RecallRadar

HomeSterling8500 → 2009

2009 Sterling 8500 Recalls & Complaints

5

open safety recalls on record

Critical

2 owner complaints filed · Severity Index 0.00 · updated 2026-08-07

The recalls

Critical11V455000

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine

SHORT CIRCUITED GRID HEATER COULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE FIRE AND INJURY TO VEHICLE OCCUPANTS.

Remedy & full details

DAIMLER TRUCKS WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL REPAIR THE VEHICLES FREE OF CHARGE. REPAIRS WILL BE PERFORMED BY DETROIT DIESEL CORPORATION AUTHORIZED REPAIR FACILITIES. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 12, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DAIMLER TRUCKS TOLL-FREE AT 1-800-547-0712. THIS RECALL IS AN EXPANSION OF A PREVIOUS RECALL, CAMPAIGN NUMBER 10V-341.

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.

Critical09V400000

Engine And Engine Cooling

SHORT-CIRCUITED GRID HEATER COULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE FIRE AND INJURY TO VEHICLE OCCUPANTS.

Remedy & full details

THE ENGINE CONTROL LOGIC WILL BE REPROGRAMMED FREE OF CHARGE BY DETROIT DIESEL AUTHORIZED REPAIR FACILITIES AND DIRECT WARRANTY CUSTOMERS TO PROVIDE COLD WEATHER STARTING WITHOUT THE NEED OF A GRID HEATER. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 4, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DETROIT DIESEL AT 1-313-592-5800 AND DAIMLER TRUCKS AT 1-800-547-0712.

DAIMLER TRUCKS IS RECALLING MODEL YEAR 2007-2010 FREIGHTLINER, STERLING AND WESTERN STAR VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH DETROIT DIESEL DD15 EPA07 ENGINES WHICH WERE MANUFACTURED WITH GRID HEATERS. INCREASED INTERNAL GRID HEATER RESISTANCE CAUSED BY IMPROPERLY TIGHTENED SCREWS MAY MELT THE SOLDER ON THE GRID HEATER CIRCUIT BOARD LEADING TO A SHORT CIRCUIT.

Critical10V341000

Engine And Engine Cooling

SHORT CIRCUITED GRID HEATER COULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE FIRE AND INJURY TO VEHICLE OCCUPANTS.

Remedy & full details

DAIMLER TRUCKS WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND DEALERS WILL REPAIR THE BUSES FREE OF CHARGE. REPAIRS WILL BE PERFORMED BY DETROIT DIESEL CORPORATION AUTHORIZED REPAIR FACILITIES. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OR ABOUT JULY 29, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DAIMLER TRUCKS TOLL-FREE AT 1-800-547-0712.

DAIMLER TRUCKS IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2007 THROUGH 2011 FREIGHTLINER, FCCC, STERLING, AND WESTERN STAR HEAVY TRUCKS MANUFACTURED FROM SEPTEMBER 5, 2006, THROUGH JUNE 30, 2010, EQUIPPED WITH SPECIFIC MBE900 EPA04 AND EPA07 MODEL ENGINES. THE INTAKE AIR GRID HEATER MAY SHORT CIRCUIT AND FAIL DUE TO EXCESSIVE INTERNAL TEMPERATURES.

Serious09V220000

Service Brakes, Air:Supply:Quick Release Valve

MALFUNCTION OF THE AIR BRAKE SYSTEM COULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy & full details

DAIMLER TRUCKS WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPAIR THE BUSES FREE OF CHARGE. REPAIRS WILL BE PERFORMED BY DAIMLER TRUCKS NORTH AMERICA. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 12, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DAIMLER TRUCKS TOLL-FREE AT 1-800-547-0712.

DAIMLER TRUCKS IS RECALLING 1,460 MODEL YEAR 2009 AND 2010 HEAVY DUTY TRUCKS AND FCCC CHASSIS (USED ON THOMAS BUILT SCHOOL BUSES) MANUFACTURED FROM JUNE 11 THROUGH DECEMBER 16, 2008, EQUIPPED WITH CERTAIN HALDEX QUICK RELEASE VALVES (QRV). THE RUBBER DIAPHRAGM INSIDE THE QRV MAY EXPERIENCE DELAMINATION RESULTING IN SIGNIFICANT LEVELS OF AIR PRESSURE LEAKAGE PAST AND/OR THROUGH THE DIAPHRAGM, OR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A BUBBLE IN THE DIAPHRAGM WHICH MAY TRAP AIR PRESSURE IN THE VALVE AND NOT ALLOW THE SERVICE BRAKES TO RELEASE.

Serious09V391000

Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings

IF A DIESEL FUEL LEAK CONTINUES UNDETECTED UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS FUEL MAY IGNITE ON A HOT ENGINE SURFACE AND/OR FUEL MAY SPILL ON THE ROAD raises the risk of A CRASH.

Remedy & full details

DAIMLER TRUCKS WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND THE REMEDY WILL BE PERFORMED BY DETROIT DIESEL CORPORATION AUTHORIZED REPAIR FACILITIES AND DIRECT WARRANTY CUSTOMERS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 7, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DAIMLER TRUCKS AT 1-800-547-0712.

DAIMLER TRUCKS IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2006 THROUGH 2010 HEAVY TRUCKS MANUFACTURED BETWEEN JANUARY 17, 2006 AND MARCH 31, 2009, EQUIPPED WITH EPA07 MODEL MBE4000 ENGINES BUILT WITH PLASTIC LOW PRESSURE FUEL LINES. THE PLASTIC LINES MAY EXPERIENCE LEAKS DUE TO FATIGUE CRACKS CAUSED BY STRESS AND VIBRATION COMBINED WITH HIGH INTERNAL PRESSURE.

Complaint volume

2 this model-year 10 median, same year

Volume alone is not a fault rate — popular vehicles attract more reports. Read it next to the severity mix below.

What owners reported happened

0Crashes
0Fires
0Injuries
0Deaths

Across 2 complaints. Severity Index 0.00.

Severity Index weights each complaint's reported outcome (death ×10, injury ×4, fire ×3, crash ×2) and divides by total complaints. It measures how severe reports are, not how often faults occur.

What owners report most

Engine And Engine Cooling1 · 50%Fuel System, Gasoline1 · 50%
  1. Engine And Engine Cooling — 1 reports
  2. Fuel System, Gasoline — 1 reports

What to do

  1. Find your 17-character VIN on the driver's door jamb or the base of the windscreen.
  2. Check it against NHTSA's official lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls — the authoritative record for your exact car.
  3. Book the repair with any franchised dealer. Safety recall work is free, with no time limit and regardless of who owns the car now.

Other model years

2009

Numbers in brackets are open recall campaigns for that year.

Questions

Does an open recall mean the car is unsafe to drive?

Not usually. NHTSA issues a "do not drive" or "park outside" advisory when a defect is dangerous enough to keep you out of the car — those are flagged Critical above. Everything else should be repaired promptly but is not an immediate stop-driving order.

Do I pay for recall repairs?

No. Federal law requires the manufacturer to fix a safety recall free of charge, including parts and labour, whether or not you are the original owner.

Why are there complaints but no recalls?

Complaints are unverified reports filed by owners. They can prompt an investigation, but many never become recalls — either the fault isn't safety-related or it isn't widespread.