IllustrationWHEN HEADLIGHTS ARE IN USE, DRIVER CANNOT SEE ANY MORE THAN APPROXIMATELY 25 FEET IN FRONT GOING DOWN A HILL. PROBLEM HAS BEEN REPORTED TO DEALER, AND PARTS WERE REPLACED. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK *SLC
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 reportsFAILURE OF MANUAL CLUTCH, WARRANTY COVERAGE DECLINED, WITH 40+YEARS OF DRIVING EXPERIENCE WITH MANUL TRANSMISSIONS WITHOUT A PROBLEM, TRADING IN (3RD TOYOTA)1968 TOYOTA CAMRY, MANUAL TRANSMISSION WITH 120,000+MILES EXPERIENCING NO PROBLEMS,, AFTER JUNE/000 30,000 CHECK-UP FINDING NO TRNSMISSION PROBLEMS, DEALER DECLINED APPLYIN…
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FAILURE OF MANUAL CLUTCH, WARRANTY COVERAGE DECLINED, WITH 40+YEARS OF DRIVING EXPERIENCE WITH MANUL TRANSMISSIONS WITHOUT A PROBLEM, TRADING IN (3RD TOYOTA)1968 TOYOTA CAMRY, MANUAL TRANSMISSION WITH 120,000+MILES EXPERIENCING NO PROBLEMS,, AFTER JUNE/000 30,000 CHECK-UP FINDING NO TRNSMISSION PROBLEMS, DEALER DECLINED APPLYING WARANTY-CONCLUSION OF DEALER, I AM A LOUZY DRIVER.*AK
SIDEWALL COMPLETELY DISENTERGRATED AT 60 MPH ON INTERSTATE. ROTATED/BALANCED/GOOD TREAD REMAINING. NO CUT / PUNCTURE. DID NOT RUN OVER ANYTHING.*AK (DOT NUMBER: ACRW2W5377 TIRESIZE: P195/70R14)
FLAT TIRE DUE TO OLD, CUT, SLOW LEAKING VALVE STEM. *CJ
DASHBOARD TROUBLE LIGHTS -- BULB OUT, CHECK ENGINE, REVERSE INDICATOR ON GEAR SELECTOR ( WHILE IN PARK OR ANY OTHER SETTING) CAME ON. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO A LICENSED MECHANIC WHOM I'VE BEEN DEALING WITH FOR ABOUT FIFTEEN YEARS. HE EXAMINED CAR AND FOUND THAT THE REAR WIRING HARNESS IN THE TRUNK ALONG THE LEFT SIDE TRUNK HINGE…
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DASHBOARD TROUBLE LIGHTS -- BULB OUT, CHECK ENGINE, REVERSE INDICATOR ON GEAR SELECTOR ( WHILE IN PARK OR ANY OTHER SETTING) CAME ON. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO A LICENSED MECHANIC WHOM I'VE BEEN DEALING WITH FOR ABOUT FIFTEEN YEARS. HE EXAMINED CAR AND FOUND THAT THE REAR WIRING HARNESS IN THE TRUNK ALONG THE LEFT SIDE TRUNK HINGE HAD BEEN STRETCHING TO THE POINT WHERE THE WIRES WERE TEARING, MELTING THE INSULATION, POPING FUSES, AND SHORTING OUT THE INDIVIDUAL CIRCUITS. I CONTACTED THE DEALER AFTER THE REPAIR AND I WAS MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEMS AND THEIR FACTORY REPRESENTATIVE CLAIMED NO PRIOR KNOWLEDGE OF ANY SUCH INCIDENT EVER HAPPENING. *AK
STEERING COMPLETELY FAILED WHEN DRIVING ON DRY, CLEAR, DAY. CAR PULLED TO THE LEFT, WENT RIGHT, THAN HEAD ON WITH ONCOMING VEHICLE. *AK
BOTH FRONT TIRES EXPERIENCED ABNORMAL TREAD WEAR ON THE INSIDE, THE WORST OF THE TWO FRONT TIRES WAS WORN TO THE CASING AND WAS DISCARDED WHEN IT DEVELOPED A LEAK, POSSIBLY RELATED TO THE TIRES OR THE FRONT END SUSPENSION SYSTEM. NLM
EXCESSIVE WEAR OF BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS, REPLACEMENT/ ROTORS TUNE ARE NEEDED EVERY 8,000 MILES; DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK
DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS WITH 2 CHILDREN & LUGGAGE CAR "BOTTOM OUTS" WHEN GOING OVER HIGHWAY DIPS. *AK
GENERAL NATION GENERAL TIRES (P195 70 R14) ARE TREADLESS AND BACK TIRE ON RIGHT SIDE IS CRACKING. *SLC
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.