Vehicle recall 81V041000 · March 25, 1981
International Harvester S1700, S1800 and 1 more model
The nut that fastens the tapered tie rod ends to the steering arms may not have been sufficiently tightened on certain vehicles.
Source: NHTSA data as of September 22, 2026. Last refreshed Sep 23, 2026, 2:43 AM UTC.
- Summary
- The nut that fastens the tapered tie rod ends to the steering arms may not have been sufficiently tightened on certain vehicles. The nut could loosen and eventually come off, causing the tie rod to disengage from the steering arm. The nut may come off despite the installation of locking cotter pins.
- Remedy
- The nut will be securely fastened at no charge.
- Notes
- Vehicle description: medium and heavy trucks and tractor trailers; busesequipped with ih 9,000 lb., 10,800 lb., or 12,000 lb. Front axles.system: steering; tie rod end attaching nut.consequences of defect: this could cause loss of vehicle control, without priorwarning, and an accident.
Recall details
- NHTSA campaign
- 81V041000
- Reported to NHTSA
- March 25, 1981
- Filed by
- INTERNATIONAL HARVESTER
- Owner notification
- April 20, 1981
- Vehicles potentially affected
- 6,700
- Initiated by
- the manufacturer
- Components
- Steering › Linkages › Tie rod assembly
Vehicles covered
As listed by NHTSA. A recall usually covers only some vehicles of each model and year, often a production date range.
- International Harvester S1700 (1980-1981): 1981, 1980
- International Harvester S1800 (1980-1981): 1981, 1980
- International Harvester S1900 (1980-1981): 1981, 1980
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.
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.