2008–2009 Sterling Bullet 4500, 2008–2009 Sterling Bullet 5500 Recall: These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as…
NHTSA campaign 16V418000 · Air Bags · filed Jun 9, 2016 · verified Jul 30, 2026
The defect
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.
The risk
An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →The fix — what to do
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.
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.
Affected vehicles
| Make | Model | Model years |
|---|---|---|
| Sterling | Bullet 4500 | 2008, 2009 |
| Sterling | Bullet 5500 | 2008, 2009 |
Related recalls
Other campaigns involving Sterling vehicles
Source: NHTSA recall database, campaign 16V418000 (manufacturer number FL-714). Data last verified Jul 30, 2026.