IllustrationTHE VEHICLE VIBRATES AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND THE BRAKES VIBRATE WHEN APPLIED AS IF THE DISCS ARE BENT, MECHANIC CAN NOT FIND ANY PROBLEMS THAT WOULD CAUSE THESE SYMPTOMS. *MJS
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
Suspension complaints
28 reportsAT SPEEDS OVER 45, FRONT END VIBRATES BADLY AND IS HARD TO CONTROL. I HAVE REPLACED THE TIRES WHICH WORKED UNTIL THE TIRES HAD 5000 MILES OF THEM, BALANCED TIRES, AND HAD FRONT END ALIGNMENTS. THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, BUT CANNOT COME UP WITH A SOLUTION TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. I KNOW OF OTHER TACOMA OWNERS W…
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AT SPEEDS OVER 45, FRONT END VIBRATES BADLY AND IS HARD TO CONTROL. I HAVE REPLACED THE TIRES WHICH WORKED UNTIL THE TIRES HAD 5000 MILES OF THEM, BALANCED TIRES, AND HAD FRONT END ALIGNMENTS. THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, BUT CANNOT COME UP WITH A SOLUTION TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. I KNOW OF OTHER TACOMA OWNERS WITH SIMILAR PROBLEMS.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 31X10.5 15 )
VEHICLE EXPERIENCING HARD ACCELERATION. NLM
1. FRONT WHEEL ALIGNMENT SHIFTS UNDER LOAD(IN SPEC) AS MUCH AS 1/4 IN. THIS TOE OUT CAUSES EXCESSIVE AND DANGEROUS TIRE WEAR. TIRES CAME APART AFTER 3000 MI. THE VEHICLE IS HARD TO CONTROL WITH TOE OUT OF THIS MAGNITUDE. I HAVE TO GET THE ALIGNMENT DONE WITH A LOAD IN THE TRUCK TO BE ABLE TO SAFELY STEER IT AND GET SOME RESPECTA…
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1. FRONT WHEEL ALIGNMENT SHIFTS UNDER LOAD(IN SPEC) AS MUCH AS 1/4 IN. THIS TOE OUT CAUSES EXCESSIVE AND DANGEROUS TIRE WEAR. TIRES CAME APART AFTER 3000 MI. THE VEHICLE IS HARD TO CONTROL WITH TOE OUT OF THIS MAGNITUDE. I HAVE TO GET THE ALIGNMENT DONE WITH A LOAD IN THE TRUCK TO BE ABLE TO SAFELY STEER IT AND GET SOME RESPECTABLE TIRE WEAR. GOD SAVE AN UNSUSPECTING DRIVER! 2. REAR SPRINGS BOTTOM OUT "HARD" CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO JUMP. THE REAR SPRING BUMPER TO AXLE HOUSING SPACE IS 1 IN. (WITH LOAD). TOYOTA SAYS "DON'T LOAD IT, IT'S NOT REALLY A TRUCK! THESE TWO ITEMS MAKE THIS VEHICLE TRICKY TO DRIVE AND IS SETTING DRIVERS UP FOR A REAL ROAD TEST.
CLUTCH MALFUNCTIONED. YH
SHOCK ABSORBER FAILED. YH
SUSPENSION SYSTEM MUSHY, REPLACED ALL SHOCK ABSORBERS AND SPRINGS TO CORRECT PROBLEM. YH
CHASIS/LEAF SPRING/REAR AXLE IS DEFECTIVE, THE VEHICLE LEANS OVER A ONE INCH DEGREE TO THE DRIVERS SIDE, NO ONE HAS TO BE IN THE VEHICLE, THE DEALER REPLACED THE SPRING AND FIXED UP THE BED LEVEL, VEHICLE STILL LEANS OVER ONE HALF INCH WITHOUT ANYONE IN. DEALER CONTACTED SIX TIMES OR MORE AND CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *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.