IllustrationANOTHER VEHICLE TRAVELING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED "T" BONED TOYOTA ON DRIVER'S SIDE. UPON IMPACT, SIDE DOOR AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. JAWS OF LIFE HAD TO BE USED TO EXTRACT DRIVER OUT OF VEHICLE. *AK
1998 Toyota Camry
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Camry years
Owner complaints for the 1998 Toyota Camry are substantially higher than the model-year median of 295.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Camry 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
90–25K
2125–50K
3050–75K
4475–100K
35100–150K
25150K+
164 reports with mileage · 436 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.
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 112 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 92 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 83 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
64 crash reports31 fire reports35 injury reports
Air Bags complaints
50 reportsNO DEPLOYMENT OF BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS DURING COLLISION. *MJS
VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL/REAR END COLLISION AT 60 MPH. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. DEALER / MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED. INSPECTOR FROM TOYOTA SAID THAT AIG BAGS WORKED AS THEY WERE DESIGNED TO. *AK *ML
VEHICLE INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION OF 35 MPH DURING WHICH BOTH AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOYED. DEALER / MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED. FRACTURE OF STERNUM.*AK
WHILE TRAVELING 30-35 MPH AND AS A RESULT OF AN ACCIDENT AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY WITHOUT INDICATION. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
NO DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAGS DURING VEHICLE COLLISION. ( 4 AIRBAGS 2 FRONTAL AND 2 SIDE). YH
NO DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAGS WHEN VEHICLE WAS HIT HEAD ON, ON THE FRONT LEFT SIDE CAUSING SERIOUS INJURY TO THE DRIVER. NLM
WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH A TRUCK PULLED OUT IN FRONT OF CONSUMER'S VEHICLE, AND VEHICLE WAS HIT HEAD-ON. UPON IMPACT, DRIVER'S SIDE AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS FELL OUT AND DIDN'T INFLATE. *AK *ML
CAMRY TRAVELING E/B ON 4 LANE DIVIDED HIGHWAY. LATE MODEL BUICK SKYLARK TRAVELING W/B TURNED LEFT AT CROSSOVER INTO PATH OF CAMRY. IMPACT AT 45 MPH. MODERATE TO SEVERE DAMAGE TO BOTH DOORS OF BUICK. BUICK WAS PUSHED INTO CONCRETE FILLED STEEL POST DOING MODERATE TO SEVERE DAMAGE TO LEFT SIDE OF CAR AND BENDING POST ABOUT 20-…
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CAMRY TRAVELING E/B ON 4 LANE DIVIDED HIGHWAY. LATE MODEL BUICK SKYLARK TRAVELING W/B TURNED LEFT AT CROSSOVER INTO PATH OF CAMRY. IMPACT AT 45 MPH. MODERATE TO SEVERE DAMAGE TO BOTH DOORS OF BUICK. BUICK WAS PUSHED INTO CONCRETE FILLED STEEL POST DOING MODERATE TO SEVERE DAMAGE TO LEFT SIDE OF CAR AND BENDING POST ABOUT 20-30 DEGREES. THERE WAS NO BRAKING BY CAMRY DRIVER. MY QUESTION IS SIMPLE-- SHOULD CAMRY AIRBAG HAVE EMPLOYED? *AK
ON BOTH OCCASIONS WHICH THE FAILURES OCCURRED IT WAS NECESSARY FOR MY WIFE, AND IN THE LATTER CASE OUR FAMILY, TO TRAVEL TO ANOTHER CITY TO OBTAIN SERVICE WITHOUT THE SAFETY PROTECTION OF THE AIR BAG SYSTEM. *AK
Official recalls
201V012000 · Vehicle Speed Control
Jan 16, 2001
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH CRUISE CONTROL AND V6 ENGINES, AND BUILT AT ONE OF TWO LINES AT THE KENTUCKY PLANT. THE ACCELERATOR CABLE HOUSING COULD BE DEFORMED AT THE CRUISE CONTROL ACTUATOR-TO-THROTTLE BODY CONNECTION. THE ACCELERATOR INNER-CABLE COULD WEAR AWAY AND EVENTUALLY BREAK.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS COULD ALLOW THE THROTTLE TO RETURN TO IDLE OR REMAIN IN ITS MOST RECENT POSITION REGARDLESS OF ACCELERATOR PEDAL OPERATION, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE ACCELERATOR CABLE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN FEBRUARY 23, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.
99V307000 · Steering: Steering Wheel/handle Bar
Nov 1, 1999
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE STEERING WHEEL SET NUT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN SUFFICIENTLY TIGHTENED CAUSING STEERING VIBRATION AND LOOSENESS.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CAN RESULT IN A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL TIGHTEN THE STEERING WHEEL SET NUT.
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
2PE02079 · Engine Compartment Fire
Opened Oct 22, 2002 · Closed Mar 18, 2003
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling
ODI'S DATA ANALYSIS FOUND THE FIRES RATES TO BE CONSISTENTLY LOW AND EVENLY DISTRIBUTED AMONG SIX MODEL YEARS AND SIX DIFFERENT ENGINE CONFIGURATIONS.ODI EXAMINED A VARIETY OF ROOT CAUSES, THOSE BEING DETONATION (RESULTING IN OIL PAN PUNCTURE FROM CONNECTING ROD), STARTER FIRES, VARIOUS FUEL RELATED FIRES, LEAKING OIL FILTERS, WIRING ISSUES, IMPROPER REPAIRS AND BRAKE FLUID LEAKS.NONE OF THE ISSUES EXAMINED HAD REPORTS THAT INDICATED A TREND WHEN NORMALIZED FOR POPULATON AND EXPOSURE.SEE ATTACHED REPORT FOR FULL DETAILS.
DP02004 · Engine Seizure
Opened Apr 30, 2002 · Closed Jun 20, 2002
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling
No summary supplied.