IllustrationTie rods detached from frame, along with steering parts became unsafe on minor highway speed turnes
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 →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Avalon years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
30–25K
1325–50K
1050–75K
975–100K
9100–150K
7150K+
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
Steering complaints
9 reportsTHE POWER STEERING ON MY TOYOTA AVALON KEEPS GETTING DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE MAINTENANCE GARAGE HAS FIXED IT ONCE INDICATING IT WAS A "STEERING SHAFT LUBRICATION PROBLEM". NOW IT IS DOING THE SAME THING AGAIN. STEERING IS HARD TO TURN THEN SOMETIMES JUMPS BECAUSE THE POWER STEERING "KICKS-IN". *TR
STEERING COLUMN LOCKS UP GOES OTHER DIRECTION. (NO CONTROL) OF STEERING COLUMN. REPLACED PART BUT ALSO DEFECTIVE. DON'T UNDERSAND WHY THIS IS HAPPENING?*AK
PURCHASED USED 1998 IN 1999-WHILE DRIVING CAR TURNS OFF AND STEERING WHEELS BECOME TOO HARD TO STEER. SAFETY HAZARD. I HAVE BEEN ON THE HIGHWAY GOING 65 WHEN THIS HAPPENS WITHOUT ANY SYMPTONS. HAVE TAKEN IT TO DEALER MANY TIMES THEY SAY THEY FIXED IT YET IT KEEPS REOCCURING. COULD KILL OR HAVE MAJOR ACCIDENT ON THE ROAD, I…
Read full complaint
PURCHASED USED 1998 IN 1999-WHILE DRIVING CAR TURNS OFF AND STEERING WHEELS BECOME TOO HARD TO STEER. SAFETY HAZARD. I HAVE BEEN ON THE HIGHWAY GOING 65 WHEN THIS HAPPENS WITHOUT ANY SYMPTONS. HAVE TAKEN IT TO DEALER MANY TIMES THEY SAY THEY FIXED IT YET IT KEEPS REOCCURING. COULD KILL OR HAVE MAJOR ACCIDENT ON THE ROAD, I'M EXTREMELY CONCERNED BECAUSE I'M A REALTOR AND I HAVE CLIENTS IN MY CAR ALL THE TIME. *AK
WHEN TURNING STEERING WHEEL IT HAS HARD RESISTANCE UNTIL WARMED UP. DEALER HAS PARTS ON BACK ORDER, AND IT WILL TAKE 30 DAYS. A RUSH ORDER HAS BEEN PLACED. VEHICLE IS GOING TO GET WORSE OVER THE NEXT 30 DAYS. *AK
STEERING WHEEL IS INOPERABLE DUE TO A FAULTY STEERING YOKE. DEALER HAS INSPECTED VEHICLE, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT PART WAS ON BACKORDER.*AK
POWER STEERING RESERVOIR LEAK. YH
POWER STEERING PUMP LEAK. YH
CONSUMER IS COMPLAINING THAT THE STEERING WHEEL IS TILTED. IT BLOCKS THE VIEW OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. CONSUMER UNABLE TO SEE THE SPEEDODOMETER. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK
Official recalls
198V278000 · 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
1DP02004 · Engine Seizure
Opened Apr 30, 2002 · Closed Jun 20, 2002
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling
No summary supplied.