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1998 Toyota Avalon

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1998 Toyota Avalon do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 101.

About this comparison →
178Owner complaints

Model-year median: 101

1Recall campaigns

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1Investigations

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
80
1995109
1996125
1997178
199892
1999173
2000134
2001
Compare all Avalon years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Electrical System
19Suspension
19Visibility
19Equipment
17Air Bags
16
All reported categories
Vehicle Speed Control
16Tires
14Power Train
11Service Brakes, Hydraulic
11Engine And Engine Cooling
9Steering
9Structure
7Seat Belts
6Unknown Or Other
6Fuel System, Gasoline
5Seats
5Exterior Lighting
3Latches/locks/linkages
2Service Brakes, Air
2Child Seat
1Equipment Adaptive/mobility
1Interior Lighting
1Wheels
1

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

51 reports with mileage · 127 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Electrical System. Review the 19 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Suspension. Review the 19 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Visibility. Review the 19 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

25 crash reports1 fire reports20 injury reports

Service Brakes, Air complaints

2 reports
Clear category filter
75,000 miles · Aug 22, 2005
Service Brakes, AirVisibility

ON A 98 TOYOTA AVALON XLS: THE A/C AND HEATING SYSTEM SHUTS DOWN COMPLETELY OCCASIONALLY. THE FRONT AND REAR DEFOGGERS FAIL ALSO. WHEN THE SHUT DOWN OCCURS, THE AIR VENTS EMIT VERY HOT AIR, EVEN THOUGH THE THERMOSTAT IS SET FOR A/C. I ALMOST HAD AN ACCIDENT WHEN IT STARTED RAINING AND THE DEFOGGERS FAILED TO OPERATE. IT APPEA…

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ON A 98 TOYOTA AVALON XLS: THE A/C AND HEATING SYSTEM SHUTS DOWN COMPLETELY OCCASIONALLY. THE FRONT AND REAR DEFOGGERS FAIL ALSO. WHEN THE SHUT DOWN OCCURS, THE AIR VENTS EMIT VERY HOT AIR, EVEN THOUGH THE THERMOSTAT IS SET FOR A/C. I ALMOST HAD AN ACCIDENT WHEN IT STARTED RAINING AND THE DEFOGGERS FAILED TO OPERATE. IT APPEARS TO BE AN ELECTRICAL WIRING DEFECT FOR WHICH I HAVE APPEALED TO TOYOTA TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY,BUT WITHOUT ANY SUCCESS

NHTSA ODI #10133740

101,000 miles · May 3, 2005
Service Brakes, Air

SEVERE RUSTING ON REAR BRAKE ROTORS ON A 1998 TOYOTA AVALON EFFECTIVELY REDUCING THE BRAKING POWER OF THE CAR. JOHN SUMMERS A DISTRICT PARTS AND SERVICE MANAGER REPRESENTATIVE OF TOYOTA STATED THAT BRAKING EFFECTIVENESS IS REDUCED, HOWEVER, HE STATED THAT THIS IS NORMAL AND NOT SUBJECT TO RECALL. HE ENCOURGED ME TO FILE THIS REP…

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SEVERE RUSTING ON REAR BRAKE ROTORS ON A 1998 TOYOTA AVALON EFFECTIVELY REDUCING THE BRAKING POWER OF THE CAR. JOHN SUMMERS A DISTRICT PARTS AND SERVICE MANAGER REPRESENTATIVE OF TOYOTA STATED THAT BRAKING EFFECTIVENESS IS REDUCED, HOWEVER, HE STATED THAT THIS IS NORMAL AND NOT SUBJECT TO RECALL. HE ENCOURGED ME TO FILE THIS REPORT WITH YOUR OFFICE

NHTSA ODI #10119607

Official recalls

1

98V278000 · Electrical SYSTEM:IGNITION:ANTI-THEFT:CONTROL Module

Oct 19, 1998

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, NORTH AND SOUTH CAROLINA. THE ALARM WIRING HARNESS PLUGS INTO THE VEHICLE'S IGNITION SWITCH AND THE VEHICLE'S IGNITION SWITCH WIRING HARNESS PLUGS INTO THE ALARM HARNESS TO COMPLETE THE CIRCUIT. A PERCENTAGE OF THE FEMALE TERMINALS USED IN THE ALARM CONNECTOR WERE FOUND TO BE DEFECTIVE, CAUSING AN 'OPEN CIRCUIT' CONDITION WHEN MATED TO THE MALE IGNITION SWITCH TERMINALS.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN CAUSE INTERMITTENT PERFORMANCE OF THE VEHICLE'S ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS SUCH AS THE DASH WARNING LIGHTS AND/OR HVAC FAN SPEED CONTROLS. ALSO, THE VEHICLE MAY NOT RUN SMOOTHLY AND COULD STALL.

Remedy: 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 - 6/24/98, 6/25/98, 6/26/98; SIENNA - 6/25/98, 6/26/98; AND AVALON - 6/30/98, 7/1/98, 8/31/98, 9/1/98, 9/2/98, AND 9/3/98.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

1

DP02004 · Engine Seizure

Opened Apr 30, 2002 · Closed Jun 20, 2002

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling

No summary supplied.