Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2006 Sterling Acterra, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Vehicle speed control2
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 0 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Recalls in Canada
9 Transport Canada recalls for the 2006 Sterling Acterra.
| 2019237 17 May 2019 | Brakes Issue: Certain trucks were built with air reservoir tanks that are too small in relation to the size of the air brake chambers. Canadian regulations require e… |
| 2010251 26 Jul 2010 | Other On certain vehicles equipped with an MBE900 (EPA04 and EPA07) engine, the intake air grid heater may short circuit and fail. This could result in a vehicle fir… |
| 2008436 15 Dec 2008 | Fuel System On certain vehicles, high pressure fuel lines and transfer tubes may fatigue and fracture, causing a diesel fuel leak. Fuel leakage, in the presence of an igni… |
| 2008097 25 Mar 2008 | Steering On certain vehicles, incorrect spindle nuts may have been installed during vehicle assembly. This could cause incorrect end play, cone spin, excessive heat, de… |
| 2007359 7 Nov 2007 | Other On certain trucks, the fifth wheel hitch assembly's lever arm may have been incorrectly installed during the manufacturing process. The lever arm pivot bolt ma… |
| 2007231 11 Jul 2007 | Brakes On certain vehicles, the internal rubber check valve inside the Bendix SR-7 spring brake modulating valve can become deformed over time. The effect of this def… |
| 2005381 2 Dec 2005 | Suspension On certain vehicles, a manufacturing defect of the front axle I-beam top flange may result in a reduction of axle service life. The axle I-beam may fatigue and… |
| 2005380 2 Dec 2005 | Electrical On certain vehicles, the windshield wiper motor may have been produced without grease applied to the output shaft gear. After a period of continuous use on the… |
| 2005318 18 Oct 2005 | Suspension On certain vehicles, the rear spindles may fracture as a result of incorrect heat treat process during vehicle assembly. Rear spindle failure could allow the w… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
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 reservoir capacity. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 121, "Air Brake Systems."
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.
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 TUBES MAY FATIGUE AND FRACTURE.
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.
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.
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.
ON CERTAIN TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH VISTEON WINDSHIELD WIPERS, THE MOTOR MAY HAVE BEEN PRODUCED WITHOUT GREASE APPLIED TO THE OUTPUT SHAFT GEAR.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Sterling told its dealers about the 2006 Sterling Acterra: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 10192963 | Rocker Switch Quick Reference. |
| 10158024 | Technical Publications Ordering |
| 10156372 | Technical Publications Ordering |
| 10156360 | Reminder: Paper Service Bulletin Mailings Are Discontinued |
| 10151471 | sp00004 Replacing Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) Certification Labels |
| 10151464 | sbh0006 Replacing Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) Certification Labels |
| 10146303 | If a GVWR certification label is lost or damaged, Freightliner will supply a duplicate label. Log on to DTNAConnect.com and under "DTNAConnect Resources", select the "Tool and Services" plus sign. Select "Request for Certification Labl or OWI." Fillout the form, then select "Review." |
| 10142283 | 33-11 - Bearing Spacer Replacement, ConMet PreSet Steer Hubs |
| 10142282 | 35-12 - Bearing Spacer Replacement, ConMet PreSet Drive Hubs |
| 10141819 | ssbh9801 Estndares de acabado de pintura |
| 10141818 | ssbh5419 Cambio en el cableado |
| 10141817 | ssbh3306 Ejes delanteros Sterling |
| 10141811 | ssb0917 Modificacin retroactiva de tubera del lado de aire fro del postenfriador |
| 10141810 | sp54030 Ametek Gauge Replacement |
| 10141808 | sp54026 EPA07 Harness Parts Identification |
| 10141807 | sp54023 ICU4 Reference Guide |
| 10141806 | sp54022 ICU4 Black Bezel and Chrome Bezel Gauges |
| 10141805 | sp54021 PTO Dash Control Switch |
| 10141804 | sp54020 Strobe and Beacon Lights |
| 10141803 | sp54018 CB Mounting Plate and Strap |
| 10141802 | sp54017 Sterling Multiplex Gauges |
| 10141801 | sp54015 Electrical Repair Kits |
| 10141800 | sp54014 ABS Chassis Harness |
| 10141799 | sp54013 Adding Daytime Running Lights |
| 10141798 | sp54012 ICU3 Service Clusters |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
FRONT WHEEL SEPARATION
INSECURE FIFTH WHEEL LATCHING
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation