RoadVitals

2008 Sterling Bullet 5500

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
5
Latest Jun 28, 2023
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
1
Latest Jun 9, 2016
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
0

Overview

Our database contains 5 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2008 Sterling Bullet 5500, most frequently naming the airbags, other / unspecified and steering categories. 1 safety recall has been issued covering this model year; and 24 manufacturer communications are on file.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Airbags571.4%
  • Other / unspecified114.3%
  • Steering114.3%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

1 campaign cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov
16V418000

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

Jun 9, 2016
2,601 units potentially affected
The defect: Daimler Trucks of North America (DTNA) is recalling certain model year 2008-2009 Sterling Bullet 4500 and 5500 chassis cab vehicles manufactured October 15, 2007, through November 10, 2008. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. These inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity, high temperatures, and temperature cycling.
The risk: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The remedy: Sterling will notify the owners and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. An interim letter was mailed to owners on July 22, 2016. The remedy is now available. Notification was mailed to owners on May 12, 2017. Owners may contact Sterling customer service at 1-800-547-0712. DTNA's number for this recall is FL-714.
Daimler Trucks North America LLCManufacturer number FL-714View on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

AirbagsOther / unspecified
Filed Jun 28, 2023

They don’t want to cover my recalls

NHTSA ID
11529266
Incident
Jun 1, 2023
AirbagsSteering
Filed Feb 9, 2023

The contact owns a 2008 Sterling Bullet 5500. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 13V605000 (Steering), 15V361000 (Air Bags) and 16V418000 (Air Bags), however, the parts to do the recall repairs were not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repairs. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA ID
11506461
Incident
Feb 9, 2023
Airbags
Filed Apr 5, 2017

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 STERLING BULLET 5500. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V418000 (AIR BAGS) IN JULY OF 2016. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE PARTS WERE AVAILABLE AND TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE LOCAL FREIGHTLINER. WHEN THE CONTACT MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE LOCAL FREIGHTLINER, THEY CALLED HER TO STATE THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE THE PROPER TOOLS TO MAKE THE REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THAT THEY WOULD SEND THEM THE TOOLING COLUMN TOOL. THE DAIMLER REPRESENTATIVE ADVISED THE CONTACT TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO ANOTHER FREIGHTLINER STERLING LOCATED IN CLEVELAND, WHICH WAS OVER TWO HOURS AWAY. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

NHTSA ID
10970643
Incident
Jul 26, 2016
Airbags
Filed Sep 6, 2016

TAKATA RECALL, MY LOCAL DODGE DEALER REFUSES TO DO THIS RECALL AND MY LOCAL FREIGHTLINER DEALER HAS HAD NO SUCCESS IN GETTING THE AIRBAG. IT SEEMS LIKE NOBODY CARES THAT PEOPLES LIVES ARE AT RISK

NHTSA ID
10903826
Incident
Jun 26, 2016
Airbags
Filed Jun 14, 2016

TAKATA RECALL WE HAVE VIN [XXX] THAT HAS CURRENT RECALL FL684A-D OUTSTANDING. WE HAVE HAD SEVERAL INSTANCES IN THE PAST WITH SEVERAL RECALLS NOT BEING ADDRESSED AND/OR STRETCHED OUT OVER TIME BY SEVERAL DEALERS DUE TO REDIRECTION OF RESPONSIBILITY BY DODGE AND STERLING. CURRENTLY THE VEHICLE IS STUCK AT LONESTAR TRUCK GROUP ? WICHITA FALLS FREIGHTLINER. THEY ARE WILLING TO WORK WITH US ON THE REPAIRS HOWEVER THEY DO NOT HAVE THE PARTS AVAILABLE NOR THE SOFTWARE UPDATES. THEY HAVE BEEN IN COMMUNICATION WITH PATTERSON DODGE WICHITA FALLS WHICH REFUSES TO HONOR THE RECALL AS IT IS A STERLING BULLET. DO WE HAVE ANY SOLUTION TO THIS? ANOTHER LOCAL SERVICE FACILITY OR WILL DTNA OFFER SOME OTHER MEANS OF CORRECTING THIS? DUE TO IT BEING A FLEET VEHICLE DRIVEN BY PERSONNEL WE HAVE NO SOLUTION CURRENTLY BUT TO GROUND THE TRUCK DUE TO LIABILITY CONCERNS. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID
10874160
Incident
Jun 14, 2016

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

9100226

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Connector kit Before ordering this connector repair kit 68018957A$, check it in the Mopar Connector Repair Kit Website to confirm part number and applicability. There is an error with the wiring diagrams in Service Library that is causing the incorrect repair kit part number to populate. Please use the Mopar Connector Repair Kit Website until this issue is resolved.

9100226

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

Connector kit Before ordering this connector repair kit 68018957A$, check it in the Mopar Connector Repair Kit Website to confirm part number and applicability. There is an error with the wiring diagrams in Service Library that is causing the incorrect repair kit part number to populate. Please use the Mopar Connector Repair Kit Website until this issue is resolved.

9004350

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING; POWER TRAIN

GEAR MOTOR, Transfer Case The gear motor assembly is shipped in AWD/2WD position. The transfer case needs to be positioned in AWD/2WD position to properly assemble gear motor to T-Case. Please reference Star Online publication S2121000003 for further details. Do not have the transfer case in in another position other than AWD/2WD and rotate the motor to align the bolt holes as this could result in damage to the gear motor.

9004350

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

GEAR MOTOR, Transfer Case The gear motor assembly is shipped in AWD/2WD position. The transfer case needs to be positioned in AWD/2WD position to properly assemble gear motor to T-Case. Please reference Star Online publication S2121000003 for further details. Do not have the transfer case in in another position other than AWD/2WD and rotate the motor to align the bolt holes as this could result in damage to the gear motor.

S2121000003

POWER TRAIN

Transfer Case Gear Motor/Actuator Installation Guidelines.

S2121000003

POWER TRAIN

Transfer Case Gear Motor/Actuator Installation Guidelines.

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Sterling Bullet 5500 by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2009110—
2008Viewing510—

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.