The worst 2021 International Lonestar problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
Recalls 5
Service brakes, air: antilock: control unit/module
- What is wrong
- International Motors, LLC (International) is recalling certain 2016 7600, 2016-2023 Lonestar, 2018 8600, 2018-2023 LT, 2021-2026 MV, 2022-2023 RH, 2023-2026 HX, and 2025-2026 HV vehicles. Electrical noise and low signal to the power line carrier may cause the ECU to incorrectly process commands or stop working.
- Risk
- Safety systems that depend on the ECU, such as Automatic Traction Control, ABS, Electronic Stability Control, Active Cruise Control, and Collison Mitigation System, may have diminished or lost functionality, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- International will work with Bendix to reprogram the ECU, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 19, 2026. Owners may contact International's customer service at 1‑800‑448‑7825. International's number for this recall is 25525. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on beginning January 12, 2026.
Recall number 25V817000 · Recall details
Electrical system: software
- What is wrong
- International Motors, LLC (International) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Lonestar, 2021-2025 RH, HV, MV, LT, HX, and 2022 PROSTAR vehicles, equipped with Bendix EC80 Advanced Electronic Control Units (ECU). Electrical noise and low signal to the power line carrier may cause the ECU to incorrectly process commands or stop working.
- Risk
- Safety systems that depend on the ECU (Automatic Traction Control, ABS, Electronic Stability Control, Active Cruise Control, and Collison Mitigation System) may have diminished or lost functionality, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- International will work with Bendix to reprogram the ECU software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 16, 2024. Owners may contact International customer service at 1‑800‑448‑7825. International's number for this recall is 24515.
Recall number 24V818000 · Recall details
Service brakes, air: antilock: ABS warning light
- What is wrong
- Navistar, Inc. (Navistar) is recalling certain 2021-2024 International HV, HX, LoneStar, LT, MV, eMV, and RH trucks, and IC Bus CE, 2021-2023 IC Bus RE, and 2022-2023 IC Bus TC Commercial Buses. The anti-lock brake system (ABS) indicator light does not remain illuminated when a malfunction exists, and when the vehicle's ignition switch is on, and the vehicle is in motion. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 121, "Air Brake Systems."
- Risk
- An ABS indicator light that fails to remain illuminated will not alert the driver of an ABS malfunction, which could increase the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Towing variant vehicles under this campaign will not be repaired under recall 24V-8918. Dealers will update the software, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed July 24, 2023. Owners may contact Navistar's customer service at 1‑800‑448‑7825. Navistar's number for this recall is 23515.
Recall number 23V370000 · Recall details
Electrical system: 12v/24v/48v battery: cables
- What is wrong
- Navistar, Inc. (Navistar) is recalling certain 2018-2021 International LoneStar and 2016-2021 International LT vehicles. The cables that connect the batteries to the vehicle frame may become excessively hot, and in some cases, cause battery post separation.
- Risk
- Excessively hot battery ground cables may cause personal injury during battery maintenance repairs. In addition, a battery post that separates from the battery can result in an engine stall without warning, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the alternator positive and ground cables, and relocate the alternator ground to the starter, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed September 26, 2022. Owners may contact Navistar's customer service at 1‑800‑448‑7825. Navistar's number for this recall is 22516.
Recall number 22V546000 · Recall details
Engine
- What is wrong
- Navistar, Inc. (Navistar) is recalling certain 2018-2021 International LoneStar and 2017-2021 International LT vehicles. The battery ground cable ring terminal at the frame connecting point may break, resulting in a loss of electrical power and unintended engine shutdown without warning.
- Risk
- An unexpected engine shutdown can increase the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Navistar will notify owners, and dealers will replace the battery ground cable, free of charge. The recall began on April 16, 2021. Owners may contact Navistar customer service at 1‑800‑448‑7825. Navistar's number for this recall is 21501.
Recall number 21V079000 · Recall details
Technical service bulletins for the 2021 International Lonestar 98
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- This article provides guidance to dealership personnel, Technical Services personnel, Dealer Service...
- This document will guide the user through the changes of the dielectric grease/coatings used in certain...
- Certain International® trucks and IC BusTM CE Series buses may have out of date BCM programing that may
- This document provides guidance for assessing the feasibility of implementing a customer-requested change...
- New CARB Idle Reduction Change Request
- This tool is designed to compare Diamond Logic feature data across multiple vehicle configuration files
- Engine replacements for all International engines will need to follow this procedure.
- This document will guide the user through a step-by-step procedure for detecting water leaks in vehicle...
- This document will guide the user through understanding Prop Shaft Codes and understanding the variations...
- In some geographic areas, ambient temperatures reaching below 15°F (-10 °C), including high levels of...
Compare the 2021 International Lonestar
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Questions about the 2021 International Lonestar
Is the 2021 International Lonestar reliable?
Owners have filed 0 complaints about the 2021 International Lonestar.
What is the most common problem with the 2021 International Lonestar?
There are not enough complaints to tell.
How many recalls does the 2021 International Lonestar have?
5 recalls, covering service brakes, air, electrical system and engine.
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