2002 Sterling Acterra Recalls, Complaints & Specs
6 safety recalls list the 2002 Sterling Acterra, and owners have filed 1 complaint with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
6 safety recalls for the 2002 Sterling Acterra
Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.
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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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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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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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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…
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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…
1 owner complaint filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 2002 Sterling Acterra have filed 1 complaint with NHTSA. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 10,000 miles. Complaints peaked in 2004 with 1 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“When driving with the lights on, after 15 minutes to 1 hour, the tail lights and the box lights went off. The headlights stayed on, when turned off, they would come on again and would stay on for 10 m”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, September 14, 2004 · Visibility
Compare Sterling Acterra model years
Recall and complaint counts for every Sterling Acterra model year in NHTSA's database.
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 Sterling Acterra | 1 | 0 |
| 1995 Sterling Acterra | 1 | 0 |
| 1996 Sterling Acterra | 1 | 0 |
| 1997 Sterling Acterra | 2 | 0 |
| 1998 Sterling Acterra | 4 | 0 |
| 1999 Sterling Acterra | 7 | 0 |
| 2000 Sterling Acterra | 17 | 0 |
| 2001 Sterling Acterra | 11 | 0 |
| 2002 Sterling Acterra | 6 | 1 |
| 2003 Sterling Acterra | 4 | 2 |
| 2004 Sterling Acterra | 5 | 0 |
| 2005 Sterling Acterra | 6 | 1 |
| 2006 Sterling Acterra | 7 | 2 |
| 2007 Sterling Acterra | 11 | 0 |
| 2008 Sterling Acterra | 13 | 1 |
| 2009 Sterling Acterra | 6 | 0 |
| 2010 Sterling Acterra | 5 | 0 |
| 2011 Sterling Acterra | 1 | 0 |
| 2012 Sterling Acterra | 1 | 0 |
Checking a specific 2002 Sterling Acterra
How do I know if my 2002 Sterling Acterra has an open recall?
Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 6 campaigns currently list the 2002 Sterling Acterra; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Sterling dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 02V108001).
What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?
A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.
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.