IllustrationTHE VEHICLE STARTED SMOKING UNDER THE HOOD AND THEN CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *NLM
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
Engine And Engine Cooling complaints
92 reportsI AM EXPERIENCING A WHITE SMOKE UPON START UP OF VEHICLE, ONLY IN THE MORNING COMING OUT OF THE EXAUST PIPE. I ONLY HAVE 79,000 MILES ON VEHICLE.
'98 TOYOTA CAMRY--OIL LIGHT CAME ON. WITHIN 2-3 MILES I WAS ABLE TO PULL INTO A SERVICE STATION AND AS I DID SO THE ENGINE SUDDENLY BEGAN KNOCKING. WHEN TOWED TO A TOYOTA DEALER HE SAID THE ENGINE WAS GONE OUT (RUINED). THIS VEHICLE HAD HAD OIL CHANGED EVERY 3000-5000 MILES. DEALER CLAIMED THIS MY ENGINE HAD NO SIGNS OF THE …
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'98 TOYOTA CAMRY--OIL LIGHT CAME ON. WITHIN 2-3 MILES I WAS ABLE TO PULL INTO A SERVICE STATION AND AS I DID SO THE ENGINE SUDDENLY BEGAN KNOCKING. WHEN TOWED TO A TOYOTA DEALER HE SAID THE ENGINE WAS GONE OUT (RUINED). THIS VEHICLE HAD HAD OIL CHANGED EVERY 3000-5000 MILES. DEALER CLAIMED THIS MY ENGINE HAD NO SIGNS OF THE WELL-KNOWN OIL SLUDGE PROBLEM COMMON WITH THIS ENGINE. I'VE SINCE LEARNED THIS ENGINE HAD SO MANY PROBLEMS THAT IT IS NO LONGER BEING USED. WHAT RECOURSE IS THERE FOR WHAT APPEARS TO BE A FAULTY DESIGN ENGINE? MY WRECKER DRIVER'S FATHER'S '98 TOYOTA CAMRY'S ENGINE WENT OUT AFTER ONLY 2000! MILES.
WHILE DRIVING, SMOKE STARTED COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. AFTER PULLING OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TURNING OFF THE ENGINE, WITHIN 5-8 MINUTES THE ENGINE BURST INTO FLAMES. THE CAR WAS A TOTAL LOSS. THE INSURANCE COMPANY DID NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THIS INCIDENT, ALTHOUGH OBVIOUS POTENTIAL CAUSES, SUCH AS RECENT SERVI…
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WHILE DRIVING, SMOKE STARTED COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. AFTER PULLING OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TURNING OFF THE ENGINE, WITHIN 5-8 MINUTES THE ENGINE BURST INTO FLAMES. THE CAR WAS A TOTAL LOSS. THE INSURANCE COMPANY DID NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THIS INCIDENT, ALTHOUGH OBVIOUS POTENTIAL CAUSES, SUCH AS RECENT SERVICE TO THE ENGINE, WERE RULED OUT (THERE HAD BEEN NO RECENT SERVICE).
CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT HAVING PROBLEM WITH INTERMITTENTLY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. (MODULE SENSOR) DEALER HAS INSPECTED SINCE 1998 AND PROBLEM COULD NO DUPLICATE OR CORRECT THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. TS
CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.ALSO STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE VEHICLE STARTED SLOWING DOWN THEN CAUGHT ON FIRE. DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD 70000 MILES AND THERE WERE GOING TO GET THE VEHICLE AS SOON AS THEY COULD.PH
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE ENGINE STALLED. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *MR
WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH ON INTERSTATE 40 THE ENGINE SEIZED DUE TO OIL GELATION. MR
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. CONSUMER CAN HEAR WATER IN ENGINE. THIS CAN RESULT IN A FIRE. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK
I AM CONCERNED WHY IT IS THAT TOYOTA DID NOT CONTACT ME WITH ONE OF THE LETTERS TELLING ME ABOUT ENGINE GEL UNTIL I CONTACTED THEM ABOUT ANOTHER ENGINE FAILURE THAT I HAD WITH ANOTHER CAR. I HAVE SPOKEN WITH MANY THAT HAVE THE TOYOTA'S THAT FALL UNDER THE ENGINE GEL CAMPAIGN AND THEY TOO HAVE NOT RECEIVED LETTERS ABOUT THIS POTE…
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I AM CONCERNED WHY IT IS THAT TOYOTA DID NOT CONTACT ME WITH ONE OF THE LETTERS TELLING ME ABOUT ENGINE GEL UNTIL I CONTACTED THEM ABOUT ANOTHER ENGINE FAILURE THAT I HAD WITH ANOTHER CAR. I HAVE SPOKEN WITH MANY THAT HAVE THE TOYOTA'S THAT FALL UNDER THE ENGINE GEL CAMPAIGN AND THEY TOO HAVE NOT RECEIVED LETTERS ABOUT THIS POTENTIAL PROBLEM. I AM UNDERSTAND THAT TOYOTA HEADED OFF A RECALL BY SENDING OUT THESE LETTERS. I AM TELLING YOU THAT THERE ARE A LOAD OF PEOPLE THAT OWN THESE CARS THAT KNOW NOTHING ABOUT THE IMPENDING DAMAGE TO THEIR ENGINES. COULD YOU PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS ASAP.*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.