Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1979 CJ5.
The 1979 Jeep CJ5 stands out in the model’s ownership record with only a single reported complaint, and that issue was traced to the power train. During its production year the vehicle was subject to two recalls, reflecting the manufacturer’s response to identified concerns. With such a minimal complaint footprint, the 1979 CJ5 occupies a favorable spot in the CJ5’s reliability history, suggesting a comparatively dependable example of the line.
Condensed service procedures for routine maintenance. Procedures that require dealer diagnostic equipment are identified and summarized only.
| Tool required | DRBIII scan tool (dealer / locksmith) |
| Why | Transmitter codes are written into the receiver in the passenger door module |
| When needed | After Sentry Key Immobilizer Module (SKIM) replacement |
| Tool required | DRBIII scan tool |
| Also required | The vehicle's four-digit PIN code |
Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.
Owner complaints about the 1979 Jeep CJ5 dominate in one area — the power train, 1 of 1 reports (100%), well ahead of the next concern. That matters, because the power train are also the target of recall 79V-070 on this vehicle — so the single most useful check before buying or servicing one is confirming it was actually performed. 0 of the reports describe a crash and 0 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the power train pattern above. These are tallies of what owners actually reported to the federal government, not an editorial score — and higher-selling models naturally rack up more reports.
All 1 complaints on record, top 1 components.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.
Showing 2 of 2 campaigns on record for this vehicle.
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… Remedy: THE GASKET BETWEEN THE TRANSMISSION AND THE TRANSFER CASE WILL BE REPLACED, IF NECESSARY.
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… Remedy: THE DEALER WILL TIGHTEN THE BOLTS WHERE NECESSARY, AND CHECK AND CORRECT THE STEERING WHEEL ALIGNMENT FREE OF CHARGE.
The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.
Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.
Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.
NHTSA lists 2 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.