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Freightliner SterlingYears to avoid, problems & recalls

NHTSA has 2 owner complaints and 5 safety recalls on record for the Freightliner Sterling.

Years to avoidNoneBased on weighted complaintsBest years—Fewest complaints for their ageOwner complaints2Top: Engine and engine coolingSafety recalls51997–2004 model years

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports. Updated daily. How we score years.

Best & worst years

Freightliner Sterling years to avoid

Complaints by model year, colored by the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Sterling median. Tap a year for its full report.

'97'98'99'00'01'02'04
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
2004Not rated–/1000 complaints · 1 recall2002Not rated–/1001 complaint · 0 recalls2001Not rated–/1000 complaints · 1 recall2000Not rated–/1000 complaints · 4 recalls1999Not rated–/1001 complaint · 1 recall1998Not rated–/1000 complaints · 1 recall1997Not rated–/1000 complaints · 1 recall
Complaints by system

Most common Freightliner Sterling problems

All model years combined: 2 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Engine and engine cooling10
Steering10
5 recalls

Freightliner Sterling recalls

Newest first. The ring shows the share of affected vehicles repaired, from the manufacturer's latest report to NHTSA.

–Suspension05V-284 · 2004 · Jun 14, 2005 · 634 vehicles–Trailer hitches: fifth wheel assembly03V-227 · 2000 · Jun 17, 2003 · 2,000 vehicles–Service brakes, air: controls, pedals and linkages01V-189 · 2000–2001 · Jun 14, 2001 · 4,400 vehicles–Suspension01V-167 · 2000 · May 14, 2001 · 222 vehicles–Service brakes, air: antilock00V-232 · 1997–2000 · Aug 7, 2000 · 35,405 vehicles
1 investigation

NHTSA investigations of the Sterling

  1. ABS CORROSION EXTENDS STOPPING DISTEA02036 · 1997–2002 · closed Jan 26, 2004
    No recall