The 1990 International 3800 has 4 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 388,839 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 2 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the power train. Last updated July 5, 2026.
THESE BUSES HAVE A TURN SIGNAL LEVER THAT WILL NOT OPERATE CONSISTENTLY IN THE LANE CHANGE MODE IF THE LEVER IS NOT MOVED TO THE POSITION WHERE RESISTANCE TO MOVEMENT IS FELT.
Consequence
SHOULD THE REAR SIGNAL LAMPS NOT FLASH WHEN A LANE CHANGE WAS BEING MADE, IT COULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE FOLLOWING THE BUS TO COLLIDE WITH THE BUS INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY AND/OR PROPERTY DAMAGE.
Remedy
OPERATORS WILL BE MAILED INFORMATION CONCERNING THE PROPER METHOD OF USING TURN SIGNALS. A DECAL WILL ALSO BE PROVIDED TO BE PLACED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL OF EACH BUS.
THE WIRE END OF THE HAND THROTTLE CABLE PASSES THROUGH A SPLIT PLASTIC GROMMET IN THE ACCELERATOR ROD. THIS WIRE CAN WORK THROUGH THE SLOT IN THE GROMMET AND BECOME LODGED BETWEEN THE GROMMET AND THE EDGE OF THE HOLE IN THE ACCELERATOR ROD.
Consequence
IF THE THROTTLE WIRE BECOMES LODGED, THE ACCELERATOR CAN STICK AND NOT RETURN TO IDLE POSITION POTENTIALLY AFFECTING THE OPERATOR'S ABILITY TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE AND INCREASING THE POTENTIAL FOR AN ACCIDENT.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL REPAIR BUSES BY INSTALLING A NEW CABLE GROMMET WITHOUT A SLOT; INSTALL A NEW CABLE STOP; AND READJUST THE THROTTLE CABLE.
THE FUEL TANK WAS PUNCTURED, RESULTING IN FLUID LOSSGREATER THAN ALLOWED BY FMVSS 301, "FUEL SYSTEM INTEGRITY". FUEL SPILLS INA COLLISION COULD LEAD TO A VEHICLE FIRE IF EXPOSED TO A SOURCE OF IGNITION.
Remedy
MODIFY THE FUEL TANK CAGE TO COMPLY WITH FMVSS 301.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC89V2240001989-12-1110,459 affected
Defect
THE THROTTLE VALVE INSIDE THE HYDRAULIC BRAKE BOOSTER MAY DEFORM FROM BUILDUP OF HEAT AND PRESSURE AND CLOSE-OFF FLUID RETURN PORTS.
Consequence
THIS COULD CAUSE EXCESSIVE PRESSURE BUILDUP IN THEBOOSTER CAUSING THE BRAKES TO SELF APPLY WITH A SEVERE UNEXPECTED STOP. THISCONDITION COULD ALSO RESULT IN LOSS OF POWER STEERING ASSIST. EITHER CONDITIONCOULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT.
Remedy
REPLACE BRAKE BOOSTER ASSEMBLY.
Complaints by component
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:TORQUE CONVERTER
1
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
1
Total complaints2
What owners report
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal
information removed.
“International has agreed to replace the frame rails but jackson city schools must pay for the labor at a cost of $4000 per bus. State highway patrol inspectors for this southeastern part of ohio informed my mechanics that they had found several international buses in other districts with the same…”
“Torque converter failed causing transmission to stop pulling.”
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL,
FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 1990 International 3800 as of
July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page
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