1998 Toyota Tacoma Problems, Recalls & Reliability
358 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 1998 Toyota Tacoma, alongside 5 recall campaigns and 0 defect investigations. It scores 46/100 on the trouble index — a below-average year for this model. Body & structure leads the reports, typically around 135,500 miles.
Below average
Where 1998 sits among all Tacoma years
What owners report
“Rust recall toyota car dealership unwilling to "goodwill" fix frame due to not applying rust chemicals on to the frame”— owner report to NHTSA, 1998 Tacoma
“The consumer was driving in the rain and a pathfinder crossed in front of him, went into his lane. Consumer hit the back of the vehicle where the tires are located on the back of the pathfinder . Driver's air bag failed to deploy.”— owner report to NHTSA, 1998 Tacoma
“The tire has a crack in the side wall that could result in a blow out. The tire also will not the recommended tire pressure.( dot number: tire size: 31x10.5r15 )”— owner report to NHTSA, 1998 Tacoma
“Suspension system mushy, replaced all shock absorbers and springs to correct problem. Yh”— owner report to NHTSA, 1998 Tacoma
“Front brake pads and rotors failed, consumer believes this is what caused a vehicle collision in which her vehicle collided with another vehicle while applying the brakes.”— owner report to NHTSA, 1998 Tacoma
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 137 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 140,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 106,995 and 199,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (5)
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.
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.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE STATEMENT REQUIRED IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL THAT "...THE ON-OFF SWITCH SHOULD ONLY BEN USED WHEN A MEMBER OF A PASSENGER RISK GROUP IDENTIFIED IN THE REQUEST FORM IN APPENDIX B......IS OCCUPYING THE RIGHT FRONT…
Fix: OWNERS WILL BE SENT A CORRECTED OWNER'S MANUAL.
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 Tacoma reliable?
The 1998 Toyota Tacoma drew 358 complaints in federal safety records — a below-average year for this model. Its trouble index is 46/100, scored against the model's worst year (2006).
What are the most common 1998 Toyota Tacoma problems?
The top reported problems for the 1998 Toyota Tacoma are body & structure (99 complaints), airbags (47), and wheels & tires (37).
At what mileage do 1998 Toyota Tacoma problems show up?
Owners most often report 1998 Toyota Tacoma problems around 140,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 106,995 and 199,000 miles.
Does the 1998 Toyota Tacoma have recalls?
5 recall campaigns apply to the 1998 Toyota Tacoma. 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.