IllustrationVEHICLE EXPERIENCING HARD ACCELERATION. NLM
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
What owners actually said
300 reportsCONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 60MPH AND HEARD A POPPING NOISE AND THERE WAS A BLOWOUT. ALSO, NOTICED A FOUR- INCH CUT WHERE THE TORN TIRE AND METAL TREADS WERE SHOWING. *AK THE TIRES ARE DEFECTIVE. THE CUSTOMER FEELS ALL FOUR TIRES SHOULD BE REPLACED. *YH
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
FRONT WINDSHIELD DEVELOPED A CRACK IN THE CENTER/BOTTOM THAT EXTENDED UP APP. 4 INCHES AND THE TURNED TOWARD THE PASSENGER SIDE. I WAS TOLD BY A FLEET MANAGER THAT TOYOTA TRUCKS ARE KNOWN FOR THIS PROBLEM. *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
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN THE RIGHT WHEEL CAME OFF. BUT, BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS WERE STILL ATTACHED. *AK
WHEN ACCELERATING IN 2ND GEAR THERE IS A BAD VIBRATION(2000-2500 RPM). IT ALSO "CLUNKS" WHEN SHIFTING FROM 1ST GEAR TO 2ND GEAR. THE HIGHER THE RPM THE WORSE IT "CLUNKS". VEHICLE PURCHASED IN NOVEMBER 1999. TAKEN TO DEALER TWICE REGARDING PROBLEM. DEALER SAYS IT IS "NORMAL". I AM CONCERNED THAT THE TRANSMISSION SYNCHRONIZE…
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WHEN ACCELERATING IN 2ND GEAR THERE IS A BAD VIBRATION(2000-2500 RPM). IT ALSO "CLUNKS" WHEN SHIFTING FROM 1ST GEAR TO 2ND GEAR. THE HIGHER THE RPM THE WORSE IT "CLUNKS". VEHICLE PURCHASED IN NOVEMBER 1999. TAKEN TO DEALER TWICE REGARDING PROBLEM. DEALER SAYS IT IS "NORMAL". I AM CONCERNED THAT THE TRANSMISSION SYNCHRONIZERS ARE WORN OUT AND WANT TO GET PROBLEM RESOLVED WHILE COVERED UNDER 60,000 MILE DRIVETRAIN WARRANTY. *AK
VEHICLE WAS AT COMPLETE STOP WITH AIR CONDTIONER ON, IDLE KICKED IN & LURCHED THE VEHICLE FORWARD. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER TWICE. THE TROTTLE SENSOR WAS REPLACED THE FIRST TIME. THE SECOND TIME CONSUMER WAS INFORMED BY MECHANIC IT WAS THE NORMAL OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *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.