1998 Toyota RAV4 Problems, Recalls & Reliability
92 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 1998 Toyota RAV4, alongside 5 recall campaigns and 0 defect investigations. It scores 10/100 on the trouble index — one of this model's quieter years. Brakes & stability leads the reports.
One of the quieter years. Relative to its siblings, the 1998 Toyota RAV4 has drawn well-below-average complaint volume with at least four years on the road.
Better year
Where 1998 sits among all RAV4 years
What owners report
Recalls (5)
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 1998-2000 RAV4, 1998-1999 RAV4 EV and Celica and 1997-1998 Supra vehicles. These vehicles were equipped with Non-Azide Driver air bag Inflators (NADI) and do not contain phase stabilized…
Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and owners will have the option to self-inspect, or have a dealer inspect the steering wheel on their vehicle to determine if their vehicle may be equipped with an affected…
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SPORT UTILITY ELECTRIC VEHICLES. THE FRONT DISC BRAKE ROTOR, WHEN EQUIPPED WITH STEEL WHEELS, CAN DEVELOP STRESS FRACTURES IF THE LUG NUTS ARE TIGHTENED WITH EXCESSIVE TORQUE.
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE DISC BRAKE ROTORS. IF THE VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH STEEL WHEELS, TOYOTA WILL REPLACE THE FRONT DISC BRAKE ROTORS AND STEEL WHEELS WITH NEW DISC BRAKE ROTORS AND NEW ALUMINUM…
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SPORT UTILITY ELECTRIC VEHICLES. IF THE SUBJECT VEHICLES ARE REPEATEDLY PARKED BY PLACING THE SHIFT LEVER INTO THE "P" POSITION WITHOUT APPLYING THE PARKING BRAKE, THE PARKING LOCK ROD, A COMPONENT OF THE TRANSMISSION PARKING LOCK…
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE PARKING LOCK ROD.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, MINI VANS AND PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A THEFT DETERRENT SYSTEMS (TDS) SUPPLIED BY AUDIOVOX CORPORATION AND DISTRIBUTED BY SOUTHEAST TOYOTA DISTRIBUTORS, INC. IN THE STATES OF ALABAMA, FLORIDA, GEORGIA,…
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE DATE CODE LABEL ON THE SECURITY SYSTEM HARNESS AND ANY DISPLAYING THE MANUFACTURING/FINAL DATE CODE WILL BE REPLACED WITH NEWLY PRODUCED HARNESSES. THE DATE CODES ARE: RAV4…
EQUIPMENT DESCRIPTION: AFTERMARKET THEFT DETERRENT SYSTEMS USED ON 1998-1998 TOYOTA RAV4, AVALON, AND SIENNA MODEL VEHICLES DISTRIBUTED BY SOUTHEAST TOYOTA DISTRIBUTORS, INC. IN THE STATES OF ALABAMA, FLORIDA, GEORGIA, NORTH AND SOUTH CAROLINA. THE ALARM…
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE DATE CODE LABEL ON THE SECURITY SYSTEM HARNESS AND ANY DISPLAYING THE MANUFACTURING/FINAL DATE CODE WILL BE REPLACED WITH NEWLY PRODUCED HARNESSES. THE DATE CODES ARE: RAV4…
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 RAV4 reliable?
The 1998 Toyota RAV4 drew 92 complaints in federal safety records — one of this model's quieter years. Its trouble index is 10/100, scored against the model's worst year (2007).
What are the most common 1998 Toyota RAV4 problems?
The top reported problems for the 1998 Toyota RAV4 are brakes & stability (19 complaints), airbags (13), and speed control (13).
Does the 1998 Toyota RAV4 have recalls?
5 recall campaigns apply to the 1998 Toyota RAV4. 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.