The 1997 International 3800 has 3 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 36,034 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 3 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the structure. Last updated July 5, 2026.
Recall campaigns
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC03V0620002003-02-2535,074 affected
Defect
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.
Consequence
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
INTERNATIONAL WILL NOTIFY ITS CUSTOMERS AND REPAIR THE BUSES FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN OCTOBER 29, 2004.
SUSPENSION96V2400001996-11-27233 affected
Defect
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SCHOOL BUSES AND HEAVY DUTY TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH REAR AXLE ASSEMBLIES PRODUCED BY DANA SPICER. CERTAIN REAR AXLE ASSEMBLIES WERE IMPROPERLY HEAT TREATED WHICH COULD ALLOW PINION BREAKAGE AT THE PINION THREADS.
Consequence
CRACKS CAN INITIATE AND RESULT IN SEPARATION OF THE THREADED END OF THE PINION RESULTING IN SEPARATION OF THE YOKE AND DRIVE LINE FROM THE REAR AXLE INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE REAR AXLE CARRIER/PINION ASSEMBLY.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SCHOOL BUSES EQUIPPED WITH THE INTERNATIONAL I6 ELECTRONIC ENGINE AND AN EXTRA THICK BUS BODY FLOOR. THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO FLOOR CLEARANCE IS APPROXIMATELY 1.2 INCHES WITH A STANDARD BUS BODY FLOOR. HOWEVER, SOME CUSTOMERS ORDERED AN ADDITIONAL 3/4 INCH THICK FLOOR AND EXTRA THICK FLOOR…
Consequence
SHOULD THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL CONTACT THE FLOOR, THE PEDAL COULD GET CAUGHT AND NOT RETURN TO THE IDLE POSITION INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE FLOORING ON THESE BUSES TO INSURE THERE IS A MINIMUM OF 1/4 INCH CLEARANCE. ON BUSES WITH LESS THAN 1/4 INCH CLEARANCE, THE DEALER WILL REMOVE THE PEDAL AND CUT OFF THE BOTTOM OF THE PAD TO OBTAIN THE PROPER CLEARANCE.
Complaints by component
STRUCTURE
1
STRUCTURE:BODY
1
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
1
Total complaints3
What owners report
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal
information removed.
“Tl*the contact's company owns a 1997 international 3800. When the vehicle was inspected, the contact noticed that the vehicle's frame was cracked and rusted. The crack occurred where the cab mounts to the frame and was visible when the hood was lifted. The failure mileage, vin, engine size, and…”
“Tl*the contact's company owns a 1997 international 3800. During pm service, the contact noticed that the vehicle's frame was cracked and rusted. The crack occurred where the cab mounts to the frame and was visible when the hood was lifted. The failure mileage, vin, engine size, and purchase date…”
“Driver's foot well area gets very hot (overheated) in the floor area, and makes it very unbearable for the driver to operate the bus. Has a 466 e engine. Has 34 school buses in this series. *ak”
Defect investigations
InvestigationEA02034 Opened 2002-12-03 · closed 2004-02-10
OVERHEATING FRONT AND REAR BRAKES
THIS INVESTIGATION FOCUSED ON INTERNATIONAL MEDIUM DUTY TRUCKSAND SCHOOL BUS CHASSIS WEIGHING UP TO 33,000 POUNDS, EQUIPPED WITH HYDRAULIC BRAKES AND BUILT WITH THE BOSCH ZERO OFFSET PIN SLIDE (ZOPS)BRAKE SYSTEM CALIPERS.INTERNATIONAL USED THE ZOPS CALIPERS FROM APRIL 1997 THROUGH JUNE 2002.ODI WAS CONCERNED ABOUT…
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL,
FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 1997 International 3800 as of
July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page
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