The 1998 International 3800 has 1 NHTSA recall campaign affecting an estimated 35,074 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 4 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the electrical system. 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.
Complaints by component
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY:CABLES
1
1fires
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:PUMP
1
Total complaints4
What owners report
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal
information removed.
“1998 international school bus instrument panel. *tr”
“Instrument panel does not work and it is a problem that comes from international as told to us by international service man. We can pay 600 dollars to have it fixed we should not have to pay if it comes from international. We have 3 buses all have the same problem. *jb”
“While driving the operator smelled something hot. Upon stopping and exiting the vehicle the operator saw fire comming from behind the motor compartment through the wheel well. He was able to extinguish the fire.*ak our mechanic inspected the vehicle and discovered that the clamps holding the…”
“The school bus experiences loss of power steering when turning left or right and only when the engine speed is increased during steering operation, the original pump #2107611 was replaced. Nlm”
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 1998 International 3800 as of
July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page
contains ads and affiliate links. Full methodology.