Total Complaints
1 filings
STERLING STERLING · model year
2002 STERLING STERLING
1 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2002STERLINGSTERLING 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 2002 STERLING is suspension:front:wheel bearing 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.
NHTSA currently has 1 investigation file overlapping the 2002 STERLING. 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 |
|---|---|
| SUSPENSION:FRONT:WHEEL BEARING | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20111020SUSPENSION:FRONT:WHEEL BEARING
2002 STERLING BOX TRUCK. CONSUMER STATES TRUCK WAS ON A LOCAL HIGHWAY AND STARTING MAKING A HIGH PITCH GRINDING NOISE IN THE FRONT WHEEL AND SNAPPED OFF *TGW THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER THERE WAS A SPINDLE NUT RECALL ON THE TRUCK. THE TOTAL REPAIR BILL WAS $ 3,602.33 OF WHICH NONE OF IT WAS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED DAIMLER TRUCKS TO INQUIRE ABOUT THE RECALL, BUT WAS INFORMED, SINCE THE REPAIRS WERE NOT COMPLETED AT AN AUTHORIZED REPAIR SHOP, THE CONSUMER WOULD NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR REIMBURSEMENT. *JB. UPDATED 12/06/11. *JB
Compare 2002STERLINGSTERLING to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2002 STERLING STERLING have?▼
The 2002 STERLING STERLING has 1 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2002 STERLING STERLING?▼
The most-complained component for the 2002 STERLING STERLING is SUSPENSION:FRONT:WHEEL BEARING with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include various components.
Is the 2002 STERLING STERLING 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.