2003 International 8600 recalls and problems

The 2003 International 8600 has 6 recalls and 1 owner complaint on file with NHTSA; the most reported problem area is electrical system.

How the 2003 compares

Too few model years with complaints to compare.

6recalls

1complaints

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 →

6 recalls

Exterior Lighting

May 18, 2023 · NHTSA campaign 23V353000 · 32,880 vehicles

Problem: 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."

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.

Remedy & notes

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.

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.

Engine

Dec 21, 2005 · NHTSA campaign 05V567000 · 6,848 vehicles

Problem: On certain heavy duty trucks equipped with caterpillar diesel engines, the engine electrical ground cable that connects the engine block with the starter May be routed in a way that could cause chafing against the starter's positive battery cables.

Original NHTSA wording

ON CERTAIN HEAVY DUTY TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH CATERPILLAR DIESEL ENGINES, THE ENGINE ELECTRICAL GROUND CABLE THAT CONNECTS THE ENGINE BLOCK WITH THE STARTER MAY BE ROUTED IN A WAY THAT COULD CAUSE CHAFING AGAINST THE STARTER'S POSITIVE BATTERY CABLES.

Risk: If chafing occurs between the positive and negative cables, an electrical short May result and May cause a vehicle fire, possibly resulting in property damage, personal injury or death.

Original NHTSA wording

IF CHAFING OCCURS BETWEEN THE POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE CABLES, AN ELECTRICAL SHORT MAY RESULT AND MAY CAUSE A VEHICLE FIRE, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN PROPERTY DAMAGE, PERSONAL INJURY OR DEATH.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will inspect the engine ground cables for proper routing. If any chafing is found, the engine block ground cable will be replaced with a shorter (280MM) cable and any other damaged cables will be replaced and routed correctly free of charge. The recall began on December 21, 2005. Owners May contact International at 1-800-448-7825.

International recall no.05523.customers May also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.safercar.gov.

Trailer Hitches

Apr 28, 2005 · NHTSA campaign 05V188000 · 4,616 vehicles

Problem: On certain vehicles equipped with air operated fifth wheel slides and an msva 7-PACK accessory controller, the 7-PACK can allow water to contaminate its circuit board. This could result in inadvertent operation of the fifth wheel slide control.

Original NHTSA wording

ON CERTAIN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AIR OPERATED FIFTH WHEEL SLIDES AND AN MSVA 7-PACK ACCESSORY CONTROLLER, THE 7-PACK CAN ALLOW WATER TO CONTAMINATE ITS CIRCUIT BOARD. THIS COULD RESULT IN INADVERTENT OPERATION OF THE FIFTH WHEEL SLIDE CONTROL.

Risk: If the slide control actuates while the vehicle is in motion, momentum from the trailer can cause the fifth wheel to slide without input from the driver, which could result in a crash without warning.

Original NHTSA wording

IF THE SLIDE CONTROL ACTUATES WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION, MOMENTUM FROM THE TRAILER CAN CAUSE THE FIFTH WHEEL TO SLIDE WITHOUT INPUT FROM THE DRIVER, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will relocate the msva 7-PACK to a less water intensive environment. A new msva 7-PACK base, that has been improved to prevent water intrusion, and all air accessory solenoids will be installed free of charge. The recall began on August 5, 2005. Owners May contact International at 1-800-448-7825.

International recall no.05511. Customers May also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.safercar.gov.

Electrical System

Jun 30, 2004 · NHTSA campaign 04V306000 · 18,545 vehicles

Problem: On certain heavy duty trucks equipped with International DT530, cummins, or caterpillar i-6 engines, the positive battery cable between the batteries and the starter May rub against an electrical ground cable between the starter and frame rail.

Original NHTSA wording

ON CERTAIN HEAVY DUTY TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH INTERNATIONAL DT530, CUMMINS, OR CATERPILLAR I-6 ENGINES, THE POSITIVE BATTERY CABLE BETWEEN THE BATTERIES AND THE STARTER MAY RUB AGAINST AN ELECTRICAL GROUND CABLE BETWEEN THE STARTER AND FRAME RAIL.

Risk: This could cause an electrical short and/or fire.

Original NHTSA wording

THIS COULD CAUSE AN ELECTRICAL SHORT AND/OR FIRE.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will inspect for any chafing. If there is no evidence of chafing, a saddle clamp will be installed. If there is evidence of chafing, the damaged cables will be replaced and the saddle clamp installed. The recall began on August 16, 2004. Owners should contact International at 1-800-448-7825.

International recall no. 04510. Customers can also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Steering

May 21, 2003 · NHTSA campaign 03V192000 · 711 vehicles

Problem: On certain heavy duty trucks equipped with dana spicer e-12021 12,000 lb., e-1202W 12,000 lb., or e-1002W 10,000 lb. Front non-drive steer axles, the tapered bore that connects the drag link to the steering was machined too large. The clearance between a correctly sized drag link ball stud and the oversized tapered bore is sufficiently great enough to allow the drag link ball stud to fatigue and brake, or allow the castle nut to back itself off and cause the drag link to disconnect.

Original NHTSA wording

ON CERTAIN HEAVY DUTY TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH DANA SPICER E-12021 12,000 LB., E-1202W 12,000 LB., OR E-1002W 10,000 LB. FRONT NON-DRIVE STEER AXLES, THE TAPERED BORE THAT CONNECTS THE DRAG LINK TO THE STEERING WAS MACHINED TOO LARGE. THE CLEARANCE BETWEEN A CORRECTLY SIZED DRAG LINK BALL STUD AND THE OVERSIZED TAPERED BORE IS SUFFICIENTLY GREAT ENOUGH TO ALLOW THE DRAG LINK BALL STUD TO FATIGUE AND BRAKE, OR ALLOW THE CASTLE NUT TO BACK ITSELF OFF AND CAUSE THE DRAG LINK TO DISCONNECT.

Risk: This could result in a total loss of steering control. This could result in property damage, personal injury, or a vehicle crash.

Original NHTSA wording

THIS COULD RESULT IN A TOTAL LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. THIS COULD RESULT IN PROPERTY DAMAGE, PERSONAL INJURY, OR A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will replace the steering knuckle assembly and drag link if necessary. Owner notification began June 20, 2003. 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.

International recall no. 03509.customers can also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Electrical System

Mar 6, 2003 · NHTSA campaign 03V070000 · 142 vehicles

Problem: On certain heavy duty trucks built with a caterpillar engine with a 4 degree tilt, the starter field-stud May contact the frame rail because of variations in the air gap between the field stud and the frame rail. Should the starter field stud contact the frame rail, there would be a direct full battery short to the frame (ground) when the starter is in the cranking mode.

Original NHTSA wording

ON CERTAIN HEAVY DUTY TRUCKS BUILT WITH A CATERPILLAR ENGINE WITH A 4 DEGREE TILT, THE STARTER FIELD-STUD MAY CONTACT THE FRAME RAIL BECAUSE OF VARIATIONS IN THE AIR GAP BETWEEN THE FIELD STUD AND THE FRAME RAIL. SHOULD THE STARTER FIELD STUD CONTACT THE FRAME RAIL, THERE WOULD BE A DIRECT FULL BATTERY SHORT TO THE FRAME (GROUND) WHEN THE STARTER IS IN THE CRANKING MODE.

Risk: A direct short May create a fire hazard and can result in property damage, personal injury, or death.

Original NHTSA wording

A DIRECT SHORT MAY CREATE A FIRE HAZARD AND CAN RESULT IN PROPERTY DAMAGE, PERSONAL INJURY, OR DEATH.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will replace the starter nose cone. The new nose cone will reorient the starter stud farther away from the frame rail to completely eliminate the clearance issue. Owner notification began on March 21, 2003. 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.

International recall no.03504.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.

What owners complain about

Electrical System1

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA; one complaint can name several areas. Not verified by NHTSA.

2003 vs. other International 8600 years

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

Questions

Does the 2003 International 8600 have recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns covering the 2003 International 8600, the latest from May 18, 2023 (exterior lighting). 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 8600?

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA most often mention electrical system (1). Complaints are consumer reports and are not verified by NHTSA.