1997 Navistar 3800

Routine

Owners filed 2 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the seats. It has been recalled 5 times.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Seats2
004

5 safety recalls

Part 573 reports
Service Brakes, Air › Supply › Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings99V331000
Filed Nov 23, 1999277 vehiclesInternational Truck And Engine

Defect. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SCHOOL BUS. AN AIR BRAKE LINE CONTROLLING THE REAR BRAKES MAY BE TOO CLOSE TO THE EXHAUST PIPE AND COULD RUPTURE AT ANY TIME WITHOUT WARNING.

Risk. EXHAUST PIPE HEAT CAN MELT OR CAUSE PREMATURE FAILURE OF THIS AIR LINE IF THE AIR LINE IS ROUTED TOO CLOSE TO THE EXHAUST PIPE.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW ELBOW FITTING AND REROUTE THE AIR LINE. THE AIR LINE WILL ALSO BE INSPECTED AND REPLACED IF FOUND TO BE DAMAGED FROM THE EXHAUST PIPE.

Steering › Linkages › Rod › Relay › Connecting99V033001
Filed Feb 16, 199940,091 vehiclesInternational Truck And Engine

Defect. SCHOOL, TRANSIT, OR HEAVY DUTY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH SPICER 6,000 OR 8,000 LB. FRONT STEER AXLES. THE TIE ROD END CAN PULL OUTBOARD AND SEPARATE FROM THE TIE ROD TUBE DUE TO IMPROPER THREAD ENGAGEMENT BETWEEN THE MALE TIE ROD END AND THE FEMALE TUBE.

Risk. SEPARATION OF THE TIE ROD END COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL, INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE COMPLETE TIE ROD ASSEMBLY.

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline98V291000
Filed Nov 9, 199822,032 vehiclesInternational Truck And Engine

Defect. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: HEAVY DUTY TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH T444E DIESEL ENGINES. A FUEL LEAK CAN OCCUR BECAUSE OF OVERCRIMPING OF THE HOSE END FITTINGS ON THE HOSE FROM THE REGULATOR TO THE LEFT HEAD AND THE HOSE FROM THE FUEL TRANSFER PUMP TO THE REGULATOR.

Risk. FUEL LEAKAGE, IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, CAN RESULT IN A FIRE.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE OIL HOSE AND PLACE AN ADDITIONAL CONVOLUTED LOOM AROUND THE EXISTING OIL HOSE, OR REPLACE THE HOSE ASSEMBLY.

Vehicle Speed Control › Accelerator Pedal97V143002
Filed Sep 8, 19973,292 vehiclesInternational Truck & Engine Corporation

Defect. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: BUSES AND HEAVY TRUCK CHASSIS EQUIPPED WITH CUMMINS N-14, CATERPILLAR, AND DETROIT DIESEL ELECTRONIC ENGINES. THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL ROD MATERIAL IS EXCESSIVELY BRITTLE AND CAN BREAK DURING A FULL THROTTLE APPLICATION.

Risk. THE UNEXPECTED BREAKAGE CAN RESULT IN THE INABILITY TO ACCELERATE THE VEHICLE PROPERLY INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE ELECTRONIC ACCELERATOR PEDAL RODS WITH NEW RODS.

Vehicle Speed Control › Accelerator Pedal97V143001
Filed Sep 8, 19972,235 vehiclesInternational Truck And Engine

Defect. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: BUSES AND HEAVY TRUCK CHASSIS EQUIPPED WITH T444E ENGINES. THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL ROD MATERIAL IS EXCESSIVELY BRITTLE AND CAN BREAK DURING A FULL THROTTLE APPLICATION.

Risk. THE UNEXPECTED BREAKAGE CAN RESULT IN THE INABILITY TO ACCELERATE THE VEHICLE PROPERLY INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE ELECTRONIC ACCELERATOR PEDAL RODS WITH NEW RODS.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Seats3 injured
Filed Oct 2, 1998OH

BUS SEATS HAVE SHARP WELDS IN CENTER OF SEATS CAUSING STUDENTS LEGS TO BE CUT.

Seats1 injured
Filed Oct 1, 1998OH

SCHOOL BUS SEATS HAVE SHARP WELD IN CENTER OF SEAT CAUSING STUDENT TO BE CUT ON THE LEGS.

2 of 2 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 1998
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
19990600Routine
19982600Routine
1997 — this page2500Routine
19961200Routine
19951100Routine
19940100Routine
19930100Routine
19920100Routine
19910100Routine
19901000Routine

Compare every 3800 year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: Nov 23, 1999. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.