IllustrationAIR CONDITIONER HEATER BLOWER, FAILED TO WORK INTERMITTENTLY. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *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
What owners actually said
178 reportsWHILE 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
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED AT 69,500 MARK. OOK CAR INTO DEALER AND THOUGHT IT WAS NOISY BRAKES. ROVE ABOUT 100 MORE MILES AND SOMETHING BROKE. THE TRANSMISSION ALMOST SEIZED, COULD OF CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. *AK
I OWN A 1998 TOYOTA AVALON WITH 54,000 MILES OF USAGE. THE TWO FRONT HEAD LAMP LENS HAVE BECOME CLOUDY AND YELLOWED. I FEEL CERTAIN THAT THIS DIMINISHES THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE FRONT LIGHTS. THE ADJOINING (SIDE) LENSES ARE STILL PERFECT AND CLEAR. I'VE NOTIFIED TOYOTA BUT THEY ARE NOT ASSUMING ANY RESPONSIBILITY. *LA
WHEN DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS THE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD. *AK *NM
WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH, AND NEITHER OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. ALSO THE SEAT BELTS FAILED TO RESTRAIN THE CONSUMER PROPERLY. *AK *SC *JB
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
WHILE DRIVING, THE ENTIRE CLIMATE CONTROL SYSTEM FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB
TRANSMISSION SLIPPED INTO AND OUT OF GEAR WHILE TRAVELLING CREATING AN UNSAFE CONDITION.
WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER HEARD NOISE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR ANALYSIS, AND MECHANIC NOTICED THAT TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO OIL AND COOLANT MIXED IN TOGETHER.*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.