STERLING HX · model year

2004 STERLING HX

1 NHTSA complaints, and 1 active recall for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2004STERLINGHX 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 2004 HX is service brakes, air 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 1 active recall campaign, 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 2004 HX. 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

Total Complaints

1 filings

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

ComponentCount
SERVICE BRAKES, AIR1

Recalls (1)

04V20500004/05/2004

POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

ON CERTAIN TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSION, THE TAPERED JOINT THAT ATTACHES THE SHIFTER TO THE TRANSMISSION MAY BECOME LOOSE MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO PUT THE TRANSMISSION INTO GEAR.

Recent Complaints

20090716SERVICE BRAKES, AIR

I OWN 10 2004 STERLING TRACTORS. THE BRAKE PEDAL IS MOUNTED ON THE FLOOR. THE CONNECTING PARTS ARE MADE OF UNSIMILAR METALS AND AFTER A PERIOD OF TIME THE PARTS BIND UP MAKING THE PEDAL FREEZE, WHAT COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. THANKS *TR

Mileage: 45,000

Compare 2004STERLINGHX to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2004 STERLING HX have?
The 2004 STERLING HX has 1 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2004 STERLING HX?
Yes, the 2004 STERLING HX has 1 recall(s). The most common affected component is POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2004 STERLING HX?
The most-complained component for the 2004 STERLING HX is SERVICE BRAKES, AIR with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include various components.
Is the 2004 STERLING HX 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.