IllustrationSINGLE CAR ACCIDENT RESULTING IN SEVERE FRONT END DAMAGE INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WITH NO AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT. DRIVER SUSTAINED SEVERE HEAD TRAUMA AS A RESULT. *AK
1998 Toyota Tacoma
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1998 Toyota Tacoma do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 228.5.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Tacoma 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
20–25K
425–50K
1350–75K
1375–100K
35100–150K
52150K+
119 reports with mileage · 181 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.
- Structure. Review the 98 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 46 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Tires. Review the 29 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
49 crash reports0 fire reports25 injury reports
Air Bags complaints
46 reportsDRIVING AT 30MPH WHEN MY VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A 4 VEHICLE ACCIDENT. MY VEHICLE HAD MODERATE INTRUSION INTO ENGINE COMPARTMENT WITH NO AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT. DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT DID NOT CATCH CAUSING CHEST TO HIT STEERING WHEEL AND KNEES TO HIT DASH
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH WHEN HE NOTICED A VEHICLE HAD STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF ROAD. CONSUMER APPLIED BRAKES, BUT ENDED UP REARENDING THE VEHICLE WITH A 30 MPH IMPACT. DUAL AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED SERIOUS INJUIRES , SEATBELTS WAS WORN AT THE TIME. OWNER'S MANUAL STATED AIRBAGS WILL DE…
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CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH WHEN HE NOTICED A VEHICLE HAD STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF ROAD. CONSUMER APPLIED BRAKES, BUT ENDED UP REARENDING THE VEHICLE WITH A 30 MPH IMPACT. DUAL AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED SERIOUS INJUIRES , SEATBELTS WAS WORN AT THE TIME. OWNER'S MANUAL STATED AIRBAGS WILL DEPLOY UPON A 14 MPH IMPACT. VEHICLE HAD EXCESSIVE DAMAGE, AND IMPACT WAS HARD ENOUGH TO BEND THE FRAME. *AK
WHEN DRIVING ABOUT 35-40 MPH, TRUCK CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF A JEEP WRANGLER, THERE WAS NO DEPLOYMENT OF DRIVER'S SIDE OR PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS. TRUCK WAS BEING REPAIRED. WHOLE FRONT END WAS DAMAGED, TOTAL AMOUNT OF DAMAGES WAS $9,500.00. *AK *ML
WHEN DRIVING BETWEEN 30-40 MPH AND UPON DEPRESSING BRAKE PEDAL, PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE , AND RESULTING IN A FRONTAL COLLISION. UPON IMPACT, NEITHER DRIVER'S SIDE NOR PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER. *AK SHOULDER HARNESS DID NOT TIGHTEN UP. *…
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WHEN DRIVING BETWEEN 30-40 MPH AND UPON DEPRESSING BRAKE PEDAL, PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE , AND RESULTING IN A FRONTAL COLLISION. UPON IMPACT, NEITHER DRIVER'S SIDE NOR PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER. *AK SHOULDER HARNESS DID NOT TIGHTEN UP. *YH
A PERSON TURNED INTO THE PATH OF MY TRUCK, I HIT HER @ 30MPH, CENTER OF MY TRUCK HIT THE RIGHT FRONT CORNER OF HER CAR, THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK
WHILE DRIVING ON A 4-LANE HIGHWAY ANOTHER VEHICLE CAME OUT FROM THE RIGHT AND COLLIDED WITH CONSUMER'S VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, NEITHER AIRBAG DEPLOYED. CONTACTED DEALER. *AK
WHEN PULLING INTO A TURNING LANE WENT TO APPLY THE BRAKES AND THE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE GROUND , THEN L TRIED TO PRESS THE BRAKES AGAIN THE BRAKES STILL DID NOT RESPOND. THEN, THIRD TIME THE REAR END BRAKES JUST SIMPLY LOCKED UP, REAR ENDING A MERCEDES 30MPH. THEN, THE TRUCK WENT TO THE SIDE AND LIGHTLY…
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WHEN PULLING INTO A TURNING LANE WENT TO APPLY THE BRAKES AND THE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE GROUND , THEN L TRIED TO PRESS THE BRAKES AGAIN THE BRAKES STILL DID NOT RESPOND. THEN, THIRD TIME THE REAR END BRAKES JUST SIMPLY LOCKED UP, REAR ENDING A MERCEDES 30MPH. THEN, THE TRUCK WENT TO THE SIDE AND LIGHTLY HIT ANOTHER TOYOTA TRUCK, NIETHER SIDES OFF MY AIR BAGS DEPLOYED AND MY TRUCK RECEIVED HEAVY FRONT CLIP DAMAGE AND HEAVY SIDE DAMAGE, L WAS LEFT WITH NO WAY TO GET TO WORK , SINCE THEN THE TRUCK HAS BEEN REPOSSED AND LM BEING SUED APPROSS.30,000 DOLLARS. L STILL THANK GOD IM OK AND SO WAS EVERY BODY ELSE *AK
THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN ACCIDENT DURING WHICH THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. YH
WHILE DRIVING ON A TWO LANE HIGHWAY IN A LOT OF TRAFFIC VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED. AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, AND PASSENGER HIT HEAD ON WINDSHIELD. *AK
Official recalls
198V188000 · Air BAGS:ON-OFF Switch Assembly
Aug 6, 1998
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE STATEMENT REQUIRED IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL THAT "...THE ON-OFF SWITCH SHOULD ONLY BEN USED WHEN A MEMBER OF A PASSENGER RISK GROUP IDENTIFIED IN THE REQUEST FORM IN APPENDIX B......IS OCCUPYING THE RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER SEATING POSITION..." IS MIS-STATED. THIS DOES NOT COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS 208, "OCCUPANT CRASH PROTECTION."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THE AIR BAG SWITCH IS "OFF," THE SEAT OCCUPANT WHO IS NOT A MEMBER OF THE PASSENGER RISK GROUP WOULD BE SUBJECT TO INCREASED INJURY IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: OWNERS WILL BE SENT A CORRECTED OWNER'S MANUAL.
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.