The defect
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 TO THE INTERMEDIATE TUBE MAY BE MISLOCATED (I.E., NOT FULLY OVER THE SEAM CREATED WHEN THE TUBES ARE PRESSED TOGETHER.)
The risk
MISLOCATED WELDS MAY RESULT IN TORSIONAL AND AXIAL STRENGTH FALLING BELOW ACCEPTABLE LEVELS. THIS CONDITION COULD RESULT IN SEPARATION OF THE STEERING COLUMN, LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL AND A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
The 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.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by MFR
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Freightliner Business Class M2 | 2009, 2010 |
| Sterling A-Line | 2009, 2010 |
| Sterling Acterra | 2009, 2010 |
| Sterling L-Line | 2009, 2010 |
Components: STEERING:COLUMN
Model years in this recall
NHTSA complaints and the number of recall campaigns for each model year this recall covers.
| Model | Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Freightliner Business Class M2 | 2009 | 2 | 8 |
| Freightliner Business Class M2 | 2010 | 0 | 10 |
| Sterling A-Line | 2009 | 0 | 5 |
| Sterling A-Line | 2010 | 0 | 3 |
| Sterling Acterra | 2009 | 0 | 6 |
| Sterling Acterra | 2010 | 0 | 5 |
| Sterling L-Line | 2009 | 1 | 5 |
| Sterling L-Line | 2010 | 0 | 2 |
Other steering recalls in 2010
38 of the 647 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 2010 concerned the steering; DAIMLER TRUCKS NORTH AMERICA filed 134 campaigns in all.
| 10V657000 24 Dec 2010 | CHRYSLER GROUP LLC |
| 10V647000 21 Dec 2010 | CHAMPION BUS, INC. |
| 10V616000 7 Dec 2010 | CHRYSLER GROUP LLC |
| 10V586000 17 Nov 2010 | NAVISTAR, INC |
| 10V554000 11 Nov 2010 | NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC. |
| 10V568000 10 Nov 2010 | ELDORADO NATIONAL - CALIFORNIA, INC. |
| 10V475000 7 Oct 2010 | CHRYSLER GROUP LLC |
| 10V459000 4 Oct 2010 | MERCEDES-BENZ USA, LLC. |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 2010