RecallRepo

2002 Sterling Acterra Recalls

Recalls on record Updated July 2026

The 2002 Sterling Acterra has 6 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 45,243 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 4 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the exterior lighting. Last updated July 5, 2026.

Recall campaigns

POWER TRAIN 08V137000 2008-03-25 28,764 affected
Defect

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…

Consequence

CONTINUED OPERATION MAY LEAD TO WHEEL SEPARATION AND POSSIBLY A VEHICLE CRASH.

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.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING 05V126000 2005-03-30 3,568 affected
Defect

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.

Consequence

THIS CAN RESULT IN FAN BREAKAGE, RESULTING IN VEHICLE DAMAGE OR PERSONAL INJURY.

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.

SUSPENSION 04V272000 2004-06-07 9,602 affected
Defect

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.

Consequence

IF ALLOWED TO PROGRESS, THE FRONT WHEEL ASSEMBLY MAY SEPARATE FROM THE VEHICLE, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.

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.

POWER TRAIN 02V336000 2002-12-13 145 affected
Defect

ON CERTAIN HEAVY TRUCKS, THE CAST OUTPUT YOKE ON THE MERCEDES-BENZ TRANSMISSIONS COULD FRACTURE ON VEHICLE WITH 1610 OR 16T SERIES DRIVELINES.

Consequence

IF PIECES OF THE YOKE SEPARATE, THE DEBRIS CAN REPRESENT A POTENTIAL HZARD TO PEOPLE OUTSIDE THE VHEICLE AND TO OTHER PASSING VEHICLES.

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 RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT FREIGHTLINER AT 1-800-547-0712.

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE 02V318002 2002-12-03 2,616 affected
Defect

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…

Consequence

FREIGHTLINER RECALL NO. FL404. ONCE ENGINE STALL OCCURS, THE ENGINE CANNOT BE RESTARTED, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

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 AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD…

PARKING BRAKE 02V108001 2002-04-10 548 affected
Defect

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.

Consequence

IMPROPER ENGAGEMENT OF THE PARKING BRAKE COULD RESULT IN THE VEHICLE ROLLING AWAY WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING POSSIBLY RESULTING IN PERSONAL INJURY OR DEATH.

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 SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT…

Complaints by component

EXTERIOR LIGHTING
1
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
1
SUSPENSION:REAR:AXLE:NON-POWERED AXLE ASSEMBLY
1
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER
1
Total complaints4

What owners report

Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal information removed.

“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 minutes and the tail lights would go off again and the head lights would stay on. The windshield…”

VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER · reported 2004-06-23

“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 minutes and the tail lights would go off again and the head lights would stay on. The windshield…”

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH · reported 2004-06-23

“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 minutes and the tail lights would go off again and the head lights would stay on. The windshield…”

SUSPENSION:REAR:AXLE:NON-POWERED AXLE ASSEMBLY · reported 2004-06-23

“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 minutes and the tail lights would go off again and the head lights would stay on. The windshield…”

EXTERIOR LIGHTING · reported 2004-06-23

Defect investigations

Investigation RQ07003 Opened 2007-12-05 · closed 2008-03-26

FRONT WHEEL SEPARATION

ODI IS CLOSING THIS INVESTIGATION BASED ON DAIMLER TRUCK NORTH AMERICA 'S (DTNA) MARCH 19, 2008, DEFECT NOTIFICATION REPORT WHICH OUTLINES DTNA'S INTENTION TO CAMPAIGN 28,764 FREIGHTLINER, STERLING, AND FREIGHTLINER CUSTOM CHASSIS VEHICLES [EQUIPPED WITH EITHER ARVINMERITOR OR AXLE ALLIANCE COMPANY 6,000 - 8,000…

Investigation RQ07003 Opened 2007-12-05 · closed 2008-03-26

FRONT WHEEL SEPARATION

ODI IS CLOSING THIS INVESTIGATION BASED ON DAIMLER TRUCK NORTH AMERICA 'S (DTNA) MARCH 19, 2008, DEFECT NOTIFICATION REPORT WHICH OUTLINES DTNA'S INTENTION TO CAMPAIGN 28,764 FREIGHTLINER, STERLING, AND FREIGHTLINER CUSTOM CHASSIS VEHICLES [EQUIPPED WITH EITHER ARVINMERITOR OR AXLE ALLIANCE COMPANY 6,000 - 8,000…

Investigation RQ07003 Opened 2007-12-05 · closed 2008-03-26

FRONT WHEEL SEPARATION

ODI IS CLOSING THIS INVESTIGATION BASED ON DAIMLER TRUCK NORTH AMERICA 'S (DTNA) MARCH 19, 2008, DEFECT NOTIFICATION REPORT WHICH OUTLINES DTNA'S INTENTION TO CAMPAIGN 28,764 FREIGHTLINER, STERLING, AND FREIGHTLINER CUSTOM CHASSIS VEHICLES [EQUIPPED WITH EITHER ARVINMERITOR OR AXLE ALLIANCE COMPANY 6,000 - 8,000…

Sources & methodology

Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL, FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 2002 Sterling Acterra as of July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page contains ads and affiliate links. Full methodology.