Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1979 Horizon.
The 1979 Plymouth Horizon stands out in the model's reliability history with a remarkably lean documented record: just one owner complaint, filed under Latches/Locks/Linkages, alongside three recalls. This configuration places the model year at the minimal end of the complaint spectrum, representing a period of limited reported mechanical grievances. For researchers, this positions 1979 as a year of relative stability within the broader reliability chronology, suggesting minimal documented owner dissatisfaction during this production cycle.
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 Plymouth Horizon dominate in one area — the latches/locks/linkages, 1 of 1 reports (100%), well ahead of the next concern. None of this vehicle's 3 recall campaigns target the latches/locks/linkages, so those reports read as owner-reported wear-and-tear rather than an acknowledged defect. 0 of the reports describe a crash and 0 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the latches/locks/linkages 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 3 campaigns on record for this vehicle.
THE WHEEL MOUNTING NUTS INSTALLED MAY BE INCORRECT DUE TO A SUPPLIER ERROR IN MIXING STANDARD THREAD NUTS WITH SPECIFIED METRIC THREAD NUTS PRIOR TO PLANT SHIPMENT. AS A RESULT, THE NUT THREADS MAY STRIP WHEN TIGHTENED… Remedy: DEALER WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE EXISTING NUTS WITH THE PROPER METRIC THREAD NUTS, WITHOUT CHARGE TO OWNER.
THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT FUEL LINE HOSES INSTALLED ON CERTAIN VEHICLES WERE FABRICATED FROM A DEFECTIVE RUBBER COMPOUND. WHEN SUBJECTED TO CONTINUOUS HIGH UNDERHOOD TEMPERATURES, THESE HOSES MAY BECOME BRITTLE AND CRACK. Remedy: THE DEALER WILL REPLACE FUEL SUPPLY AND VAPOR RETURN HOSES WITH A TYPE CONSTRUCTED OF HIGH TEMPERATURE-RESISTANT MATERIAL.
Showing 1 of 1 bulletins on record with NHTSA.
| Bulletin | Date | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21-15-80 | 1980-06-01 | Power Train | UNKNOWN |
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 3 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.