2006 Sterling LT: what breaks, and at what mileage
What breaks on the 2006 Sterling LT
Only 1 defect report has been filed with NHTSA about the 2006 Sterling LT, which is too few to compute mileage percentiles or a risk score. The report reported other suspension problem.
When each failure gets reported
Tick median reported mileage Solid middle half of reports Faint 10th to 90th percentile Colour how bad the failure is when it happens
How reports accumulate
Every report with an odometer reading, cumulative, from 0 to 200,000 miles. A curve that climbs early is a car with early problems, whatever its total.
- Line share of reports filed by that mileage
Every reported failure mode
| Failure mode | System | Reports | With reading | 25th | Median | 75th | Per 1,000 | Typical repair | Severity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other suspension problem | suspension | 1 | 1 | — | 46k | — | 14.1 | $350–$2,000 | Moderate |
Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound. Repair costs are typical independent-shop ranges for the failure, not figures from these reports.
What owners wrote
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint narratives, trimmed for length. The odometer reading is the one the owner gave.
Other suspension problem
I am writing to inform you that there is a safety problem with the hendrickson haulmax suspension used on medium and heavy duty trucks. In my case the bolster springs began to lean to one side of my truck, and the bolts on the whole suspension would never stay tight. When the vehicle was taken to the garage to be fixed it was noticed that the walking beams on the truck were in an unsafe condition and the whole suspension need to be replaced. The company I lease on to has four trucks with this suspension and they are all doing the same thing, in fact one of them the suspension totally collapsed on 9/6/07 and is now in the shop getting repaired. I was also informed by a fellow driver that the company he hauls for has some trucks with this suspension and two of them the walking beams broke in half while the trucks were going down the road at 70 MPH, resulting in lose of control of the vehicle. Hendrickson redesigned the bolsters but the walking beam are still the same type. Eventually people will get killed when a walking beam breaks in half and the truck kills them. Something really needs to be done before that happens. *tr
Recalls on the 2006 model year
NHTSA has issued 1 recall campaign covering the 2006 Sterling LT, affecting an estimated 71 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 power train:axle 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.
POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY
500 vehicles 2005-12-06- Defect
- On certain trucks and motor home chassis, the top flange of the front axle I-beam may fatigue and fracture.
- Consequence
- Driver may experience loss control of the vehicle and a crash could occur without prior warning.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect and replace the front axle assembly. The recall began on march 15, 2006, for phase I. Phase 2 will begin during august 2006. This recall is being conducted in two phases. Phase I will replace the complete axle assembly; and phase ii will replace the axle beam and steering knuckles. Owners may 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 LT
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.
What the reports on file say
The complaints recorded against the 2006 Sterling LT are other suspension problem (1 report, around 46k miles). With a sample this size these are anecdotes rather than a pattern, and they are shown because somebody looking at this exact car would rather see them than nothing.
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