Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1979 W300.
The 1979 Dodge W300's model year entry shows a reliability profile marked by minimal owner-reported concerns, with only two complaints logged across all categories and tire-related issues standing as the most frequently cited area of dissatisfaction; this limited complaint volume is accompanied by two factory recalls, positioning this generation as a notably low-complaint iteration within the model's production run despite the recall activity suggesting typical mid-lifecycle attention points.
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 Dodge W300 dominate in one area — the tires, 2 of 2 reports (100%), well ahead of the next concern. None of this vehicle's 2 recall campaigns target the tires, 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 tires 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 2 complaints on record, top 1 components.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.
Showing 2 of 2 campaigns on record for this vehicle.
CONDENSATE WATER MAY ACCUMULATE IN THE AIR CONDITIONING BLOWER HOUSING; THERE IS A HIGH PROBABILITY THAT THIS WATER WILL CAUSE THE BLOWER MOTOR TO FAIL. BLOWER MOTOR FAILURE WOULD DISABLE THE AIR CONDTIONING UNIT AND… Remedy: DEALER WILL DRILL A 1/4 INCH DRAIN HOLE IN THE BOTTOM OF THE AIR CONDITIONING BLOWER HOUSING TO PREVENT WATER ACCUMULATION, WITHOUT CHARGE TO OWNER.
LOWER CONTROL ARMS MAY FRACTURE IN THE AREA ADJACENT TO THE LOWER BALL JOINT, RESULTING IN SEPARATION OF THE BALL JOINT FROM THE ARM. Remedy: DEALER WILL INCREASE THE STRENGTH OF BOTH LOWER CONTROL ARMS BY INSTALLING WELDED REINFORCEMENTS.
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.