1998 Toyota Corolla Problems, Recalls & Reliability
278 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 1998 Toyota Corolla, alongside 4 recall campaigns and 0 defect investigations. It scores 18/100 on the trouble index — one of this model's quieter years. Airbags leads the reports, typically around 69,500 miles.
One of the quieter years. Relative to its siblings, the 1998 Toyota Corolla has drawn well-below-average complaint volume with at least four years on the road.
Better year
Where 1998 sits among all Corolla years
What owners report
“Air bag light serviced five times due to illumination, unable to determine failure. Mjs”— owner report to NHTSA, 1998 Corolla
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 66 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 80,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 61,132 and 102,045 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.
K2 MOTOR IS RECALLING 1,921 AFTERMARKET HEADLAMPS OF VARIOUS MODELS SOLD FOR USE ON THE ABOVE LISTED VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS ARE MISSING THE AMBER SIDE REFLEX REFLECTOR WHICH FAILS TO CONFORM WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD…
Fix: K2 MOTOR WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND. THE RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMEBER 17, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT K2 MOTOR AT 1-909-839-2992.
CERTAIN AJ MOTORSPORT COMBINATION LAMPS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON THE ABOVE LISTED PASSENGER VEHICLES. COMBINATION LAMPS NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO.…
Fix: AJ MOTORSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE LAMPS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 31, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT AJ MOTORSPORT AT 626-618-2026.
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.
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 Corolla reliable?
The 1998 Toyota Corolla drew 278 complaints in federal safety records — one of this model's quieter years. Its trouble index is 18/100, scored against the model's worst year (2009).
What are the most common 1998 Toyota Corolla problems?
The top reported problems for the 1998 Toyota Corolla are airbags (64 complaints), body & structure (24), and electrical (22).
At what mileage do 1998 Toyota Corolla problems show up?
Owners most often report 1998 Toyota Corolla problems around 80,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 61,132 and 102,045 miles.
Does the 1998 Toyota Corolla have recalls?
4 recall campaigns apply to the 1998 Toyota Corolla. 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.