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1979 Jeep CJ5

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

About this comparison →
1Owner complaints

Model-year median: 0

2Recall campaigns

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0Investigations

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
0
19760
19771
19781
19790
19800
19810
1982
Compare all CJ5 years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Power Train
1

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 1 of 1 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Power Train. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

0 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports

Power Train complaints

1 reports
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50,000 miles · Jun 10, 2010
Power Train

TL*THE CONTACTS OWN A 1979 JEEP CJ5. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 30MPH HE SHIFTED INTO SECOND GEAR AND THE VEHICLE MADE A LOUD NOISE. WHEN HE SHIFTED INTO THIRD GEAR THE ENGINE SHUT OFF. A FEW MINUTES LATER, THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. HE NOTICED THAT TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS LEAKING FROM THE VEHICLE. …

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TL*THE CONTACTS OWN A 1979 JEEP CJ5. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 30MPH HE SHIFTED INTO SECOND GEAR AND THE VEHICLE MADE A LOUD NOISE. WHEN HE SHIFTED INTO THIRD GEAR THE ENGINE SHUT OFF. A FEW MINUTES LATER, THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. HE NOTICED THAT TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS LEAKING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CHRYSLER DEALER REFERRED HIM TO A JEEP DEALER WHO CONFIRMED THAT NHTSA CAMPAIGN 79V070000, POWER TRAIN, MANUAL TRANSMISSION RECALL WAS RELATED TO THE FAILURE; HOWEVER, THE JEEP DEALER REFUSED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE SINCE THERE WAS A 10 YEAR SUNSET CLAUSE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 50,000.

NHTSA ODI #10335720

Official recalls

2

79V070000 · Power Train:manual Transmission

Mar 14, 1979

CERTAIN VEHICLES MAY HAVE AN INCORRECT GASKET BETWEEN THE TRANSMISSION AND THE TRANSFER CASE. AN INCORRECT GASKET MAY INTERFERE WITH THE NORMAL FLOW OF LUBRICANT. THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE THE TRANSMISSION TO BECOME DAMAGED AND INOPERATIVE.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Not supplied

Remedy: THE GASKET BETWEEN THE TRANSMISSION AND THE TRANSFER CASE WILL BE REPLACED, IF NECESSARY.

78V243000 · Steering:linkages:rod:relay:connecting

Nov 6, 1978

THE CLAMP BOLTS ON THE ADJUSTER TUBE THAT FASTENS THE CONNECTING ROD TO THE PITMAN ARM END ASSEMBLY MAY BE LOOSE. THESE LOOSE BOLTS COULD CAUSE SHIFTING OF THE STEERING WHEEL POSITION, RELATIVE TO THE STRAIGHT-AHEAD-FRONT WHEEL POSITION, AND LOSS OF STEERING.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Not supplied

Remedy: THE DEALER WILL TIGHTEN THE BOLTS WHERE NECESSARY, AND CHECK AND CORRECT THE STEERING WHEEL ALIGNMENT FREE OF CHARGE.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.