1999 International Harvester 3800 Recalls, Complaints & Specs
2 safety recalls list the 1999 International Harvester 3800, and owners have filed 9 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
2 safety recalls for the 1999 International Harvester 3800
Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.
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Wheel speed sensor (service brakes)
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.
Remedy: 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…
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Disc (service brakes)
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.
Remedy: International will notify its customers and repair the buses free of charge. The recall began october 29, 2004.
9 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 1999 International Harvester 3800 have filed 9 complaints with NHTSA. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 18,373 miles. Complaints peaked in 2001 with 3 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“The bus gauges fail intermittently. The cause has yet to be determined. Please provide additional information. *ph consumer owns three of the same vehicles and all experienced the same defect. Failure”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, January 12, 2004 · Electrical system
“The rear brakes overheated while driving. The driver reported the problem to a mechanic who checked the rear brakes and found them to be ok; no drag. The mechanic test drove and rechecked the bus but”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, July 25, 2003 · Service brakes, air
Compare International Harvester 3800 model years
Recall and complaint counts for every International Harvester 3800 model year in NHTSA's database.
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 1979 International Harvester 3800 | 1 | 0 |
| 1980 International Harvester 3800 | 1 | 0 |
| 1981 International Harvester 3800 | 2 | 0 |
| 1982 International Harvester 3800 | 3 | 0 |
| 1983 International Harvester 3800 | 2 | 0 |
| 1984 International Harvester 3800 | 2 | 0 |
| 1985 International Harvester 3800 | 2 | 0 |
| 1986 International Harvester 3800 | 2 | 0 |
| 1987 International Harvester 3800 | 2 | 1 |
| 1988 International Harvester 3800 | 2 | 0 |
| 1989 International Harvester 3800 | 3 | 0 |
| 1991 International Harvester 3800 | 5 | 1 |
| 1992 International Harvester 3800 | 5 | 0 |
| 1993 International Harvester 3800 | 4 | 1 |
| 1994 International Harvester 3800 | 4 | 3 |
| 1995 International Harvester 3800 | 4 | 8 |
| 1996 International Harvester 3800 | 3 | 2 |
| 1997 International Harvester 3800 | 3 | 3 |
| 1998 International Harvester 3800 | 1 | 4 |
| 1999 International Harvester 3800 | 2 | 9 |
| 2000 International Harvester 3800 | 3 | 9 |
| 2001 International Harvester 3800 | 2 | 0 |
Checking a specific 1999 International Harvester 3800
How do I know if my 1999 International Harvester 3800 has an open recall?
Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 2 campaigns currently list the 1999 International Harvester 3800; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised International Harvester dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 03V062000).
What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?
A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.
Other International Harvester models
- School Bus42 complaints
- 470040 complaints
- 490021 complaints
- International Harvester11 complaints
- Conventional10 complaints
- 94008 complaints
- 93007 complaints
- 92006 complaints
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.