The school bus driver was returning to the bus compound when the brake pressure warning buzzer came on. She pulled to the gas pumps and stopped her bus(she had brakes at this time). The driver stood up and was about to exit the bus when she heard a "pop" the electric brake assist came on. Brake pedal rod came out of the power assist head. Rod was still connected to the brake pedal. This is the second one of these to come apart. The other was reported to the federal safety agency june 2000. The local dealer can not explain why the rod came apart. They replaced the entire unit and sent it to the factory? I have (40) 1998 buses. I am very concerned this will happen again. We inspected the buses and there is no way to tell when/if the rod will fall out. When this rod falls out you have no brakes! The pedal falls to the floor.
The worst 1998 Navistar 3800 problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
- Brakes2
- Steering1
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Brakes2
- Steering1
Recalls 6
Service brakes, air: supply: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
- What is wrong
- Vehicle description: school bus. An air brake line controlling the rear brakes may be too close to the exhaust pipe and could rupture at any time without warning.
- Risk
- Exhaust pipe heat can melt or cause premature failure of this air line if the air line is routed too close to the exhaust pipe.
- Remedy
- Dealers will install a new elbow fitting and reroute the air line. The air line will also be inspected and replaced if found to be damaged from the exhaust pipe.
Recall number 99V331000 · Recall details
Fuel system, gasoline: storage: tank assembly
- What is wrong
- Vehicle description: transit and school buses built with ABS air brake ecu and a 100 gallon fuel tank mounted between the rails and behind the rear axle on models with a 276" wheel base. The ABS ecu interfered with the cross member mounted behind the rear axle and in front of the between the rails fuel tank. This created a no-build situation at the plant - the plant would either eliminate or relocate the cross member or move the ecu as needed.
- Risk
- If the cross member is either missing or relocated the vehicle may not have adequate fuel tank protection. In the event of a crash, the bus may not have adequate fuel tank protection if the vehicle has a missing or improperly installed crossmember.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect the vehicles to make sure all cross members are properly installed. If the cross member is not installed correctly or is missing, the dealer will repair or install the cross member.
Recall number 99V263000 · Recall details
Steering: linkages: rod: relay: connecting
- What is wrong
- School, transit, or heavy duty vehicles equipped with spicer 6,000 or 8,000 lb. Front steer axles. The tie rod end can pull outboard and separate from the tie rod tube due to improper thread engagement between the male tie rod end and the female tube.
- Risk
- Separation of the tie rod end could result in loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the complete tie rod assembly.
Recall number 99V033001 · Recall details
Fuel system, gasoline: fuel injection system
- What is wrong
- Vehicle description: heavy duty trucks equipped with a t444e diesel engine. The high pressure oilline for the fuel injection system that goes from the high pressure oil pump to the right cylinder head can chafe against the charge air cooler crossover pipe.
- Risk
- If this condition occurs, the hose will fail, resulting in a sudden loss of oil, causing the engine to have a sudden loss of power.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect the hoses and if the hose is not damaged a convoluted hose will be placed over the current hose. If the hose is damaged, it will be replaced along with the convoluted hose.
Recall number 98V289000 · Recall details
Engine and engine cooling: engine: gasoline
- What is wrong
- Vehicle description: heavy duty trucks equipped with t444e diesel engines. A fuel leak can occur because of overcrimping of the hose end fittings on the hose from the regulator to the left head and the hose from the fuel transfer pump to the regulator.
- Risk
- Fuel leakage, in the presence of an ignition source, can result in a fire.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect the oil hose and place an additional convoluted loom around the existing oil hose, or replace the hose assembly.
Recall number 98V291000 · Recall details
Service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: drum: drum
- What is wrong
- Vehicle description: heavy duty trucks equipped with a 1710 drive line and a 12 x 4 hydraulic parking brake. If the brake drum or transmission yoke are not fully seated when the eight bolts are installed connecting the 3-piece joint, the bolts can loosen.
- Risk
- Bolts will eventually work out or shear resulting in drum and drive shaft separation.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect the torque of these bolts and re-torque to specification.
Recall number 98V228000 · Recall details
See all 6 recalls for the 1998 Navistar 3800
Defect investigations
Underhood fires
Alleged underhood fires due to electrical or fuel system malfunction
PE98004
Technical service bulletins for the 1998 Navistar 3800 2
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
What 1998 Navistar 3800 owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
Steering locks or requires more effort to turn when the steering wheel is turned and the brake pedal is firmly depressed. This may also be the reason we have so many brake pressure alarms going off. The driver often ignores the alarm or turns the bus off and restarts it to reset the alarm. All 40 of our 1998 buses have the same defect. Vin# pwh528774,p6wh528778,p8wh528779,p1wh528784,p9wh528788,p0wh528792,p4wha528794,p3wh528799,p3wh528804,p7wh528806,p2wh528809,p2wh528812,p4wh528813,p2wh528776,p4wh528777,p6wh528781,p8wh528782,pxwh528783,p5wh528786,p7wh28787,p1wh528798,p8wh528801,pxwh528802,p1wh528803,p9wh528807,p0wh528775,p4wh528780,p3wh528785,p0wh528789,p7wh528790,p9wh528791,p2wh528793,p6wh528795,p8wh528796,pxwh528797,p6wh528800,p5wh528805,p0wh528808,p9wh528810,p0wh528811
Compare the 1998 Navistar 3800
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Questions about the 1998 Navistar 3800
Is the 1998 Navistar 3800 reliable?
Owners have filed 2 complaints about the 1998 Navistar 3800, 2.0 times a typical 3800 model year.
What is the most common problem with the 1998 Navistar 3800?
Brakes, with 2 complaints. Next is steering (1).
How many recalls does the 1998 Navistar 3800 have?
6 recalls, covering service brakes, air, fuel system, gasoline and steering.
Was there a recall on the 1998 Navistar 3800 brakes?
Yes, 2 recalls: 99V331000, 98V228000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.
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