Does the 1979 International Harvester Transtar Series have any recalls?

2 recalls found in NHTSA data as of September 22, 2026, covering: steering, service brakes, air. Recalls apply to the model and year; whether a particular vehicle is included, and whether it has been repaired, depends on its VIN.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 1979 International Harvester Transtar Series?

0 complaints filed with NHTSA. Complaints are unverified reports from the public that NHTSA uses to decide what to investigate.

1979 International Harvester Transtar Series recalls

Source: NHTSA data as of September 22, 2026. Last refreshed Sep 23, 2026, 2:43 AM UTC.

2 recalls found in NHTSA data as of September 22, 2026

For the 1979 International Harvester Transtar Series. These apply to the model and year, not to one particular vehicle: check your VIN to see whether yours is included and whether it has been repaired.

Has your International Harvester been repaired?

Recalls here come from NHTSA’s records for the model and year. Not every vehicle of a model is included in every recall, and this site can’t see whether a repair has been done. Only a VIN lookup can tell you that.

Check your VIN with NHTSA

NHTSA’s VIN search doesn’t show recalls that were already repaired, recalls more than 15 years old, or some small manufacturers’ recalls. A International Harvester dealer can also check your VIN. Recall repairs are free.

1979 International Harvester Transtar Series recalls, newest first

November 17, 1980NHTSA 80V14800019,500 vehicles potentially affected

Steering › Linkages › Tie rod assembly

Summary: The nuts which fasten the tie rod ends to the steering arms may not have been tightened to the specified 150 ft-lb torque. Insufficiently tightened tie rod end nuts could loosen, break off the locking cotter pin, and allow the tie rod to disengage from the steering arm.
Remedy: The dealer will remove the locking cotter pin, tighten the nut to 150 ft-lbs and reinstall the cotter pin. Both left and right tie rod ends will be tightened. This will be done at no charge.

This recall on nhtsa.gov

September 18, 1979NHTSA 79V21100025,000 vehicles potentially affected

Service brakes, air › Drum

Summary: As a result of severe shock and vibrations, the brake spiders on the involved vehicles may develop cracks near the camshaft mounting boss. The crack propagates across the spider until the camshaft boss is completely severed from the remainder of the spider. When the camshaft boss has completely severed, the s-cam, s-cam bracket, air chamber and slack adjuster can fall away from the brake spider resulting in a "no brake" condition on the wheel.
Remedy: The dealer will replace the front brake spiders on all affected vehicles used in snow plow dump and refuse hauling applications. This will be done at no charge.

This recall on nhtsa.gov

Owner complaints

No owner complaints about the 1979 International Harvester Transtar Series were found in NHTSA’s complaint data.

Other International Harvester Transtar Series years

Other 1979 International Harvester models

Questions

Does the 1979 International Harvester Transtar Series have any recalls?: 2 recalls found in NHTSA data as of September 22, 2026, covering: steering, service brakes, air. Recalls apply to the model and year; whether a particular vehicle is included, and whether it has been repaired, depends on its VIN.
How do I check if my 1979 International Harvester Transtar Series recall has been fixed?: Enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls, or ask a International Harvester dealer. Recall repairs are free. NHTSA's VIN search doesn't list recalls that were already repaired.
How many complaints have owners filed about the 1979 International Harvester Transtar Series?: 0 complaints filed with NHTSA. Complaints are unverified reports from the public that NHTSA uses to decide what to investigate.