Sterling Acterra Recalls & Complaints by Model Year
NHTSA lists 40 safety recalls and 7 owner complaints across 19 model years of the Sterling Acterra (1994–2012). The most-complained-about year is 2003.
Pick your Sterling Acterra model year
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 Sterling Acterra | 1 | 0 |
| 2011 Sterling Acterra | 1 | 0 |
| 2010 Sterling Acterra | 5 | 0 |
| 2009 Sterling Acterra | 6 | 0 |
| 2008 Sterling Acterra | 13 | 1 |
| 2007 Sterling Acterra | 11 | 0 |
| 2006 Sterling Acterra | 7 | 2 |
| 2005 Sterling Acterra | 6 | 1 |
| 2004 Sterling Acterra | 5 | 0 |
| 2003 Sterling Acterra | 4 | 2 |
| 2002 Sterling Acterra | 6 | 1 |
| 2001 Sterling Acterra | 11 | 0 |
| 2000 Sterling Acterra | 17 | 0 |
| 1999 Sterling Acterra | 7 | 0 |
| 1998 Sterling Acterra | 4 | 0 |
| 1997 Sterling Acterra | 2 | 0 |
| 1996 Sterling Acterra | 1 | 0 |
| 1995 Sterling Acterra | 1 | 0 |
| 1994 Sterling Acterra | 1 | 0 |
What Sterling Acterra owners complain about
Across all model years, owners have filed 7 complaints with NHTSA. The 2003 model year has the most, with 2.
All Sterling Acterra recalls (40)
Every NHTSA safety campaign that lists a Sterling Acterra, most recent first, with the model years each one covers.
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Reservoir/tank (service brakes)
Daimler Trucks North America LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2004-2019 Freightliner 108SD, 114SD, 122SD, Cascadia, Columbia, Classic, FL80, FLD 120SD, Business Class M2, Western Star 4700, 4900, 6900, Sterling Acterra, L7500, LT7500, L8500, LT8500, L9500, and LT9500 vehicles. The vehicles may have an insufficient service brake air…
Remedy: DTNA will notify owners, and dealers will add air reservoir capacity to the affected vehicles. Owner letters were mailed on November 29, 2021. Owners may contact DTNA customer service at 1-800-547-0712. DTNA's number…
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Engine (engine and engine cooling)
Daimler trucks north america is recalling certain model year 2005 through 2012 freightliner m2, sterling acterra, 7500 & 8500, and thomas built hdx vehicles manufactured from june 23, 2004, through march 15, 2011, equipped with specific mbe900 epa04 and epa07 model engines. The intake air grid heater may short circuit and fail due to…
Remedy: Daimler trucks will notify owners, and dealers will repair the vehicles free of charge. Repairs will be performed by detroit diesel corporation authorized repair facilities. The safety recall began on september 12,…
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Engine and engine cooling
Daimler trucks is recalling certain model year 2008 and 2009 freightliner business class m2 and sterling acterra emergency vehicles manufactured from august 18, 2006, through july 7, 2010, equipped with EPA 2007 mbe 900 detroit diesel engines. Engine software may not react properly to certain aftermarket treatment device fault codes.…
Remedy: Daimler trucks will notify owners and repairs will be performed by detroit diesel free of charge. The safety recall began on march 25, 2011. Owners may contact daimler trucks at 1-800-547-0712. This safety recall…
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Engine and engine cooling
Daimler trucks is recalling certain model year 2007 through 2010 freightliner business class m2, custom chassis mt45, s2 chassis, and stering acterra vehicles manufactured from october 5, 2006, through may 24, 2010, equipped with EPA 2007 mbe 900 detroit diesel engines. Engine software may not react properly to certain aftermarket…
Remedy: Daimler trucks will notify owners and repairs will be performed by detroit diesel free of charge. The safety recall began on december 30, 2010. Owners may contact daimler trucks at 1-800-547-0712.
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Engine and engine cooling
Daimler trucks is recalling certain model year 2007 through 2011 freightliner, fccc, sterling, and western star heavy trucks manufactured from september 5, 2006, through june 30, 2010, equipped with specific mbe900 epa04 and epa07 model engines. The intake air grid heater may short circuit and fail due to excessive internal temperatures.
Remedy: Daimler trucks will notify owners and dealers will repair the buses free of charge. Repairs will be performed by detroit diesel corporation authorized repair facilities. The safety recall is expected to begin on or…
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Column (steering)
Daimler trucks (dtna) is recalling certain model year 2009 and 2010 freightliner business class m2, sterling acterra, a-line, and l-line heavy trucks manufactured from september 8, 2008 through april 20, 2009 equipped with trw igen3 intermediate steering columns. The weld around the igen3 steering shaft tube that secures the spline tube…
Remedy: Dtna will notify owners and the buses will be repaired free of charge. The safety recall began on december 23, 2010. Owners may contact dtna at 1-800-547-0712.
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Engine and engine cooling
Daimler trucks is recalling certain model year 2008 through 2010 freightliner m2, custom chassis mt55, and sterling acterra vehicles manufactured between april 4, 2007 and july 15, 2009, equipped with cummins isc cm2150 and isl cm2150 model diesel engines. The vehicles may be designed with a hard wired, dash-mounted switch that enables…
Remedy: Daimler trucks is working with cummins to repair the engines free of charge. Please see cummins' defect report 09e-046. The safety recall is expected to begin during november 2009. Owners may contact cummins at…
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Air conditioner (equipment)
Cues, inc. Is recalling certain model year 2007-2009 service vehicles built on various chassis equipped with carrier airv ceiling units, model nos. 68rv0010ba, 68rv0012ca, and 68rv0010ea. The heater element in these assemblies may be defective which could cause the unit to create smoke or sparks.
Remedy: Cues is working with carrier to remedy the affected vehicles. Repairs will be made by carrier free of charge. Please see carrier's defect report 09e-053. The safety recall began on january 5, 2010. Owners may contact…
Model years: 2008
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Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings (fuel system)
Daimler trucks north america (dtna) is recalling 24,650 school and non-school buses, motor home chassis, and trucks manufactured from march 9, 2004 through august 18, 2006, equipped with epa04 certified mbe900 engines, manufactured by detroit diesel between march 1, 2004, and july 31, 2006. The high pressure fuel lines and transfer…
Remedy: Detroit diesel will notify owners and the vehicles will be repaired with more robust lines and vibration dampers free of charge. Repairs will be performed by authorized detroit diesel distributorships. The recall began…
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Air (parking brake)
Daimler trucks is recalling 900 my 2008 freightliner argosy, argosy rhd, cascadia, columbia, century st, coronado, sterling acterra, l-line and western star 4900 trucks equipped with bendix mv-3 dash control valves. The molded valve body has an incorrect core pin in the injection mold causing the valve body to be oversized in the double…
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the mv-3 dash valve for the production date code. Valves in the affected production lots will be replaced free of charge. The recall began on october 9, 2008. Owners may contact daimler trucks at…
Model years: 2008
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Axle assembly (power train)
Daimler trucks is recalling 28,764 my 2001 through 2008 fccc b2 and fs65 school bus chassis, fccc fb65 conventional buses, and sterling acterra, freightliner fln, and business class m2 heavy trucks, built from january 26, 2000, through march 24, 2008, manufactured with arvinmeritor or axle alliance company 6,000 through 8,000 pound…
Remedy: Daimler trucks will notify owners and will repair the vehicles free of charge. The recall began on january 8, 2009. Owners may contact daimler trucks at 1-800-547-0712.
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Fifth wheel assembly (trailer hitches)
On certain truck-tractors equipped with holland simplex se or se ii fifth wheels, the latch lever pivot bolt assembly may have been over-tightened which could distort the pivot bolt spacer sleeve. Corrosion or contaminates in the pivot may cause it to bind and prevent the fifth wheel jaw from latching securely around the trailer king pin.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the pivot bolt and sleeve with a hex head shoulder bolt and washer. The recall began on january 3, 2008. Owners may contact freightliner at 1-800-547-0712.
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Lugs/nuts/bolts/studs (wheels)
On certain trucks built with axilok rear wheel spindle nuts, the nuts may have been improperly installed, with one or both locking clip tabs not properly engaged or damaged.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the axilok nuts for locking clip engagement or damage. They will be adjusted or replaced free of charge. The recall began on august 10, 2007. Owners may contact freightliner at 800-547-0712.
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Suspension: rear
On certain trucks equipped with tuftrac rear suspensions, the center casting brackets may be out of specification. An out of square casting may have unacceptable stress in the bracket when it is installed and may cause it to crack in service.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and castings that are out of specification will be replaced free of charge. The recall began on december 12, 2007. Owners may contact freightliner at 1-800-547-0712.
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Steering
Freightliner is recalling certain school bus chassis, heavy trucks, van chassis, rv motorhome chassis manufactured from january 5 to may 17, 2007, equipped with axle alliance company (aac) front axles. During the front axle assembly, the fasteners that attach the steering arm or tie rod arms to the spindle may be over or under tightened.
Remedy: Thomas built will notify owners, inspect the fasteners, and replace the steering arm if necessary. The recall began on december 21, 2007. Owners can contact freightliner at 1-800-547-0712.
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Check valve (service brakes)
Certain freightliner school bus chassis, heavy trucks, and thomas built school buses manufactured between july 2002 and july 3, 2007, equipped with bendix sr-7 spring brake control valves. The parker scv brass 90 degree single check valves (scv) which attach to the supply port of a bendix sr-7 spring brake modulating valve can break…
Remedy: Freightliner will notify owners and repair the vehicles free of charge. The recall began on january 11, 2008 to freightliner, sterling, and freightliner custom chassis owners; to thomas built bus owners on february 1,…
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Air (parking brake)
Certain heavy trucks, shuttle buses, and school buses equipped with bendix modulated spring brake valves. A defect in the modulated spring brake valve casting may cause an intermittent delay in the application of the park brake.
Remedy: Freightliner will notify owners and replace the defective valves free of charge. The recall began on june 28, 2006 to freightliner, sterling, and fccc owners. Thomas built mailed letters to owners beginning july 27,…
Model years: 2007
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Motor (visibility)
On certain trucks equipped with visteon windshield wipers, the motor may have been produced without grease applied to the output shaft gear.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the wiper motor for the presence of grease and grease the wiper motor gears if necessary. The recall began on february 13, 2006. Owners may contact freightliner at 1-800-547-0712.
Model years: 2006
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Fan (engine and engine cooling)
On certain trucks and fire trucks equipped with kys 4735-43782-02 engine cooling fans and built on caterpillar 3126, c7, mbe906, mbe926, or cummins isc engines, the steel fan insert on the cooling fans can crack.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the engine cooling fan free of charge. The recall began on june 8, 2005. Owners may contact freightliner at 1-800-547-0712.
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Spindle (suspension)
On certain trucks the rear hub bearings may have been incorrectly adjusted.
Remedy: Dealers will check the rear wheel end installation to verity bearing adjustment and repair trucks with damaged bearings. The recall began on april 7, 2005 owners may contact freightliner at 1-800-547-0712.
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Wheel bearing (suspension)
On certain trucks built with 8,000 or 6,000 pound front axles and four-piece spindle nut sets, premature front ,wheel bearing wear may be caused by inconsistent bearing endplay adjustment.
Remedy: The dealers will replace the front axle oil seals and hub cap gaskets on both sides. The recall began september 7, 2004. Owners should contact freightliner at 1-800-547-0712.
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Hub (suspension)
On certain trucks equipped with truck hub units manufactured by skf exclusively for use on arvinmeritor's ff98x series non-drive steer axles, the hub unit bearings can wear prematurely.
Remedy: Dealers will replace both front hubs. Owner notification is expected to begin on or before september 20, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive…
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Driveline (power train)
On certain heavy trucks, the cast output yoke on the mercedes-benz transmissions could fracture on vehicle with 1610 or 16t series drivelines.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the cast transmission output yoke with a forged part. Owner notification began on january 30, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not…
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Fuel pump (fuel system)
On certain trucks equipped with caterpillar 3126e hydraulically controlled electronically actuated unit injected diesel engines with high efficiency pumps (hep8), the pump components may experience a high pressure seal failure which can result in a short period of rough running and subsequent engine stall due to a loss of injection…
Remedy: Caterpillar is conducting the owner notification and remedy for this campaign. Dealers will inspect the pump serial numbers and replace the pump if necessary. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on…
Model years: 2002
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Linkage and cable (parking brake)
On certain trucks equipped with meritor brand 12" x 4" dcm drum parking brake, the bolts used to attach the parking brake assembly to the flange yoke are too large and can interfere with the proper engagement of the braking system and possibly disengage.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the attaching bolts with the correct size bolts free of charge. Owner notification is expected to begin during october 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon…
Model years: 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002
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Electrical system: wiring
On certain trucks, a capacitor in the power line control (plc) filter could overheat and/or ignite when subjected to reverse polarity electrical spikes.
Remedy: Dealers will disconnect and secure the plc filter ground wire. Owner notification began september 20, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the…
Model years: 2001
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Check valve (service brakes)
On certain heavy duty trucks equipped with meritor wabco pneumatic anitlock brake system (ABS) valve packages, the assembly bolts on these valve packages were not tightened correctly.
Remedy: Dealers will tighten the fasteners to the proper specification. Owner notification began april 4, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free…
Model years: 2001
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Suspension: rear
On certain trucks, the welds that attach the rear suspension control rod brackets to the axle housing may not meet specifications.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the rear suspension bracket welds to determine if they meet specifications and re-weld if necessary. Owner notification began july 31, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer…
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Tie rod assembly (steering)
Vehicle description: heavy duty trucks equipped with trw tie rod ends on certain meritor axles. The tie rod and drag link ball stud ends contain bearings that are below the specified case depth and/or hardness.
Remedy: Dealers will remove and replace all affected tie rods and drag links with different designed ends. Owner notification began november 8, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon…
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Service brakes, air: controls, pedals and linkages
Vehicle description: vehicles equipped with certain haldex brake system two and four port relay valves. The valve may stick open when a high-pressure application is released.
Remedy: Dealers will replace these valves. Owner notification began october 17, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable…
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Suspension
Vehicle description: heavy duty trucks equipped with chalmers 1000 and 800 series suspension kits. These suspension kits may have insufficient penetration of the weld attaching the torque rod eye to the torque rod tube.
Remedy: Dealers will replace all chalmers fixed torque rods on these vehicles. Owner notification began march 14, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive…
Model years: 2000
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Foundation components (service brakes)
Vehicle description: heavy duty trucks equipped with hydraulic brakes and a durapark park brake system manufactured by arvinmeritor. Air is entering the hydraulic rear brake cylinders through an unknown path and the rear self-adjusting brakes may not be operating properly.
Remedy: Dealers will remove and replace the ABS ECU and inspect the brake pedal for proper travel. If excessive travel is detected, the brake system will be bled and rear brakes adjusted. As an interim measure, freightliner…
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Interior lighting
Vehicle description: heavy duty trucks. Incorrect wiring of the instrument lighting dimmer switch can cause it to fail.
Remedy: Dealers will correct the wiring for the instrument lighting dimmer switch. Owner notification began may 29, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive…
Model years: 2000
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Electrical heating element (visibility)
Vehicle description: heavy duty trucks. An undersized ground wire for the defroster blower motor switch can cause the switch to overheat and fail.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the defroster blower motor switch ground wire. Owner notification began may 21, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the…
Model years: 2000
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Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings (service brakes)
Vehicle description: heavy duty trucks. A support clamp was omitted from the front axle hydraulic brake line from the chassis to the brake.
Remedy: Dealers will install a support clamp on the front axle hydraulic brake lines.
Model years: 2000
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Steering wheel/handle bar (steering)
Vehicle description: heavy duty trucks. The upper steering column pinch bolt may not have been properly torqued.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the upper steering column pinch bolt for correct torque and re-torque if necessary.
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Automatic transmission (power train)
Vehicle description: heavy duty trucks, shuttle buses, transit buses and step vans equipped with allison 1000 or 2400 series transmissions. These transmissions can experience park pawl to rear cover interference due to an out of flatness condition.
Remedy: Allison transmission is conducting the owner notification and remedy for this campaign. Dealers will remove the transmission from the vehicle, replace the park pawl, and reinstall the transmission in the vehicle. Owner…
Model years: 2000
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Antilock (service brakes)
Vehicle description: heavy duty trucks and school bus chassis built with bendix air ABS with an ec-17 1030r electronic control unit (ECU), there have been reports of unwanted ABS activation at low speeds caused by 1) chafed ABS wheel speed sensor wires on rotating parts or 2) a damaged component at the wheel end that generates a certain…
Remedy: Dealers will replace the ABS ECU.
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Wheel bearing (suspension)
Vehicle description: heavy duty trucks equipped with arvinmeritor mfs-8 series front axle assemblies. The wheel bearing nut adjustment assembly may 1) restrict a complete lubrication fill at assembly and/or 2) shear the spindle perforated washer's locking tab (located in the inside diameter of the washer) when tightened. If the washer…
Remedy: Dealers will remove and replace the front axle spindle nuts and washers with a redesigned system.
Model years: 2000
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Rim (wheels)
Vehicle description: heavy duty trucks equipped with accuride 22.5 x 8.25 15 tubeless demountable rims, part no. 32051. Certain rims contain a non-fusion area in the butt-weld of the mounting ring. Under certain circumstances, the defect could develop into a crack on the mounting ring.
Remedy: Accuride will inspect and replace the defective or suspect wheel rims.
Model years: 2000
Other Sterling models
- 8277 complaints
- L-Line7 complaints
- Bullet 55006 complaints
- Sterling4 complaints
- 3603 complaints
- 8253 complaints
- A-Line3 complaints
- LT3 complaints
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.