2003 International 3800 recalls and problems

The 2003 International 3800 has 3 recalls and 0 owner complaints on file with NHTSA.

How the 2003 compares

Too few model years with complaints to compare.

3recalls

0complaints

0crashes

0fires

0injuries

—median miles

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not verified and not adjusted for sales. Ranking compares this model's own years only.

Does your car have an open recall?
Recalls apply to specific vehicles. Only a VIN lookup on NHTSA's official site shows whether yours is affected and still unrepaired.

Check your VIN →

3 recalls

Service Brakes

Jun 3, 2004 · NHTSA campaign 04V269000 · 81,883 vehicles

Problem: On certain school buses and truck model vehicles manufactured between February 28, 1999, through April 5, 2004, the anti-lock brake system electronic control unit (ECU) May misinterpret a corrupt wheel speed signal.

Original NHTSA wording

ON CERTAIN SCHOOL BUSES AND TRUCK MODEL VEHICLES MANUFACTURED BETWEEN FEBRUARY 28, 1999, THROUGH APRIL 5, 2004, THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT (ECU) MAY MISINTERPRET A CORRUPT WHEEL SPEED SIGNAL.

Risk: The corrupt wheel speed signals May improperly activate the ABS, instead of deactivating the ABS. This May result in the driver experiencing a hard pedal feel and a decrease in deceleration at the end of the stop, resulting in extended stopping distances which could cause a vehicle crash, possibly resulting in property damage, personal injury, or death.

Original NHTSA wording

THE CORRUPT WHEEL SPEED SIGNALS MAY IMPROPERLY ACTIVATE THE ABS, INSTEAD OF DEACTIVATING THE ABS. THIS MAY RESULT IN THE DRIVER EXPERIENCING A HARD PEDAL FEEL AND A DECREASE IN DECELERATION AT THE END OF THE STOP, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCES WHICH COULD CAUSE A VEHICLE CRASH, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN PROPERTY DAMAGE, PERSONAL INJURY, OR DEATH.

Remedy & notes

International will notify its customers and inspect and repair the affected vehicles free of charge. The recall began August 1, 2004. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact International customer service at 1-800-327-4236.

Also, customers can contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Steering

May 27, 2004 · NHTSA campaign 04V250000 · 5,999 vehicles

Problem: On certain school and transit buses the studs used to secure the power steering pump to the engine block can fail, resulting in engine oil leakage and complete loss of power steering. The power steering pump is designed to provide power assist to both the steering system and the hydraulic braking system. Should stud failure cause the pump to become disengaged from its drive gears, a reduction of the fluid flow rate to the brake system could occur and possibly cause an extended stopping distance as well as increased steering wheel efforts.

Original NHTSA wording

ON CERTAIN SCHOOL AND TRANSIT BUSES THE STUDS USED TO SECURE THE POWER STEERING PUMP TO THE ENGINE BLOCK CAN FAIL, RESULTING IN ENGINE OIL LEAKAGE AND COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER STEERING. THE POWER STEERING PUMP IS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE POWER ASSIST TO BOTH THE STEERING SYSTEM AND THE HYDRAULIC BRAKING SYSTEM. SHOULD STUD FAILURE CAUSE THE PUMP TO BECOME DISENGAGED FROM ITS DRIVE GEARS, A REDUCTION OF THE FLUID FLOW RATE TO THE BRAKE SYSTEM COULD OCCUR AND POSSIBLY CAUSE AN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE AS WELL AS INCREASED STEERING WHEEL EFFORTS.

Risk: Sudden loss of power steering will impair the vehicle operator, possible resulting in a vehicle crash.

Original NHTSA wording

SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER STEERING WILL IMPAIR THE VEHICLE OPERATOR, POSSIBLE RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy & notes

International will notify its customers and all vehicles will be inspected and any suspect studs will be replaced. Owner notification began September 24,2004. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact International at 1-800-448-7825.

Also, customers can contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Service Brakes

Feb 25, 2003 · NHTSA campaign 03V062000 · 35,074 vehicles

Problem: 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.

Original NHTSA wording

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.

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.

Original NHTSA wording

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.

Remedy & notes

International will notify its customers and repair the buses free of charge. The recall began October 29, 2004.

International recall no. 03502/04501.customers can also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Recall text as published by NHTSA and the manufacturer.

2003 vs. other International 3800 years

Owner complaints by model year; the darker bar is the 2003. Click a bar to switch year.

Questions

Does the 2003 International 3800 have recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns covering the 2003 International 3800, the latest from Jun 3, 2004 (service brakes). A recall applies to specific vehicles: enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours is affected and still open.

What are the most common problems with the 2003 International 3800?

Few complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2003 International 3800.