2008 Sterling Acterra recalls and problems
The 2008 Sterling Acterra has 13 safety recalls and 1 owner complaint filed with NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at any Sterling dealer.
Recalls may cover only some 2008 Sterling Acterra vehicles. Check your VIN at NHTSA ↗ to see open recalls for your exact car.
2008 Sterling Acterra recalls
Recall 11V-455: Engine and Engine Cooling
Problem: 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 excessive internal temperatures.
Risk: A short circuited grid heater could result in a vehicle fire and injury to vehicle occupants.
Fix: 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, 2011. Owners may contact daimler trucks toll-free at 1-800-547-0712. This recall is an expansion of a previous recall, campaign number 10v-341.
Recall 11V-173: Engine and Engine Cooling
Problem: 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. The software may unnecessarily shutdown a vehicle or may fail to shutdown a vehicle with an aftermarket device over-temp fault.
Risk: Unexpected shutdown of a vehicle may increase the risk of a crash. Overheating of the aftertreatment device without engine shutdown may result in a fire.
Fix: 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 campaign is an expansion of a previous recall (Please see 10v-472).
Recall 10V-472: Engine and Engine Cooling
Problem: 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 treatment device fault codes. The software may unnecessarily shutdown a vehicle or may fail to shutdown a vehicle with an aftermarket device over-temp fault.
Risk: Unexpected shutdown of a vehicle may increase the risk of a crash. Overheating of the aftertreatment device without engine shutdown may result in a fire.
Fix: 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.
Recall 10V-341: Engine and Engine Cooling
Problem: 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.
Risk: A short circuited grid heater could result in a vehicle fire and injury to vehicle occupants.
Fix: 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 about july 29, 2011. Owners may contact daimler trucks toll-free at 1-800-547-0712.
Recall 09V-451: Engine and Engine Cooling
Problem: 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 the vehicle operator to inhibit aftertreatment diesel particulate filter regeneration in environments where the operator believes it may be unsafe for elevated exhaust temperatures. Due to an issue with the logic in the ECM software in these engines, the switch may not function correctly, leading the operator to believe that the switch is in "inhibit" mode when it is not.
Risk: This condition will permit hot exhaust gases to exit the vehicle tailpipe, increasing the risk of melting or burning of nearby surfaces, or a fire.
Fix: 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 1-800-diesels (1-800-343-7357) or daimler trucks at 1-800-547-0712.
Recall 09V-456: Equipment
Problem: 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.
Risk: This defect could result in a fire.
Fix: 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 carrier at 1-877-584-7059 or cues at 1-407-849-0190.
Recall 08V-159: Parking Brake
Problem: 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 check valve area. This condition can allow the rubber double check valve to become lodged in the body opening under certain circumstances.
Risk: If the double check valve becomes lodged, in the event of a primary reservoir failure, air pressure can leak past the lodged double check valve thereby depleting the secondary reservoir, causing reduced ability for modulating the service emergency brakes increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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 1-800-547-0712.
Recall 08V-137: Power Train
Problem: 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 front axles utilizing a four piece spindle-nut set. These axle assemblies may have been produced with a thin spindle nut which may lead to incorrect end play, cone spin, excessive heat, degradation of lubrication, wear of the spindle nut and bearing journal, oil contamination with metal shavings, and premature bearing failure.
Risk: Continued operation may lead to wheel separation and possibly a vehicle crash.
Fix: 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.
Recall 07V-530: Trailer Hitches
Problem: 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.
Risk: There is a possibility that the fifth wheel may fail to latch without the driver's knowledge. When the occurs, the driver could drive away and the trailer could become disengaged increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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.
Recall 07V-333: Wheels
Problem: 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.
Risk: This may reduce the nut's ability to resist rotation, potentially allowing the nut to back off and the dual wheel set to separate from the vehicle, resulting in a crash without prior warning.
Fix: 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.
Recall 07V-316: Suspension
Problem: 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.
Risk: The drive axle may not be held in position if a cracked bracket fractures completely. This will affect vehicle control and may cause a crash without warning.
Fix: 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.
Recall 07V-306: Steering
Problem: 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.
Risk: Incorrectly tightened steering arm fasteners may fatigue and fracture which could cause a crash without warning.
Fix: 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.
Recall 07V-302: Service Brakes, Air
Problem: 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 apart. Pieces of the parker scv can become lodged inside the sr-7 spring brake modulating valve, potentially causing either leakage out of the sr-7 valve or preventing air from properly exhausting from the sr-7 valve. Also, due to a manufacturing defect in the internal rubber check valve inside the sr-7 spring brake modulating valves, the valves can become deformed and not seat properly.
Risk: These conditions could either result in leakage and cause a delay in the application of the spring brake without warning or possibly lead to unintended vehicle rollaway or brake drag which could result in a vehicle crash, personal injury, or death.
Fix: 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, 2008. Owners can contact freightliner at 1-800-547-0712.
2008 Sterling Acterra problems reported by owners
| Problem area | Reports | |
|---|---|---|
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 1 |
Typical mileage at the time of the problem: 3,500 miles (median of owner reports).
Problems that are not covered by a recall are paid repairs; labor rates follow local mechanic pay — see what auto mechanics earn in each state.
Recent 2008 Sterling Acterra complaints
Owner reports filed with NHTSA, as written (personal details removed). Complaints are not verified by NHTSA.
Other Sterling Acterra years
Frequently asked questions
Does the 2008 Sterling Acterra have any recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 13 recalls for the 2008 Sterling Acterra: 11V-455 (engine and engine cooling), 11V-173 (engine and engine cooling), 10V-472 (engine and engine cooling), 10V-341 (engine and engine cooling), 09V-451 (engine and engine cooling) and more. Not every vehicle is affected, so check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What is the most common problem with the 2008 Sterling Acterra?
Owners report engine and engine cooling problems most often (1 reports). The typical mileage when problems were reported is about 3,500 miles.
Are Sterling recall repairs free?
Yes. Safety recall repairs are free at authorized Sterling dealers, whether you are the first owner or bought the car used.