Total Complaints
1 filings
STERLING L-LINE · model year
2009 STERLING L-LINE
1 NHTSA complaints, and 5 active recalls for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2009STERLINGL-LINE 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 2009 L-LINE is equipment 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 2009 L-LINE. 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 |
|---|---|
| EQUIPMENT | 1 |
Recalls (5)
09V36600023/09/2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
DAIMLER TRUCKS IS RECALLING MODEL YEAR 2004-2010 TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH CATERPILLAR C15 ENGINE. THE VARIABLE VALVE ACTUATION OIL LINE MAY RUB AGAINST THE P-CLIPS RETAINING THE OIL LINE, CAUSING AN OIL LEAK.
11V33000021/06/2011
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY:CABLES
DTNA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2008-2012 FREIGHTLINER; CASCADIA, CENTURY CLASS, COLUMBIA, AND CORONADO, CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2008-2009 STERLING; A-LINE AND L-LINE AND CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2009-2012 WESTERN STAR CONSTELLATION VEHICLES, MANUFACTURED FROM JANUARY 14, 2008, THROUGH JUNE 15, 2011, BUIL
10V32200013/07/2010
STEERING:COLUMN
DAIMLER TRUCKS (DTNA) IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2009 AND 2010 FREIGHTLINER BUSINESS CLASS M2, STERLING ACTERRA, A-LINE, AND L-LINE HEAVY TRUCKS MANUFACTURED FROM SEPTEMBER 8, 2008 THROUGH APRIL 20, 2009 EQUIPPED WITH TRW IGEN3 INTERMEDIATE STEERING COLUMNS. THE WELD AROUND THE IGEN3 STEERING
09V08700013/03/2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:DIESEL
CATERPILLAR IS RECALLING 14 MY 2008-2009 STERLING A-LINE & L-LINE TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH CATERPILLAR ENGINE. THE AFTERTREATMENT REGENERATION DEVICE (ARD) MAY DEVELOP A HOLE AND HEAT AND FLAME MAY ESCAPE DURING A REGENERATION OF THE DIESEL PARTICULAR FILTER.
09V08600013/03/2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:DIESEL
DAIMLER TRUCKS IS RECALLING 2 MY 2008-2009 FREIGHTLINER COLUMBIA AND STERLING L-LINE TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH CATERPILLAR C7, C9, C13 AND C15 DIESEL ENGINES. INADEQUATE STIFFNESS OF THE DIESEL PARTICULATE FILTER (DPF) BRACKET COULD RESULT IN SEPARATION OF THE DPF FROM THE CHASSIS.
Recent Complaints
20140425EQUIPMENT
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 STERLING L8-500 EQUIPPED WITH A LITTLE FALLS MACHINE INC. SNOW PLOW, MODEL NUMBER PR-114. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE PLOW FEET FELL OFF. THE WEIGHT WAS APPROXIMATELY 65LBS/ THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND OFFERED NO RESOLUTION. THE INCIDENT HAPPENED TO FOUR OF HIS EIGHT PLOWS. UPDATED 06/10/14 MA
Compare 2009STERLINGL-LINE to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2009 STERLING L-LINE have?▼
The 2009 STERLING L-LINE has 1 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2009 STERLING L-LINE?▼
Yes, the 2009 STERLING L-LINE has 5 recall(s). The most common affected component is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2009 STERLING L-LINE?▼
The most-complained component for the 2009 STERLING L-LINE is EQUIPMENT with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include various components.
Is the 2009 STERLING L-LINE 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.