Total Complaints
4 filings
INTERNATIONAL 4400 · model year
4 NHTSA complaints, 2 crash reports, and 4 active recalls for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2003INTERNATIONAL4400 carries 4 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 2 crashes, 0 fires, 4 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2003 4400 is service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip with 2 filings, followed by service brakes, air (1) and engine and engine cooling (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability. This model year has 4 active recall campaigns, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.
NHTSA currently has 22 investigation files overlapping the 2003 4400. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
Total Complaints
4 filings
Crashes Reported
2 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 2 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, AIR | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 1 |
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
CERTAIN SCHOOL BUSES AND HEAVY DUTY TRUCKS BUILT WITH HYDRAULIC BRAKES AND AN AIR POWERED PARKING BRAKE (BRAKE CODE 04GAS) FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 105, "HYDRAULIC AND ELECTRIC BRAKE SYSTEMS." THE HYDRAULIC BRAKE MONITOR MODULE WAS NOT INSTA
SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:SUPPLY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
CERTAIN HEAVY DUTY TRUCKS FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 121, "AIR BRAKE SYSTEMS." THE PRIMARY AND SECONDARY AIR SUPPLY HOSES FROM THE FOOT VALVE TO THE PRIMARY AND SECONDARY AIR TANKS WERE IMPROPERLY ROUTED AT THE TANK.
STEERING:LINKAGES:DRAG:LINK:CONNECTION
ON CERTAIN TRUCKS, THE COTTER PIN THAT GOES THROUGH THE DRAG LINK BALL STUD AT THE CONNECTION TO THE PITMAN ARM IS MISSING. THIS PIN PREVENTS THE CASTLE NUT FROM LOOSENING.
PARKING BRAKE:CONVENTIONAL
ON CERTAIN MEDIUM AND HEAVY DUTY TRUCKS BUILT WITH DRIVELINE PARKING BRAKE CODES 04GAR, THE PARKING BRAKE ASSEMBLY MAY NOT HOLD THE VEHICLE IN POSITION WHEN SET. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THIS POSSIBILITY ARE AS FOLLOWS: (1) CRACKED OR BROKEN CAMS; (2) LOOSE OR BROKEN ANCHOR BOLTS; (3) INITIAL SHOE
WE'VE HAD TWO ENGINE FAILURES WITH THIS TRUCK. THE FIRST OCCURRED AT 121,000 MILES WHEN AN O-RING ON A CYLINDER SLEEVE FAILED LETTING COOLANT FILL THE CRANKCASE AND REQUIRING A COMPLETE ENGINE OVERHAUL THAT COST US OVER $6,000 DOLLARS. THE TRUCK WAS MORE THAN 3 YEARS OLD SO WE HAD TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS. AFTER PUTTING ONLY 40,000 MILES ON THE REBUILT ENGINE IT HAS THROWN A ROD OUT THE SIDE OF THE BLOCK COMPLETELY RUINING THE ENGINE. IT WILL HAVE TO BE REPLACED AT AN ESTIMATED COST OF $16,000. WE HAVE CONTACTED NAVISTAR BECAUSE THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN SAID BOTH FAILURES WERE CAUSED BY POOR WORKMANSHIP, DEFECTIVE MATERIALS, OR FAULTY DESIGN. NAVISTAR HAS REFUSED TO STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT. *TR
Mileage: 161,000
IT WAS RAINING BRAKES FAILED I REARENDED A CAR ON 8-16-04 AN INTERNATIONAL DEALER FOUND FAULTS IN THE ABS AND NOTHING WAS DONE TO REPAIR THEY FOUND A VALVE RELAY SHORTED TO GROUND OUTPUT PIN SHORTED TO GROUND NOTHING WAS DONE TO REPAIR. *AK REFERENCE NO 10097158 THIS TRUCK MY COMPANY VOULANTEERLY PUT OUT SERVICE BECAUSE IT IS NOT REPAIRED
THE CONSUMER STATED THAT HE HAS BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH HIS BRAKES. HE STATED THAT WHEN IT IS RAINING THE BRAKES FAILED. HE ALSO STATED THAT ONCE HE WENT STRAIGHT THROUGH A STOP SIGN. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THIS TRUCK WITH THESE FAULTY BRAKES HAS CAUSED HIM TO HAVE A ACCIDENT. HE SAYS HE TOOK THE TRUCK TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD ALL THEY COULD FIND IS WHEN IT RAINS THE RELAY VALVE GETS WET, SO THEY THINK IT IS A SHORT SOMEWHERE. *JB
WET WEATHER, BRAKES FAILED AND THERE WAS AN ACCIDENT. NOTHING WAS DONE BY MANUFACTURER CORKY MILLER SAID IF THERES AN ACCIDENT THAN WE'LL DO AN INVESTAGATION ON THE BRAKES. *AK
Mileage: 99,000
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.