1998 Toyota 4Runner Problems, Recalls & Reliability
303 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 1998 Toyota 4Runner, alongside 4 recall campaigns and 0 defect investigations. It scores 40/100 on the trouble index — a below-average year for this model. Body & structure leads the reports, typically around 170,000 miles.
Below average
Where 1998 sits among all 4Runner years
What owners report
“Frame rusted through prematurely on my truck. Truck is unsafe to drive and a huge disappointment.”— owner report to NHTSA, 1998 4Runner
“The toyota 4 runner is unstable and has the body of the vehicle making noise. After inspection, the frame is completely rusted thru in several areas.”— owner report to NHTSA, 1998 4Runner
“Tire blowout -- tire was destroyed( dot number: w2hhawb487 tire size: p225/75r15 )”— owner report to NHTSA, 1998 4Runner
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 154 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 161,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 110,000 and 217,476 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (4)
SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY…
Fix: SABERSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 11, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SABERSPORT AT 1-909-598-7589.
CERTAIN CK MOTORSPORTS COMBINATION HEADLIGHTS, CLEAR CORNER, BUMPER, AND SIDE MARKER LIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON THE PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM TO…
Fix: CK MOTORSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE NONCOMPLIANT LAMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 1, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CK MOTORSPORT AT 1-909-610-7211.
CERTAIN PRO-A MOTORS CORNER LAMPS, TURN SIGNALS, AND HEADLIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE…
Fix: PRO-A MOTORS WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER TO REPURCHASE THE LAMPS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 3, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT PRO-A MOTORS AT 323-838-2988.
ON CERTAIN 2-WHEEL-DRIVE (2WD) AND 4-WHEEL-DRIVE (4WD) 4RUNNER SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, A COMBINATION OF HEAVY LOADING (SIMULTANEOUS LOADING TO REAR GROSS AXLE WEIGHT RATING AND GROSS VEHICLE WEIGHT RATING) AND SEVERE STEERING MANEUVERS COULD CAUSE THE 2WD…
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE REAR SUSPENSION PARTS. ALTHOUGH THE 4WD 4RUNNERS DO NOT EXHIBIT THE HANDLING CONDITION, TOYOTA WILL RECALL THESE VEHICLES TO AVOID ANY PUBLIC CONFUSION AS TO WHICH VEHICLES…
Technical service bulletins
69 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on brakes & stability and transmission & drivetrain — are on file for the 1998 Toyota 4Runner. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 1998 4Runner TSB list →
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 1998 Toyota 4Runner reliable?
The 1998 Toyota 4Runner drew 303 complaints in federal safety records — a below-average year for this model. Its trouble index is 40/100, scored against the model's worst year (2004).
What are the most common 1998 Toyota 4Runner problems?
The top reported problems for the 1998 Toyota 4Runner are body & structure (78 complaints), suspension (64), and wheels & tires (37).
At what mileage do 1998 Toyota 4Runner problems show up?
Owners most often report 1998 Toyota 4Runner problems around 161,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 110,000 and 217,476 miles.
Does the 1998 Toyota 4Runner have recalls?
4 recall campaigns apply to the 1998 Toyota 4Runner. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.