1978 Mack R: recalls and complaints
NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for the 1978 Mack R. The newest campaign is 79V133000. NHTSA received the report on 31 May 1979. The NHTSA record gives the component Engine and Engine Cooling / Engine. NHTSA has no complaint on file for this model year.
The NHTSA recall file shows no do-not-drive advisory and no park-outside advisory on these campaigns.
This page cannot show if a recall applies to one vehicle. The NHTSA VIN lookup shows the unrepaired recalls of one vehicle.
Remedy of the newest campaign, 79V133000, in the NHTSA record
Dealer will install a shield for the heads of the four capscrews, along with stronger sae 8 grade 8 capscrews, if necessary, at no cost to owner.
Complaint information entered into NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation vehicle owner's complaint database is used with other data sources to identify safety issues that warrant investigation and to determine if a safety-related defect trend exists.
NHTSA publishes these words. Source: NHTSA Datasets and APIs, section Complaints, read on . Complaint file through . Recall file through .
Since the last update
No tracked figure of this page changed in a data update. What the log tracks
Recall campaigns
6 campaigns, newest first. 91,387 units in total.
- 79V133000Engine and Engine Cooling / Engine
- 79V082000Steering / Steering Wheel/Handle Bar
- 79V018000Suspension / Rear / Springs / Leaf Spring Assembly / Hanger/Bracket
- 79V017000Suspension / Multiple Axle
- 78V210000Service Brakes, Air / Antilock / Interconnecting Assembly(Wiring)
- 78V031000Suspension / Multiple Axle
79V133000Received . 23,000 units.
Engine and Engine Cooling / Engine
- Defect, in the NHTSA record
In the event of turbocharger compressor wheel failure, one or more of the four capscrews that hold the turbocharger together may be struck by parts of the compressor wheel, resulting in the capscrews being damaged. If these capscrews are damaged to the point that they allow the compressor back plate to dislocate from the turbocharger bearing housing, engine lubricating oil may be allowed to escape under pressure, contacting the engine exhaust manifold sections or turbocharger turbine housing.
- Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Dealer will install a shield for the heads of the four capscrews, along with stronger sae 8 grade 8 capscrews, if necessary, at no cost to owner.
Report filed by MACK TRUCKS, INCORPORATED. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: .
79V082000Received . 12,000 units.
Steering / Steering Wheel/Handle Bar
- Defect, in the NHTSA record
An improper pinch bolt and nut may have been used in the clamping of the steering shaft to the steering gear input shaft. Due to clamping force loads applied at the bolt, the nut could yield, resulting in looseness of the input shaft yoke. Should this condition go unnoticed, spline wear could cause shaft separation.
- Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Vehicles will be inspected and, if necessary, the correct fasteners will be installed at no charge to owner.
Report filed by MACK TRUCKS, INCORPORATED. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: .
79V018000Received . 17 units.
Suspension / Rear / Springs / Leaf Spring Assembly / Hanger/Bracket
- Defect, in the NHTSA record
The steel brackets on the suspension beam were found to be deficient due to excessive shrinkage and low mechanical properties. Failure of one or both of these brackets could cause a separation of the axle housing from the suspension.
- Remedy, in the NHTSA record
The dealer will inspect and, if necessary, replace any suspect bogie spring insulator caps with new caps meeting the proper specifications at no cost to owner.
Report filed by MACK TRUCKS, INCORPORATED. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: .
79V017000Received . 4,000 units.
Suspension / Multiple Axle
- Defect, in the NHTSA record
A casting deficiency exists in the lower section of the caps resulting in a reduction in the thickness of the material. Failure of a cap can allow the end of the rear spring to detach from the axle housing.
- Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Dealer will inspect and, if necessary, replace any of the spring insulator caps found to be defective. This will be done at no cost to owner.
Report filed by MACK TRUCKS, INCORPORATED. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: .
78V210000Received . 19,370 units.
Service Brakes, Air / Antilock / Interconnecting Assembly(Wiring)
- Defect, in the NHTSA record
Delays of up to about 2 seconds may exist in the brake application times to the brakes on the bogie axles in the presence of certain types of wheel speed sensor signal discontinuities or distortions that may occur as a result of sensor wire failure. This constitutes a non-compliance to federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 121, "air brake systems".
- Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Dealer will install new wheel speed sensors that incorporate improved wiring and the present bogie anti-wheel lock system will be changed to an axle-to-axle system for improved reliability.
Report filed by MACK TRUCKS, INCORPORATED. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: .
78V031000Received . 33,000 units.
Suspension / Multiple Axle
- Defect, in the NHTSA record
The tee bracket, which is mounted on the front axle of the bogie, may fail due to vibration brought on by road surface irregularities. Bracket failure would leave the tee bracket unsupported and cause broken hose connector fittings. This would result in automatic application of the spring emergency brakes.
- Remedy, in the NHTSA record
The dealer will replace the defective bracket with a redesigned version.
Report filed by MACK TRUCKS, INCORPORATED. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: .
The campaign number opens the NHTSA record. Each quotation is the text of the NHTSA recall file.
Recall campaign: One recall in the NHTSA recall file, with one campaign number. A campaign can name many makes, models and model years.
Units: The number of vehicles or products that a recall can include. The manufacturer or the firm reports the number to the agency.
Complaints by component
The NHTSA complaint file has no complaint for this model year.
Investigations
The NHTSA investigation file has no investigation that names this model year.
Investigation: A study of a possible safety defect by the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. An investigation with no closing date in the NHTSA file is open.
Other model years
The number under each year is the number of recall campaigns.
Official channels
- NHTSA VIN lookupNHTSA shows the unrepaired recalls of one vehicle from its VIN or its license plate.
- NHTSA: report a safety problemThe NHTSA form for a complaint about a vehicle, a tire, a child seat or equipment.
- NHTSA page of the 1978 Mack RThe recalls, the complaints and the investigations that NHTSA shows for this model year.
Cite this page
Recall Register. 1978 Mack R: recalls and complaints. https://recallregister.com/vehicle/mack/r/1978/. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, recall, complaint and investigation files. Data through .
Sources
- Source
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
- Licence
- US government work, public domain
- Recall file through
- 29 Sep 2026
- Complaint file through
- 29 Mar 2018
- First complaint in the file
- 1 Jan 1995
- Manufacturer in the recall file
- MACK TRUCKS, INCORPORATED
The NHTSA record is the authority. A complaint count is the number of different complaint numbers for the make, the model and the model year. How the register is made. Report an error.
Questions
- How many units are in the recall campaigns for the 1978 Mack R?
- 91,387 units in 6 campaigns. A campaign can name other models and model years, and its units include them.
- How many recall campaigns does the Mack R have for all model years?
- NHTSA lists 37 recall campaigns for the Mack R, model years 1965 to 1992. 6 of them name the 1978 model year.
- Is an NHTSA investigation of the 1978 Mack R open?
- The NHTSA investigation file has no investigation that names this model year.