IllustrationTHERE WAS A LOUDER THEN USUAL THUMP IN THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE WHEN GOING OVER BUMPS IN THE ROAD. TO VEHICLE TO DEALER REPAIR SHOP, AND MECHANIC NOTED THAT FRONT STRUT WAS BREAKING. CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER KNEW ABOUT THE PROBLEM WITH THE STRUT, BUT WA SNOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING.*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 reportsTHE PADDED COVERING ON THE DASH BOARD BEGAN TO SEPARATE FROM THE METAL SUPPORT. IT APPEARS THAT THE ADHESIVE HAS FAILED.
WEATHERSTRIPPING GASKET ON LEFT FRONT (DRIVER) DOOR FAILED CAUSING EXCESSIVE NOISE ESPECIALLY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS.*AK
AUTOMATIC TEMPERATURE CONTROL FAILS TO MAINTAIN VEHICLE TEMPERATURE. TEMPERATURE SWINGS +/- 5 DEGREES. FREQUENT DRIVER ACTION REQUIRED TO ADJUST/MODERATE TEMPERATURE. SELLING DEALER UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. ALTERNATE TOYOTA DEALER DIAGNOSED PROBLEM, BUT WILL NOT HONOR THE EXTENDED WARRANTY SOLD TO ME BY THE SELLING D…
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AUTOMATIC TEMPERATURE CONTROL FAILS TO MAINTAIN VEHICLE TEMPERATURE. TEMPERATURE SWINGS +/- 5 DEGREES. FREQUENT DRIVER ACTION REQUIRED TO ADJUST/MODERATE TEMPERATURE. SELLING DEALER UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. ALTERNATE TOYOTA DEALER DIAGNOSED PROBLEM, BUT WILL NOT HONOR THE EXTENDED WARRANTY SOLD TO ME BY THE SELLING DEALER (APPROXIMATELY $1000 OF REPAIRS REQUIRED).
VEHICLE IS EXTREMELY SENSITIVE TO "TIRE STEER". TWO OF THE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT TIRES (BRIDGESTONE) WERE REPLACED AT 3000 MILES, BUT THE PROBLEM RECURRED. THE ENTIRE SET OF TIRES WERE REPLACED WITH BF GOODRICH TIRES, BUT THE SAME PROBLEM RECURRED. ROTATING THE TIRES BECOMES PROBLEMATIC BECAUSE THE WRONG SWITCH EXACERBARTES THE…
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VEHICLE IS EXTREMELY SENSITIVE TO "TIRE STEER". TWO OF THE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT TIRES (BRIDGESTONE) WERE REPLACED AT 3000 MILES, BUT THE PROBLEM RECURRED. THE ENTIRE SET OF TIRES WERE REPLACED WITH BF GOODRICH TIRES, BUT THE SAME PROBLEM RECURRED. ROTATING THE TIRES BECOMES PROBLEMATIC BECAUSE THE WRONG SWITCH EXACERBARTES THE PROBLEM. THE RESULTING "PULL" INDIACTES THE NEED FOR A WHEEL ALIGNMENT WHEN THAT IS NOT THE PROBLEM, OR OBSCURES THE NEED AT OTHER TIMES. THE NEED TO FIGHT THE WHEEL CAUSES DRIVER FATIGUE AND COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF CONTROL.*AK
FRONT SUSPENSION CREAKED AND GROANED. THE UPPER STRUT MOUNTS WERE REPLACED BY DEALER (BOTH SIDES) AT 3000 AND AGAIN AT 32000 MILES.
WHEN DRIVING OVER ROUGH ROADS WITH PASSENGERS IN REAR SEAT, THE REAR SUSPENSION REPEATEDLY "BOTTOMS OUT" CAUSING UNPREDICTABLE VEHICULAR MOVEMENTS AND LOUD NOISE. DEALER SAYS THERE IS NOTHING WRONG. THIS PROBLEM HAPPENS FREQUENTLY WITH VEHICLE LOADED NEAR DESIGN LOAD LIMITS.*AK
TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER TO HAVE STRAPS INSTALLED, AND DEALER REFUSED TO INSTALL THEM. THAT THIS WAS VERY UNSAFE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
NO, SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK
WHILE TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 30 TO 35 MPH CONSUMERS VEHICLE CRASHED INTO ANTOHER VEHICLE, FULL FRONTAL CRASH, DRIVERS AND PASSENGERS AIRBAG FAILED TO DEPLOY, DEALERSHIP AND USAA INSURANCE COMPANY HAVE NOT EXAMINED VEHICLE TO MAKE ANY DETERMINATIONS. *NOTE: PASSENGER SUSTAINED FOLLOWING INJURIES: BROKEN TOE/ STRAINED TOE…
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WHILE TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 30 TO 35 MPH CONSUMERS VEHICLE CRASHED INTO ANTOHER VEHICLE, FULL FRONTAL CRASH, DRIVERS AND PASSENGERS AIRBAG FAILED TO DEPLOY, DEALERSHIP AND USAA INSURANCE COMPANY HAVE NOT EXAMINED VEHICLE TO MAKE ANY DETERMINATIONS. *NOTE: PASSENGER SUSTAINED FOLLOWING INJURIES: BROKEN TOE/ STRAINED TOE, AND BRUISING FROM RESTRAINT BELTS. *AK *YD
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.