Total Complaints
1 filings
STERLING BULLET · model year
2008 STERLING BULLET
1 NHTSA complaints, and 5 active recalls for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2008STERLINGBULLET carries 1 consumer safety complaint in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2008 BULLET is air bags with 1 filings. Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability. This model year has 5 active recall campaigns, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.
NHTSA currently has 1 investigation file overlapping the 2008 BULLET. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
1
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| AIR BAGS | 1 |
Recalls (5)
13V60500029/11/2013
STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY
Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) is recalling certain model year 2008-2009 Sterling Bullet trucks manufactured October 15, 2007, through November 10, 2008. In the affected vehicles, the left outer tie rod ball stud may fracture.
11V19300023/03/2011
STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY
DAIMLER TRUCKS IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2008 AND 2009 STERLING BULLET VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM OCTOBER 15, 2007, THROUGH NOVEMBER 10, 2008. THE LEFT OUTER TIE ROD END MAY FRACTURE DUE TO A MISALIGNMENT CONDITION. UNDER CERTAIN DRIVING CONDITIONS, THE MISALIGNMENT MAY LEAD TO A WEAKENING A
15V36100010/06/2015
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
Daimler Trucks North America LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain model year 2008-2009 Sterling Bullet 4500 and 5500 trucks manufactured October 15, 2007, to November 10, 2008. The affected vehicles are equipped with a dual-stage driver frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion which
16V88000007/12/2016
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR
Daimler Trucks North America LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain model year 2008-2009 Sterling Bullet 4500 and 5500 cab chassis vehicles manufactured November 1, 2007, to November 7, 2008. The affected vehicles have a 220 amp alternator that may develop a short circuit.
09V07400006/03/2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
DAIMLER TRUCKS IS RECALLING 46 MY 2008 STERLING BULLET TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH DASH SILENCER PAD THAT COULD SAG AND COME IN CONTACT WITH AN EXHAUST GAS RECIRCULATION (EGR) COOLER IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT.
Recent Complaints
20170516AIR BAGS
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 STERLING BULLET. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V418000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REMEDY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND OFFERED A CALL BACK TO NOTIFY OF WHEN THE PARTS BECAME AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.
Compare 2008STERLINGBULLET to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2008 STERLING BULLET have?▼
The 2008 STERLING BULLET has 1 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2008 STERLING BULLET?▼
Yes, the 2008 STERLING BULLET has 5 recall(s). The most common affected component is STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2008 STERLING BULLET?▼
The most-complained component for the 2008 STERLING BULLET is AIR BAGS with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include various components.
Is the 2008 STERLING BULLET safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.