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.

Counts are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. A lower count does not establish that a car is problem-free.

About this comparison →

600Owner complaints

Model-year median: 295

2Recall campaigns

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2Investigations

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Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗ Model-level counts do not show whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

Inspection summary

1998 Toyota Camry

NHTSA snapshot: September 18, 2026. 600 owner complaints · 2 recall campaigns · 2 investigations.

Counts are not failure probabilities and are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. One report may name several categories. Comparison method and limitations.

Top reported categories (up to 5)

Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 112 reports
Engine And Engine Cooling: 92 reports
Vehicle Speed Control: 83 reports
Suspension: 70 reports
Air Bags: 50 reports

Full reported-category list and vehicle report

Recall links

Check a VIN with NHTSA. Model-level history does not establish whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

Print the top reported categories, recall links, snapshot date and comparison limits.

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year

Compare all Camry years →

Counts vary with age, sales, mileage exposure and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

112Engine And Engine Cooling

92 Vehicle Speed Control

83 Suspension

70 Air Bags

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

0–25K

25–50K

50–75K

75–100K

100–150K

150K+

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

Engine complaints

3 reports

Clear category filter

150,000 miles · Dec 17, 2018

Engine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 TOYOTA CAMRY. WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND ALL THE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAG…

Read full complaint

NHTSA ODI #11162003

Mileage unknown · May 23, 2017

Engine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 TOYOTA CAMRY. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY, IT STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED AS NEEDING A NEW ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ODI #10991164

199,000 miles · May 18, 2013

EngineFire

JUST GOT HOME DID NOT SMELL OR SEE ANYTHING UNUSUAL, WENT INSIDE AND MAYBE FIVE MINUTES LATER I SEEN LOTS OF SMOKE WENT OUTSIDE AND THE CAR WAS SMOKING AND FLAMING UNDER THE HOOD. FIRE DEPARTMENT HAD TO COME TO PUT THE FIRE OUT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10512617

Recall campaigns

01V012000 · 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 ↗

Defect investigations

PE02079 · 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.

An investigation is not a finding of a defect, and closure does not prove a vehicle is problem-free.

Go deeper into Toyota Camry problems

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