- The problem
- 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.
- The risk
- A fractured fuel line may leak diesel fuel possibly resulting in a fire or fuel may be spilled on the road causing a slippery surface, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash.
- The fix
- Detroit diesel will notify owners and the vehicles will be repaired with more robust lines and vibration dampers free of charge. Repairs will be performed by authorized detroit diesel distributorships. The recall began on march 9, 2009. Owners may contact detroit diesel 1-313-592-3708 or dtna toll-free at 1-800-547-0712 for more information.
Vehicle safety record
2004 Sterling Acterra Problems, complaints & recalls
No owner complaints about the 2004 Sterling Acterra have been filed with NHTSA. It is covered by 6 recalls, the latest in December 2008 for the hoses, lines / piping, and fittings.
NHTSA data checked
CAbout as many problems as a typical Acterra year, for its age
- Complaints
- 0
- Recalls
- 6
- Crashes
- 0
- Fires
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Deaths
- 0
2004 Sterling Acterra recalls 6
Recall repairs are free. Your dealer fixes them whether or not you bought the car there - check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see if yours is done. What to do
- The problem
- 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.
- The risk
- Continued operation may lead to wheel separation and possibly a vehicle crash.
- The fix
- 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.
- The problem
- 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.
- The risk
- These conditions could either result in leakage and cause a delay in the application of the spring brake without warning or possibly lead to unintended vehicle rollaway or brake drag which could result in a vehicle crash, personal injury, or death.
- The fix
- Freightliner will notify owners and repair the vehicles free of charge. The recall began on january 11, 2008 to freightliner, sterling, and freightliner custom chassis owners; to thomas built bus owners on february 1, 2008. Owners can contact freightliner at 1-800-547-0712.
- The problem
- 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.
- The risk
- This can result in fan breakage, resulting in vehicle damage or personal injury.
- The fix
- 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.
- The problem
- On certain trucks the rear hub bearings may have been incorrectly adjusted.
- The risk
- The rear axle wheel ends with excessive bearing preload adjustment will overheat and may cause a fire.
- The fix
- Dealers will check the rear wheel end installation to verity bearing adjustment and repair trucks with damaged bearings. The recall began on april 7, 2005 owners may contact freightliner at 1-800-547-0712.
- The problem
- Certain michelin xde commercial truck tires, size 10r22.5 Lrg and lrf for use on freightliner school and transit buses. These tires were manfactured between may 23 and october 24, 2004, can experience rapid air loss due to an irregularity of the inner liner.
- The risk
- Rapid air loss can result in loss of vehicle control and a vehicle crash can occur.
- The fix
- Michelin will notify its customers and replace the tires free of charge. The recall began december 27, 2004. Owners who do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact michelin at 888-622-2306.
What owners say
Be the first Acterra owner to share.
Problems or none - your experience is exactly what the next buyer is looking for. Write it now
No complaints about the 2004 Sterling Acterra yet
No owner has filed a complaint about this vehicle with NHTSA. If yours has a problem, share it here and report it to NHTSA.
Sterling Acterra: every year compared
All Acterra years2004 Sterling Acterra vs rivals
| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Grade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 Sterling Acterra | 0 | 6 | C | |
| 2004 Sterling HX | 1 | 1 | - | Compare |
| 2004 Sterling LT9500 | 1 | 1 | D | Compare |
More sales usually means more complaints, so compare similar vehicles of the same year. The grade compares each vehicle with its own model's other years.
Questions about the 2004 Sterling Acterra
Does the 2004 Sterling Acterra have any recalls?
Yes - NHTSA lists 6 recalls for the 2004 Sterling Acterra: hoses, lines / piping, and fittings (December 2008); axle assembly (March 2008); check valve (July 2007); fan (March 2005) and more. Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours has been fixed.
How many complaints has the 2004 Sterling Acterra had?
None have been filed with NHTSA so far.
Is the 2004 Sterling Acterra a reliable vehicle?
Its Safety Index is 50 out of 100 (grade C: about as many problems as a typical Sterling Acterra year, for its age). The index weighs complaints, crashes, fires, injuries, deaths and recalls against how long the vehicle has been on the road, compared with the same model's other years. It is not a measure of every repair - read the complaints and owner experiences, and have any used vehicle inspected before you buy.
Which Sterling Acterra years have the most complaints?
2003 (2), 2006 (2), 2002 (1). See every Sterling Acterra year compared.
What should I do if my 2004 Sterling Acterra has a problem?
If it is a safety problem, stop driving it if it is unsafe and contact your dealer. Report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem - enough reports start investigations and recalls - and share your experience here so other owners know what to look for.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints and recalls, checked . Complaints are owners' own reports and are not verified. How we use the data