IllustrationMASSIVE ACCELERATED CORROSION OF THE FRAME INCLUDING LEAF SPRINGS WHICH HAS NOW PUNCTURED THE GAS TANK LEADING TO GASOLINE LEAKING. THERE HAVE BEEN HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS AS FAR AS I CAN TELL FOR THE SAME REASON. HOWEVER, THERE ARE NO RECALLS BY TOYOTA AND THE COMPANY AND DEALERSHIP ARE SAYING THEY ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE!
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 reportsTHE FRAME ON THIS VEHICLE IS BAD. MY WIFE HAS HAD THIS TRUCK SINCE 1998 AND THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A RECALL ISSUED FOR THIS FRAME ISSUE. THE FRAME WILL EVENTUALLY BREAK AS REPORTED BY MANY OTHER CONSUMERS AND IS IT IS ON THE ROAD WHEN THIS HAPPENS COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. PLEASE ISSUE A RECALL.
MY FRAME IS RUSTED AND CRACKED IN HALF. I WELDED A PLATE TO THE FRAME AND USED A BOLT FOR THE SHOCK MOUNT TO REPLACE THE BUSTED SHOCK MOUNT. CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THE VEHICLE AS I AM WAITING FOR THE REST OF THE FRAME TO BREAK IN HALF AS I AM DRIVING.
1998 TOYOTA TACOMA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO DEALERSHIP REFUSAL TO REPAIR VEHICLE FRAME CORROSION RECALL NOTICE. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE FRAME WAS COMPLETELY CORRODED AND THE VEHICLE WAS INOPERABLE. DURING THE RECALL IN 2008, THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED AND THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE VEHICLE DID NOT HAVE THE INVOLV…
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1998 TOYOTA TACOMA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO DEALERSHIP REFUSAL TO REPAIR VEHICLE FRAME CORROSION RECALL NOTICE. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE FRAME WAS COMPLETELY CORRODED AND THE VEHICLE WAS INOPERABLE. DURING THE RECALL IN 2008, THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED AND THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE VEHICLE DID NOT HAVE THE INVOLVED METAL THAT WAS SUSCEPTIBLE TO CORROSION. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER, THE VEHICLE WAS PAST THE 15 YEAR LIMIT, AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO IX IT, OR BUY IT BACK. *JB
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS UNDERGOING ROUTINE BRAKE SERVICE, THE MECHANIC NOTICED THAT THE ENTIRE FRAME WAS CORRODED WITH HOLES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 161,000.…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS UNDERGOING ROUTINE BRAKE SERVICE, THE MECHANIC NOTICED THAT THE ENTIRE FRAME WAS CORRODED WITH HOLES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 161,000.....UPDATED 0711/16 *BF UPDATED 7/12/16*LJ *CN
I BOUGHT MY '98 TOYOTA TACOMA IN 2000. SINCE THAT PURCHASE I HAVE NEVER RECEIVED A LETTER REGARDING ANY RECALLS OR SAFELY ISSUES. I HAVE ONLY MOVED ONCE SINCE I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE AND THAT WAS IN 2003. SO I FEEL THAT TOYOTA MADE NO HONEST EFFORT TO CONTACT ME REGARDING ANY ISSUES SO I SHOULD BE ABLE TO ADDRESS AND HAVE RE…
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I BOUGHT MY '98 TOYOTA TACOMA IN 2000. SINCE THAT PURCHASE I HAVE NEVER RECEIVED A LETTER REGARDING ANY RECALLS OR SAFELY ISSUES. I HAVE ONLY MOVED ONCE SINCE I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE AND THAT WAS IN 2003. SO I FEEL THAT TOYOTA MADE NO HONEST EFFORT TO CONTACT ME REGARDING ANY ISSUES SO I SHOULD BE ABLE TO ADDRESS AND HAVE REPAIRED ANY PROBLEMS THAT WERE RECALLED SUCH AS THE CORRODING FRAME. THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE THAT TOYOTA CONVENIENTLY LET FALL THROUGH THE CRACKS.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT HEARD A NOISE FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. UPON INSPECTION, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE ENTIRE FRAME WAS RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 312,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE WAS FRACTURED BY THE REAR WHEEL ON THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE FRAME WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEA…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE WAS FRACTURED BY THE REAR WHEEL ON THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE FRAME WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 319,552.
FRAME ON MY TRUCK IS RUSTING TO A POINT OF BEING A SAFETY ISSUE . TOYOTA NEEDS TO REPLACE THIS SO VEHICLE WILL BE SAFE .
FRAME OF TRUCK FROM FRONT CAB MOUNT TO BACK SIDE OF REAR SPRING PERCHES IS RUSTED AND PERFORATED MAKING TRUCK UNSAFE TO DRIVE.
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.