1998 Toyota Camry Problems, Recalls & Reliability
751 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 1998 Toyota Camry, alongside 3 recall campaigns and 2 defect investigations. It scores 22/100 on the trouble index — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Brakes & stability leads the reports, typically around 80,000 miles.
Typical
Where 1998 sits among all Camry years
What owners report
“Front brakes make rumbling noise after being fixed for the same problem due to excessive pressure. Yh”— owner report to NHTSA, 1998 Camry
“While driving 65 mph on interstate 40 the engine seized due to oil gelation. Mr”— owner report to NHTSA, 1998 Camry
“Exiting a parking place when car surged and accelerated. Collided with four vehicles.”— owner report to NHTSA, 1998 Camry
“Brakes continue to fail intermittently even though a brake kit was installed at 4,000 miles. New master cylinder was installed as well. At times brakes go all the way to the floor and car does not stop. Suddenly loud noise happens and car jerks and stops. All struts have been replaced and solved…”— owner report to NHTSA, 1998 Camry
“No deployment of air bags during vehicle collision. ( 4 airbags 2 frontal and 2 side). Yh”— owner report to NHTSA, 1998 Camry
“Battery was replaced by toyota (no cost to me ) because it was defective. But the following problem still exists since day one: electric shock when touching door on the way out after turning engine off. When turning engine off.”— owner report to NHTSA, 1998 Camry
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 190 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 89,500 miles. Half of those reports fall between 62,000 and 124,960 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (3)
DOPE, INC. IS RECALLING 42,540 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: DOPE, INC. WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 28, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DOPE, INC. AT 1-626-272-1798.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH CRUISE CONTROL AND V6 ENGINES, AND BUILT AT ONE OF TWO LINES AT THE KENTUCKY PLANT. THE ACCELERATOR CABLE HOUSING COULD BE DEFORMED AT THE CRUISE CONTROL ACTUATOR-TO-THROTTLE BODY CONNECTION. THE…
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE ACCELERATOR CABLE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN FEBRUARY 23, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE…
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE STEERING WHEEL SET NUT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN SUFFICIENTLY TIGHTENED CAUSING STEERING VIBRATION AND LOOSENESS.
Fix: DEALERS WILL TIGHTEN THE STEERING WHEEL SET NUT.
Federal defect investigations
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 Camry reliable?
The 1998 Toyota Camry drew 751 complaints in federal safety records — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Its trouble index is 22/100, scored against the model's worst year (2007).
What are the most common 1998 Toyota Camry problems?
The top reported problems for the 1998 Toyota Camry are brakes & stability (140 complaints), engine (103), and speed control (86).
At what mileage do 1998 Toyota Camry problems show up?
Owners most often report 1998 Toyota Camry problems around 89,500 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 62,000 and 124,960 miles.
Does the 1998 Toyota Camry have recalls?
3 recall campaigns apply to the 1998 Toyota Camry. 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.