IllustrationWHILE PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD AND CRASHED WITH A WALL. WHILE AGAINST THE WALL THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO TO SURGE UNTIL THE CONSUMER REMOVED THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION. THE POLICE AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT RESPONDED TO THE COLLISION. CONSUMER SUSTAINED SLIGHT KNEE INJURIES.*AK
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
Vehicle Speed Control complaints
16 reportsWHEN DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS THE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD. *AK *NM
WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEED VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. ALSO, A LOUD NOISE WAS COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD WHEN VEHICLE WAS STARTED EARLY IN THE MORNING. DEALERSHIP INSPECTED VEHICLE EIGHT TIMES, BUT COULD NOT DUPLICATE OR CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *AK
WHEN APPLYING BRAKES, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. DEALER STATED THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK THREE TIMES WHEN ALMOST COMPLETELY STOPPED, THE CAR SUDDENLY LUNGED FORWARD. THE VEHICLE WENT OVER THE CEMENT AND SCRAPPED THE BOTTOM OF THE CAR, THE TIRES HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE CONSUMER HAS A VERY DANGE…
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WHEN APPLYING BRAKES, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. DEALER STATED THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK THREE TIMES WHEN ALMOST COMPLETELY STOPPED, THE CAR SUDDENLY LUNGED FORWARD. THE VEHICLE WENT OVER THE CEMENT AND SCRAPPED THE BOTTOM OF THE CAR, THE TIRES HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE CONSUMER HAS A VERY DANGEROUS UNCONTROLLABLE VEHICLE. *CB *JB
WHEN PULLING INTO GARAGE, DOOR OPENED SLIGHTLY, ACCELERATOR NOT TOUCHED, VEHICLE TOOK OFF GOING FORWARD, PUT GEAR INTO REVERSE, VEHICLE TOOK OFF GOING BACKWARDS. SUDDEN ACCELERATION OCCURRED. DEALER CONTACTED, AND PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK
ON MARCH 21,1999 OWNER WAS DRIVING VEHICLE WHEN IT BEGAN TO INVOLUTARILY ACCELERATE. THE ENGINE WAS SURGING RAPIDLY. THE TACOMETER REACHED 7,000RPM AND VEHICLE ACCELERATED TO 90MPH. DRIVER WAS APPLYING NORMAL PRESSURE TO THE GAS PEDAL WHEN THE ACCELERATION BEGAN. HE ATTEMPTED TO STOP THE CAR BY USING THE BRAKES WITH NO SUCCESS…
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ON MARCH 21,1999 OWNER WAS DRIVING VEHICLE WHEN IT BEGAN TO INVOLUTARILY ACCELERATE. THE ENGINE WAS SURGING RAPIDLY. THE TACOMETER REACHED 7,000RPM AND VEHICLE ACCELERATED TO 90MPH. DRIVER WAS APPLYING NORMAL PRESSURE TO THE GAS PEDAL WHEN THE ACCELERATION BEGAN. HE ATTEMPTED TO STOP THE CAR BY USING THE BRAKES WITH NO SUCCESS. THE CAR WAS ALMOST OUT OF CONTROL, SO THE OWNER TURNED THE ENGINE OFF AND PULLED TO THE SHOULDER OF THE FREEWAY. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER IN WHICH IT WAS PURCHASED FROM AND NO REPEAT OF THE INCIDENT COULD BE PREFORMED. DEALER INVESTIGATED ACCELERTOR CABLE, SCANNED CHECK FOR CODES, THROTTLE BODY AND GAS PEDAL, NO DIAGNOSIS COULD BE MADE. OWNER'S EXPRESS LIFE THREATENING AND SAFETY CONCERNS PERTAINING TO THIS VEHICLE. WE WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE STUDY TO DETERMINE THE CONDITION OF THIS VEHICLE.
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.