING STILL . JUST WHEN EVER THEY KNOW IT DOES THIS AND JUST REFUSES TO MAKE IT RIGHT. I NEED HELP

NHTSA ID
11023918
Incident
Oct 24, 2016
Mileage
339,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Apr 13, 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 INTERNATIONAL PROSTAR. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V688000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

NHTSA ID
10705345
Incident
Dec 9, 2014
ElectricalEngineFuel system+2 more
Filed Jan 7, 2014

THERE ARE MORE AFFECTED PARTS THAN THIS ALLOWS ME TO SELECT. DOORS AUTOMATICALLY LOCK INTERMITTENTLY WHILE PARKED. WINDOW DOES NOT CLOSE PROPERLY VERY POOR FUEL ECONOMY, AVERAGE MPG AROUND 5.2MPG MANY MANY COOLANT LEAKS FUEL LEAKS OIL LEAKS ENGINE HAS JUST TAKEN OF AND GIVEN A SMALL BOOST IN SPEED WHILE IN PARKING LOT AT 5 MPH AFTER IDLING OVER NIGHT. ELECTRONIC GAUGES NOT WORKING OCCASIONALLY LEVELING VALVE CONSTANTLY LOOSING ADJUSTMENT ON THE SUSPENSION. JACK BREAKS ARE CONSTANTLY NOT WORKING UP TO PAR. GAS PEDDLE EXTREMELY HOT TEMP. APROX 160 DEGREES. TOOK DELIVERY OF THE TRUCK END OF OCT. 2012 WITH 1800 MILES ON IT. IT HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP 100 TO 130 DAYS TOTAL AS OF TODAY, 1/7/14 FOR ALL OF THE SAME ISSUES OVER AND OVER AGAIN. *TR

NHTSA ID
10558905
Incident
Jan 26, 2012
Mileage
14,000 mi
Engine
Filed Aug 21, 2013

I WAS DRIVING ON I-70 JUST OUTSIDE OF BRECKENRIDGE COLORADO, AT APPROXIMATELY MILE MARKER 228, GOING UPHILL AT A SPEED OF 65 MPH. TRAFFIC WAS RATHER LIGHT AND I WAS BEHIND A CAR WITH ANOTHER PASSING ME ON THE LEFT SIDE, ON THIS 2-LANE PORTION OF THE INTERSTATE. WHEN INSTANTLY, THE TRUCK ACCELERATED FROM 65 TO 100 MPH WITHIN 5 SECONDS. THE JOLT THREW ME BACK INTO MY SEAT AND I HAD TO TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTIONS NOT TO HIT ANY OF THE CARS AROUND ME. MY BRAKES DID NOT RESPOND. I COULD NOT GET THE TRUCK OUT OF GEAR AND TURNING THE TRUCK OFF MADE NO DIFFERENCE. I HAD TO PASS BOTH CARS ON THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. THE TRUCK CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE IN EXCESS OF 120 MPH AND WITHIN 30 SECONDS, THE TRUCK LOST ALL POWER. BY THEN I WAS GOING DOWNHILL AND COASTED APPROXIMATEDLY 3/4 OF A MILE BEFORE PULLING OFF INTO A REST AREA. I CONTACTED MY DEALER, DIAMOND INTERNATIONAL, WHO INSTRUCTED ME TO REMOVE THE RUBBER TUBE BETWEEN THE TURBO AND THE CHARGED AIR COOLER AND INSPECT FOR ANY OIL. I FOUND OIL IN THE TUBE AND THEY INSTRUCTED ME NOT TO DRIVE THE TRUCK AND HAVE IT TOWED TO THE CLOSEST DEALER. THE TRUCK WAS TOWED TO MCCANDLESS TRUCK CENTER IN AURORA, CO., AND WAS DETERMINED THE TURBO HAD FAILED ALLOWING OIL TO PASS THROUGH INTO THE CHARGE AIR COOLER. . THE TECHNICAIN I TALKED WITH TOLD ME THE OIL ATOMIZES BEFORE ENTERING INTO THE ENGINE WHICH CAUSES AN IMEDIATE INCREASE IN SPEED AND ENGINE RPM HAD MAXED OUT TO 3,500 BEFORE IT SHUT DOWN WHICH LUCKILY CAUSED NO INTERNAL DAMAGE. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING A COMMERCIAL TRUCK FOR 30 YEARS WITH OVER 1 MILLION MILES AND HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCE AN ISSUE LIKE THIS. FORTUNATELY, NO ONE WAS INJURED.

NHTSA ID
10536641
Incident
Jul 31, 2013
Mileage
220,965 mi

Manufacturer communications

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

IK2600083

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The new clusters in the post-2007 models store the mileage in memory. When replacing the cluster, follow these instructions to program the current vehicle mileage into the memory of the new cluster.

IK1900240

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

This document will guide the user through the necessary steps to install the Pressure Transducer (PT) Switch Conversion Kit onto model year 2012 thru 2016 ProStar® and LoneStar®(Built prior to January 20,2015). This conversion is required to be performed during a A/C system failure in which the refrigerant system is opened.

IK2600285

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; ENGINE

This document enables technicians to: 1. Accurately identify second generation MaxxForce medium duty engine control systems. 2. Understand the programming intricacies related to these systems. 3. Autonomously execute programming tasks without needing technical support.

IK2600090

ENGINE

New CARB Idle Reduction Change Request

IK4300035

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

This tool is designed to compare Diamond Logic feature data across multiple vehicle configuration files. It allows users to quickly load files either manually or directly from the Diamond Logic Builder Vehicles folder using VIN-based selection. As files are added or removed, the comparison runs automatically with no manual action required. The program presents results in an interactive table that shows feature codes, descriptions, access levels, and whether each feature is present in each selected file. Built-in search, filtering, and sorting make it easy to locate specific features or focus only on differences between files. Column visibility can be customized to show or hide descriptions and access information as needed. Users can remove files individually or clear all files at once, with results updating instantly. The tool also includes reporting and export options that reflect exactly what is visible on screen, allowing results to be printed, copied, saved as text, or exported to CSV for use in Excel or other spreadsheet tools. Overall, the program streamlines the process of comparing vehicle feature configurations, helping users quickly identify differences, validate setups, and document results without manual comparison or external tools.

IK2600255

ENGINE

This document provides guidance for assessing the feasibility of implementing a customer-requested change to an engine or vehicle parameter/feature. Customer requested changes will be approved in accordance with the requirements specified in 40 CFR Part 1037 to ensure continued compliance with greenhouse gas (GHG) regulations.

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 Prostar by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2022010
2021000
2020000
2019030
2018060
2017190
2016080
2015070
20143100
20138184
2012Viewing6183
20114151
20107100
2009490
2008290
2007030
2006010
2005010
2004010
2003010
2002010
2001000

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.