IllustrationCOMPLETE HYDRAULIC BRAKE FAILURE AT 16,800 MILES, CAUSED CAR TO GO THROUGH RED LIGHT. LOSS OF HYDRAULIC FLUID. ROTOR FROZE AND BRAKE LINE FAILED AT ROTOR HOUSING. CAR DEALER HAD INSTALLED ALL NEW ROTORS AND PADS AT 9,200 MILES. MR
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 reportsA FAILURE OF THE LEFT FRONT BRAKE LINE CAUSED THE LOSS OF ALL BRAKE FLUID IN THE MASTER CYLINDER. THE RESERVOIR DOES NOT HAVE A SEPARATION THAT WOULD HAVE PREVENTED ALL THE BRAKE FLUID FROM BEING LOST. MOST MASTER CYLINDERS HAVE A PARTITION IN THEM, SO AT LEAST THE FRONT OR BACK BRAKES WOULD STILL BE FUNCTIONAL. I BELIEVE THAT T…
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A FAILURE OF THE LEFT FRONT BRAKE LINE CAUSED THE LOSS OF ALL BRAKE FLUID IN THE MASTER CYLINDER. THE RESERVOIR DOES NOT HAVE A SEPARATION THAT WOULD HAVE PREVENTED ALL THE BRAKE FLUID FROM BEING LOST. MOST MASTER CYLINDERS HAVE A PARTITION IN THEM, SO AT LEAST THE FRONT OR BACK BRAKES WOULD STILL BE FUNCTIONAL. I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A MAJOR FUNCTION THAT SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED. I COULD HAVE HAD A MAJOR ACCIDENT IF I HAD BEEN ON THE ROAD. AS IT WAS I HAD JUST PULLED OFF THE ROAD AND WAS UNLOADING PASSENGERS WHEN THE BRAKE LINE FAILED. NLM
HORN WORKS INTERMITTENTLY EVEN AFTER THE DEALER HAS MADE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS.AK
THE AIR-CONDITIONING FANS GO OUT AT RANDOM, WHICH MEANS THAT DE-FOGGING/DE-FROSTING ARE IMPOSSIBLE. THIS IS APPARENTLY A PROBLEM WELL-KNOWN TO TOYOTA AND THEY QUOTE $850-1000 TO REPAIR WHAT SEEMS TO BE A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. IT'S HARD TO UNDERSTAND WHY TOYOTA IS NOT MADE TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS.*AK
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
PROBLEM WITH VENTILATION SYSTEM--BURNTOUT WIRES IN THE AUTOMATIC CLIMATE CONTROL MODULE CAUSED TOTAL FAILURE OF THE ENTIRE VENTILATION SYSTEM
THE ENGINE CONTAINED SLUDGE AND WAS CLOGGED, CONSUMER STATED THAT HE IS CURRENTLY WORKING WITH THE TOYOTA DEALER IN AN ATTEMPT TO THE REPAIR PROBLEM AND OBTAIN FULL REIMBURSEMENT FROM MANUFACTURER FOR ALL COSTS INCLUDING POSSIBLE AUTO RENTAL EXPENSES WHILE REPAIRS ARE BEING MADE. *YH
WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 25 MPH CONSUMER'S VEHICLE STRUCK ANOTHER VEHICLE IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION, UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.*AK
THE ENTIRE AUTOMATIC CLIMATE CONTROL SYSTEM (HEATING & AC) CUTS OUT ARBITRARILY. IT RESTARTS AFTER THE CAR HAS BEEN SITTING IDLE FOR SOME TIME. THIS HAS CAUSED SEVERAL PROBLEMS AS THE FRONT WINDSHIELD WILL NOT DEFOG AND VISION THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD IS IMPAIRED. THIS COMPROMISES MY VISION AND HAS PUT ME IN DANGER SEVERAL TIME…
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THE ENTIRE AUTOMATIC CLIMATE CONTROL SYSTEM (HEATING & AC) CUTS OUT ARBITRARILY. IT RESTARTS AFTER THE CAR HAS BEEN SITTING IDLE FOR SOME TIME. THIS HAS CAUSED SEVERAL PROBLEMS AS THE FRONT WINDSHIELD WILL NOT DEFOG AND VISION THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD IS IMPAIRED. THIS COMPROMISES MY VISION AND HAS PUT ME IN DANGER SEVERAL TIMES. WHEN CONTACTED DEALER, THEY MENTIONED THAT THERE IS NO RECALL ON THIS DANGEROUS PROBLEM AND THAT THE REPAIR WILL COST ~$1,000. THIS IS A SERIOUS HAZARD.*AK
REAR SPRINGS/STRUTS ARE SO WEAK THAT IF I HAVE TWO PEOPLE IN THE BACK SEAT, OR SEVERAL SUITCASES IN THE TRUNK, THE REAR SUSPENSION BOTTOMS OUT. THIS CAUSES A VERY UNCOMFORTABLE WIGGLE WHEN IT COMES BACK UP. MY NEW TIRES ARE STARTING TO FLAT SPOT AS DID MY LAST SET. I BROUGHT THIS TO COURTESY TOYOTA WHEN IT WAS UNDER WARRENTEE…
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REAR SPRINGS/STRUTS ARE SO WEAK THAT IF I HAVE TWO PEOPLE IN THE BACK SEAT, OR SEVERAL SUITCASES IN THE TRUNK, THE REAR SUSPENSION BOTTOMS OUT. THIS CAUSES A VERY UNCOMFORTABLE WIGGLE WHEN IT COMES BACK UP. MY NEW TIRES ARE STARTING TO FLAT SPOT AS DID MY LAST SET. I BROUGHT THIS TO COURTESY TOYOTA WHEN IT WAS UNDER WARRENTEE. THEY CLAIMED NO PROBLEM AND READJUSTED MY HEADLIGHTS. I HAVE CONTACED CAPITOL TOYOTA IN CHATANOOGA, TN. A COUPLE OF TIMES. THEY SAID THEY HAVE HAD SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS BUT COULDN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT UNLESS SOMETHING WAS WORN OR DAMAGED. I CALLED TOYOTA. THEY SAID THE SAME. BUT TOOK MY NAME AND SAID THAT IF ENOUGH PEOPLE COMPLAINED THEY MIGHT ADDRESS THE PROBLEM. *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.