IllustrationTHE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION AT 30-35 MPH, THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY ON IMPACT RESULTING IN MINOR INJURIES. NLM
1998 Toyota Corolla
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1998 Toyota Corolla do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 129.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Corolla 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
60–25K
825–50K
1450–75K
1875–100K
11100–150K
7150K+
64 reports with mileage · 161 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.
- Air Bags. Review the 61 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Structure. Review the 24 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
36 crash reports8 fire reports24 injury reports
Air Bags complaints
61 reportsBOTH FRONT AIRBAGS DEPLOYED WITH A MOD-SPEED FRONT RIGHT CRASH BY ONCOMING VEHICLE. DRIVERS FRONT AIRBAG STARTED SMOLDERING EMITTING AN ACRID GRAY SMOKE (ELECTRICAL WIRING?) FROM THE BASE OF THE AIRBAG; STOPPED SMOKING WHEN DISCONNECTED BATTERY. PASSENGER AIRBAG BROKE FRONT WINDSHIELD WHEN IT DEPLOYED (HAD NO PASSENGER). ARE EIT…
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BOTH FRONT AIRBAGS DEPLOYED WITH A MOD-SPEED FRONT RIGHT CRASH BY ONCOMING VEHICLE. DRIVERS FRONT AIRBAG STARTED SMOLDERING EMITTING AN ACRID GRAY SMOKE (ELECTRICAL WIRING?) FROM THE BASE OF THE AIRBAG; STOPPED SMOKING WHEN DISCONNECTED BATTERY. PASSENGER AIRBAG BROKE FRONT WINDSHIELD WHEN IT DEPLOYED (HAD NO PASSENGER). ARE EITHER OF THESE SITUATIONS COMMON/NORMAL WITH AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT? *AK
AFTER BEING CUT OFF BY ANOTHER VEHICLEIT HIT FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE OF CAR, AND SIDE DOOR PANEL OF SECOND CAR AT 30MPH. UPON IMPACT, NEITHER FRONT NOR SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED.*AK
VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION. UPON IMPACT AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY,RESULTING IN MINOR INJURIES. MANUFACTURER WILL BE NOTIFIED.*AK
WHILE WAITING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN, VEHICLE WAS HIT ON DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR, AND THERE WAS NO DEPLOYMENT OF SIDE AIR BAGS. VEHICLE HAS BEEN REPARIED. CONSUMER WAS INJURED IN ACCIDENT. *AK *SLC
WHILE DRIVING AT 10 MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE GOING ABOUT 30 MPH HIT CONSUMER'S VEHICLE FROM DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR, AND DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY, WHICH DID NOT PROTECT THE OCCUPANT IN THIS CRASH. *AK THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR WAS DAMAGED DUE TO THE ACCIDENT. *YH
AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON THE PANELTWO WEEKS AFTER PURCHASE. SHE TOOK IT BACK TO DEALERSHIP, AND CONSUMER WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE LIGHT. *AK
AIR BAG LIGHT WILL COME ON UNEXPECTEDLY ON DASHBOARD. THIS HAS HAPPENED THREE TIMES. *AK
WHILE TRAVELING AT 35 MPH AND AS A RESULT OF AN ACCIDENT AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AT ANY TIME. CONSUMER WAS INJURED. DEALER WAS CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
WHEN MOVING AIR BAG INDICATION LIGHT WOULD FLASH INTERMITTENTLY. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHRE INFORMATION.*AK
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.