IllustrationCONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING THE FRONT RIGHT STRUTS SNAPPED CAUSING A DISTRACTION TO THE CONSUMER. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS
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
What owners actually said
600 reportsCONSUMER 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
WHEN RELEASING FOOT FROM THE GAS, THE GAS PEDAL WILL SOMETIMES LOCK IN THE IDLE POSITION REQUIRING EXTRA FORCE TO RELEASE IT RESULTING IN A SUDDEN ACCELERATION WHICH COULD RESULT IN LOSING CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE IN SLIPPERY CONDITIONS. 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
DEALER CLAIMS THAT I DAMAGED THE CHARCOAL CANISTER BY 'TOPPING OFF" THE GAS TANK. HIS DEFINITION OF "TOPPING OFF" IS TO FILL UNTIL THE PUMP SHUTS OFF, THEN ADD A LITTLE MORE TO GET A ROUND NUMBER TOTAL COST. SINCE MOST PEOPLE "TOP OFF" THE TANK USING THIS DEFINITION, IT WOULD SEEM THAT THIS MUST BE A DESIGN DEFECT. THE DEALER…
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DEALER CLAIMS THAT I DAMAGED THE CHARCOAL CANISTER BY 'TOPPING OFF" THE GAS TANK. HIS DEFINITION OF "TOPPING OFF" IS TO FILL UNTIL THE PUMP SHUTS OFF, THEN ADD A LITTLE MORE TO GET A ROUND NUMBER TOTAL COST. SINCE MOST PEOPLE "TOP OFF" THE TANK USING THIS DEFINITION, IT WOULD SEEM THAT THIS MUST BE A DESIGN DEFECT. THE DEALER SAYS THAT IF IT IS NOT FIXED THE CAR WILL FAIL REQUIRED EMISSIONS TESTS, BUT THAT IF IT IS FIXED AND I "TOP OFF" THE TANK IT WILL FAIL AGAIN. THERE IS NO WARNING AGAINST "TOPPING OFF" THE TANK IN THE OWNERS MANUAL. THEREFORE NORMAL REFUELING RESULTS IS PERMANANT DAMAGE TO THE EMISSIONS SYSTEM. THIS MEANS THAT THE EMISSIONS SYSTEM CAN NOT BE MAINTAINED IN WORKING CONDITION. DT
WHILE DRIVING THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED BUT THE PEDAL WENT DOWN TO THE FLOOR BOARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DETERMINED THAT THE MASTER CYLINDER FAILED. *MR *NLM
THE SUSPENSION SYSTEM WAS FAULTY WHICH CAUSED A KNOCKING AND SQUEAKING NOISE WHILE DRIVING. THE DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. *MR *NLM
TIRE BLOW OUT, ALMOST INTO 2 PEICES SEPERATING THREAD ON FREE WAY. TIRE IS 3 MONTHS OLD, WITH 4000 MILES. DT
THE VEHICLE'S ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL WARNING LIGHTS HAVE BEEN ACTIVATED AND THE DEALER CAN NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER PROBLEM COULD BE WITH EITHER THE ABS ACTUATOR OR THE INTERNAL ECU LEAVING AN OPEN SOURCE CODE. CONSUMER IS VERY CONCERNED THAT THE PROBLEM CAN NOT BE DIAGNOSED AND IS CONCERNED …
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THE VEHICLE'S ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL WARNING LIGHTS HAVE BEEN ACTIVATED AND THE DEALER CAN NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER PROBLEM COULD BE WITH EITHER THE ABS ACTUATOR OR THE INTERNAL ECU LEAVING AN OPEN SOURCE CODE. CONSUMER IS VERY CONCERNED THAT THE PROBLEM CAN NOT BE DIAGNOSED AND IS CONCERNED ABOUT PERSONAL SAFETY IF COMPONENTS DO NOT FUNCTION AS EXPECTED.TS
IDLE AIR CONTROL (IAC) VALVE HAS FAILED 2 TIMES AND HAS BEEN REPLACED 2 TIMES AT TOYOTA OF HUNTINGTON BEACH. FIRST TIME ON 3/23/2001 AND SECOND TIME ON 1/17/2002. IDENTICAL SYMPTOMS OF PAST FAILURES STARTING TO APPEAR AGAIN, AS OF ABOUT 10/1/2002. DT
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.