NHTSA vehicle safety data

2009 Sterling Bullet 5500 Recalls & Complaints

The 2009 Sterling Bullet 5500 has 1 NHTSA recall campaign and 1 owner complaint on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized Sterling dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 2009 Sterling Bullet 5500. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

2009 Sterling Bullet 5500 owner complaints

Owners have filed 1 complaint with NHTSA about the 2009 Sterling Bullet 5500, describing incidents dated March 27, 2017.

Most-cited components

Air Bags 1 complaint

Newest complaints

ODI #11010709 · Filed July 26, 2017
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 STERLING BULLET 5500. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V418000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS NOT YET AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE UNKNOWN LOCAL DEALER WAS UNABLE TO REMEDY THE VEHICLE IN A…

Read the full complaint

Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Rupture

NHTSA #16V418000 · Air Bags — Frontal — Passenger Side — Inflator Module · NHTSA notice

Reported June 9, 2016 · Daimler Trucks North America LLC

Potentially affected: 2,601 vehicles

Repair completion: 47.64% (latest rate the manufacturer reported to NHTSA; dataset updated November 3, 2026)

Manufacturer campaign FL-714 · Owners notified May 12, 2017 · Vehicles built October 15, 2007 – November 10, 2008 (per NHTSA) · Recall influenced by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation

Recall group: Takata airbag inflators

Defect description

Daimler Trucks of North America (DTNA) is recalling certain model year 2008-2009 Sterling Bullet 4500 and 5500 chassis cab vehicles manufactured October 15, 2007, through November 10, 2008. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. These inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity, high temperatures, and temperature cycling.

Safety consequence

An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Manufacturer remedy

Sterling will notify the owners and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. An interim letter was mailed to owners on July 22, 2016. The remedy is now available. Notification was mailed to owners on May 12, 2017. Owners may contact Sterling customer service at 1-800-547-0712. DTNA's number for this recall is FL-714.

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

try.vin has no NCAP crash-test rating on file for the 2009 Sterling Bullet 5500. NHTSA rates some vehicles by body style — pickups by cab, vans by roof height — so check nhtsa.gov/ratings.

1 owner complaint has been filed with NHTSA for the 2009 Sterling Bullet 5500.

Air Bags

ODI #11010709

Incident: March 27, 2017 · Filed: July 26, 2017

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 STERLING BULLET 5500. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V418000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS NOT YET AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE UNKNOWN LOCAL DEALER WAS UNABLE TO REMEDY THE VEHICLE IN A TIMELY MANNER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED HOWEVER; THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO SPEAK TO A LIVE REPRESENTATIVE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

Other Sterling Bullet 5500 model years

Check your 2009 Sterling Bullet 5500 VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Sterling Bullet 5500 at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

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