Recall Register

1979 Mack WS: recalls and complaints

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 1979 Mack WS. The newest campaign is 79V171000. NHTSA received the report on 12 Jul 1979. The NHTSA record gives the component Suspension / Rear / Springs / Leaf Spring Assembly. 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, 79V171000, in the NHTSA record

The dealer will replace the existing spring seat with a newly fabricated seat which is welded to the housing. An improved spring clamping plate and new springs will also be installed without charge.
NHTSA VIN lookup

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

All updates to the register

Recall campaigns

4 campaigns, newest first. 36,019 units in total.

  • 79V171000Suspension / Rear / Springs / Leaf Spring Assembly
  • 79V164000Steering / Steering Wheel/Handle Bar
  • 79V137000Steering / Linkages
  • 79V133000Engine and Engine Cooling / Engine

  1. 79V171000Received . 1,706 units.

    Suspension / Rear / Springs / Leaf Spring Assembly

    Defect, in the NHTSA record
    The spring seat plate, located between the axle housing and the suspension springs, may deform due to spring bending. As a result, the clamping force in the assembly may be reduced. Loss of clamping force could cause spring failure and the axle will dislocate. Also, the tire could come into contact with the spring.
    Remedy, in the NHTSA record
    The dealer will replace the existing spring seat with a newly fabricated seat which is welded to the housing. An improved spring clamping plate and new springs will also be installed without charge.

    Report filed by MACK TRUCKS, INCORPORATED. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: .

  2. 79V164000Received . 4,640 units.

    Steering / Steering Wheel/Handle Bar

    Defect, in the NHTSA record
    The flange head pinch bolts used in the yokes of the steering shaft assemblies may have been overstressed due to the bolts not being tightened to specifications. As a result, the pinch bolts could break while in service.
    Remedy, in the NHTSA record
    Flange head pinch bolts will be replaced with standard grade 8 fasteners without charge to owner.

    Report filed by MACK TRUCKS, INCORPORATED. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: .

  3. 79V137000Received . 6,673 units.

    Steering / Linkages

    Defect, in the NHTSA record
    The pitman arm retaining nut may not have been torqued to manufacturer specifications. This could result in inadequate retention of the nut at the output shaft, allowing the pitman arm to become loose.
    Remedy, in the NHTSA record
    Dealer will inspect and retorque pitman arm, if necessary, at no cost to owner.

    Report filed by MACK TRUCKS, INCORPORATED. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: .

  4. 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: .

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.

  1. 19721
  2. 19731
  3. 19747
  4. 197513
  5. 19768
  6. 19778
  7. 19785
  8. 19794
  9. 19801
  10. 19811
  11. 19831
  12. 19841

A year without a link has fewer than 2 campaigns and fewer than 25 complaints. It has no page.

Official channels

Cite this page

Recall Register. 1979 Mack WS: recalls and complaints. https://recallregister.com/vehicle/mack/ws/1979/. 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
15 May 2019
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 1979 Mack WS?
36,019 units in 4 campaigns. A campaign can name other models and model years, and its units include them.
How many recall campaigns does the Mack WS have for all model years?
NHTSA lists 23 recall campaigns for the Mack WS, model years 1972 to 1984. 4 of them name the 1979 model year.
Is an NHTSA investigation of the 1979 Mack WS open?
The NHTSA investigation file has no investigation that names this model year.