IllustrationDUNLOP SPORT 4000 TIRE(P205 65 R15) EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION, CAUSING DAMAGE TO ABS BRAKE SYSTEM AND MINOR BODY DAMAGE, CONSUMER REQUESTS REIMBURSEMENT. *SLC
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
What owners actually said
178 reportsHAVE COMPLAINED SEVERAL TIMES THAT DRIVER'S SEAT SEEMS TO GO FROM ONE SIDE TO ANOTHER AS THOUGH IT WAS LOOSE. DEALER SAID SEAT NOT LOOSE. ALSO DASH AND HEADLIGHT WENT OUT WHEN DRIVING HOME ONE EVENING. COULD'T GET THEM TO GO BACK ON. AFTER CAR WAS IN DRIVEWAY DOE 5 MINUTES WENT OUT AND TRIED AND THEN THEY WENT ON. DEALER SA…
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HAVE COMPLAINED SEVERAL TIMES THAT DRIVER'S SEAT SEEMS TO GO FROM ONE SIDE TO ANOTHER AS THOUGH IT WAS LOOSE. DEALER SAID SEAT NOT LOOSE. ALSO DASH AND HEADLIGHT WENT OUT WHEN DRIVING HOME ONE EVENING. COULD'T GET THEM TO GO BACK ON. AFTER CAR WAS IN DRIVEWAY DOE 5 MINUTES WENT OUT AND TRIED AND THEN THEY WENT ON. DEALER SAID NOTHING COULD BE FOUND.
THE FORM DOES NOT COVER WHAT I NEED TO TELL YOU. OUR 11 YEAR OLD SON DECIDED TO SIT IN THE CAR AND FINISH EATING HIS BREAKFAST WHILE WE WENT AHEAD AND ENTERED THE CHURCH ON SUNDAY. MY WIFE PRESSED THE LOCK BUTTON ON THE FOB. MY SON WAS TOTALLY UNABLE TO GET THE DOOR OPEN WHEN HE FINISHED HIS BISCUIT. THE ALARM WOULD SOUND…
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THE FORM DOES NOT COVER WHAT I NEED TO TELL YOU. OUR 11 YEAR OLD SON DECIDED TO SIT IN THE CAR AND FINISH EATING HIS BREAKFAST WHILE WE WENT AHEAD AND ENTERED THE CHURCH ON SUNDAY. MY WIFE PRESSED THE LOCK BUTTON ON THE FOB. MY SON WAS TOTALLY UNABLE TO GET THE DOOR OPEN WHEN HE FINISHED HIS BISCUIT. THE ALARM WOULD SOUND WHEN HE TRIED TO OPEN THE LOCKED DOOR AND HE COULD NOT GET OUT. LUCKILY SOME OTHER PEOPLE NOTICED WHAT WAS GOING ON AND THE PRIEST MADE AN ANNOUNCEMENT IN THE CHURCH AND WE WENT OUT AND UNLOCKED HIM. WE ALL GOT A GOOD LAUGH. I CAN EASILY SEE HOWEVER HOW THIS COULD HAVE TURNED INTO A DISASTER IF WE HAD LEFT HIM IN AN ABANDONED PARKING LOT AT NIGHT, ETC... NO ESCAPE. THERE NEEDS TO BE A SAFETY RELEASE FROM THE INSIDE AND TOYOTA PEOPLE NEED TO POINT OUT THIS POSSIBLITY. *AK
THE CAR HAS BEEN RE-ALIGNED NUMEROUS TIMES AND IS CONSTANTLY GOING OUT OF ALIGNMENT. TIRES HAVE ALSO WORN EXCESSIVELY. INDEPENDENT ALIGNMENT (GOODYEAR) REPORTED THAT SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH OTHER AVALONS.*AK
BELIEVE MANUFACTURER IS PUTTING INFERIOR TIRES ON ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT AUTOS AND THEN REFERS CUSTOMER TO TIRE MANUFACTURER WHEN COMPLAINTS ARISE. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P205/65R15 )
FRONT SUSPENSION BANGS AND CLANKS GOING OVER ANY SIZE BUMP AT ANY SPEED. ABNORMAL TIRE WEAR DEVELOPING EVEN WITH ROTATION. DEALER STATES CONDITION IS "NORMAL" NO RESOLUTION AFTER NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS. *AK
BRAKE PROBLEM STARTED AT 7000 MILES. BRAKES AND THE ROTORS WERE REPLACED AT 14000 MILES AND 19000 MILES. ALSO, ABS BRAKE LIGHT WAS COMING ON/OFF, AND BRAKES WERE SQUEAKING. *AK
AIR BAGS FRONT AND SIDE FAILED TO DEPLOY ON A FRONTAL COLLISION AT A SPEED GREATER THAN 10 MPH. THE SPEED IS ONLY AN ESTIMATE, BUT IT WAS GREAT ENOUGH TO CAUSE THE FIREWALL TO PARTIALLY BUCKLE. THANK HEAVEN THAT THE SEAT BELTS WORKED PROPERLY. *AK
REAR SUSPENSION BOTTOMS OUT GIVING THE FEELING OF TEMPORARY LOSS OF CONTROL DUE TO INADEQUATE REAR STRUTS. YH
THE CONSUMER WAS IN THE INTERSECTION MAKING A LEFT TURN WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE RAN INTO CONSUMER'S VEHICLE AT ABOUT 35 MPH, HITTING HER ON RIGHT PASSENGER'S FRONT SIDE. UPON IMPACT, PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG DIDN'T GO OFF. *AK *ML
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.