2000 Sterling L Line: what breaks, and at what mileage
What breaks on the 2000 Sterling L Line
No owner has filed a defect report with NHTSA about the 2000 Sterling L Line. That is not a clean bill of health — it usually means few were sold, or the year is too new for problems to have surfaced.
Recalls on the 2000 model year
NHTSA has issued 3 recall campaigns covering the 2000 Sterling L Line, affecting an estimated 1,898 vehicles. A recall is a different kind of evidence from a complaint: it is the regulator and the manufacturer agreeing that something has to be fixed, and the fix is free for as long as the car exists.
The campaigns cover suspension:front:hub, exterior lighting:turn signal:switch and fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly. Whether the work was actually done on the car in front of you is a question only the VIN can answer, and the manufacturer or NHTSA will answer it free.
One caution about reading these together: a recall usually raises the complaint count for the same part, because owners who read about it go and file. The mileages stay informative; the counts get noisy.
SUSPENSION:FRONT:HUB
5,716 vehicles 2003-03-21- Defect
- On certain trucks equipped with truck hub units manufactured by skf exclusively for use on arvinmeritor's ff98x series non-drive steer axles, the hub unit bearings can wear prematurely.
- Consequence
- Seizure of the bearings can cause wheel separation or wheel end fire.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace both front hubs. Owner notification is expected to begin on or before september 20, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact freightliner at 1-800-547-0712.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL:SWITCH
671 vehicles 2000-11-29- Defect
- Vehicle description: heavy duty trucks. A loss of the turn signal function can occur due to a turn signal flasher that is not compatible with the turn signal switches that allow the brake lights to override the hazard warning lights. If the hazard warning lights are on and the brake lights are activated, the turn signal flasher senses an overload condition and becomes disabled until all electric loads are removed.
- Consequence
- Following drivers may not be aware of the truck's turning intentions increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will install a turn signal flasher that is compatible with turn signal switches that allow the brake lights to override the hazard warning lights.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
9,875 vehicles 2000-03-17- Defect
- Vehicle description: heavy duty truck models with 111", 113", and 122" cabs. The fuel tank steps can develop fatigue cracks due to excessive overhang.
- Consequence
- The steps could fail.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect the step assembly for overhang and add an end support of the trailing edge of the fuel tank step, if necessary. Owner notification began november 2, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact freightliner at 1-800-547-0712.
Recall work is free at a franchised dealer regardless of the car's age. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before assuming it was done.
Every year of the Sterling L Line
Scores compare each year against other cars of the same model year, so a low number on an older car is a real result and not an artefact of age.
Why this page is short
A model year needs about 8 reports before percentiles mean anything, and this one does not have them. Complaint volume tracks how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road, so a thin page usually means a rare car, a new car, or a car whose owners do not file.
Where this comes from. Every figure above is computed from NHTSA owner complaints and recall records for this exact make, model and year. Complaints are voluntary and self-selected, so treat counts as a floor. The methodology page writes out each formula, and the same numbers are available as JSON.
What breaks at my mileage Compare with another car
Source Owner complaints and recall records published by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, model years 1996–2027 Figures rebuilt Published by AtWhatMileage How every figure is computed