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1998 Toyota Camry problems

The most common problem on the 1998 Toyota Camry is brakes, typically around 80,000 miles. It has 1.3 times the complaints of a typical Camry model year.

Typical year1.3x the typical complaints
Owner complaints
600
Recalls
2
Service bulletins
128
Worst area
Brakes
Fuel economy
20-24mpg

The worst 1998 Toyota Camry problems

Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.

Problems by type

Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.

Specific symptoms reported on the 1998 Toyota Camry

Fire or smoke 35Grinding brakes 33No deployment 28Sudden acceleration 24Door locks 19Brake failure 17Headlights 16Engine failure 15Stalling 15Check engine light 14Seat belt 12ABS 10Tire blowout 10Pulling 9Adaptive cruise 7Jerking 6Airbag light 5Harsh shifting 5

Recalls 2

Vehicle speed controlReported January 16, 2001 · 53,061 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles equipped with cruise control and v6 engines, and built at one of two lines at the kentucky plant. The accelerator cable housing could be deformed at the cruise control actuator-to-throttle body connection. The accelerator inner-cable could wear away and eventually break.
Risk
This could allow the throttle to return to idle or remain in its most recent position regardless of accelerator pedal operation, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the accelerator cable. Owner notification began february 23, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact toyota at 1‑800‑331‑4331.

Recall number 01V012000 · Recall details

Steering: steering wheel/handle barReported November 1, 1999 · 540,037 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The steering wheel set nut may not have been sufficiently tightened causing steering vibration and looseness.
Risk
This can result in a loss of vehicle control.
Remedy
Dealers will tighten the steering wheel set nut.

Recall number 99V307000 · Recall details

See all 2 recalls for the 1998 Toyota Camry

Defect investigations

Engine compartment fireOpened October 22, 2002, closed March 18, 2003

Odi's data analysis found the fires rates to be consistently low and evenly distributed among six model years and six different engine configurations.odi examined a variety of root causes, those being detonation (resulting in oil pan puncture from connecting rod), starter fires, various fuel related fires, leaking oil filters, wiring issues, improper repairs and brake fluid leaks.none of the issues examined had reports that indicated a trend when normalized for populaton and exposure.see attached report for full details.

PE02079

Engine seizureOpened April 30, 2002, closed June 20, 2002

DP02004

Technical service bulletins for the 1998 Toyota Camry 128

Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.

See all 128 bulletins for the 1998 Toyota Camry

1998 Toyota Camry fuel economy

Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.

EngineDriveCityHighwayCombined
2.2L 4‑cylFWD20-2128-2923-24
3.0L 6‑cylFWD17-1825-2620-21

What 1998 Toyota Camry owners say

Most recent owner complaints, unedited.

Filed Jul 20, 2020 · Airbags · 146,000 miles · FL · 1 injury

Tl* the contact owned a 1998 toyota camry. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, the driver loss control when vehicle was hydroplaning. The contact depressed the brake, causing the vehicle to flip twice. The contact stated that no air bags deployed. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. A police report was filed. The contact sustained back, neck, bruises and glass cut that required medical treatment. The contact stated insurance company deemed the vehicle total loss. The contact stated local dealer nor the manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 146,000

Filed Dec 17, 2018 · Engine · 150,000 miles · PA

Tl* the contact owns a 1998 toyota camry. While driving, the vehicle stalled and all the warning indicators illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer and manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 150,000.

Filed May 23, 2017 · Engine · MA

Tl* the contact owns a 1998 toyota camry. While the vehicle was stationary, it stalled without warning. The vehicle was diagnosed as needing a new engine. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

Filed May 11, 2017 · Acceleration · 93,000 miles · MA · crash

Exiting a parking place when car surged and accelerated. Collided with four vehicles.

Filed Mar 7, 2017 · Steering · 129,000 miles · CA

Tl* the contact owns a 1998 toyota camry. While driving 5 MPH and making left or right turns, the steering wheel shook and felt loose. The contact was able to pull the steering wheel up towards her while the vehicle was being driven or while parked. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the vehicle was serviced per the federal safety agency campaign number: 99v307000 (steering). The manufacturer was notified of the issue. The VIN was invalid. The failure mileage was 129,000.

Filed Aug 31, 2016 · Acceleration, Brakes · 47,000 miles · MA · crash

Tl* the contact owned a 1998 toyota camry. The contact stated that the vehicle experienced unintended acceleration. The brakes did not function even when the brake pedal was depressed. As a result, the vehicle crashed between the contact's tree and a neighboring house. The vehicle was towed to a salvage yard where the vehicle was deemed destroyed. A police report was filed and there were no injuries. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 47,000.

Filed Aug 7, 2016 · Transmission · 128,000 miles · OH

The automatic transmission shift cable broke. The end that attaches to the transmission is plastic. This leaves the vehicle unable to shift.

Filed Apr 25, 2016 · Seat belts · 167,000 miles · CA

Starting in 2015, three of the 5 seat belts in my 1998 camry do not remain latched, or fail to initially latch. As a (retired) mechanical engineer, I disassembled them to understand the problem. The defect is in the anchor mechanism with the "press" button on it. The "press" button has a metal spring mounted on the red plastic part, and the plastic has gradually cracked at the spring mount. This metal spring is what pushes the metal block through the rectangular hole in the shoulder belt coupler, when it is plugged into the seat belt anchor and latched properly. Eventually, the crack grows to the point that the metal spring cannot exert enough force to reliably latch to the shoulder belt. It may initially latch and feel secure, but can then come loose several minutes later when driving the car. I plan to include 3 photos of the problem part, one showing the crack in the plastic. The vehicle has not been in any accidents, so the seat belt problem has not resulted in any injuries to myself or my passengers. The local toyota service department informed me that there was no extended warranty coverage for seat belts, so I bought new toyota replacement parts for the defective belt anchors. We live in the desert, so long-term heat and cold cycles could be a contributing factor. The spring has its heaviest load on the plastic mount when the seat belt is not engaged, so the crack could possibly start, or grow, even when the seat belt is not being used.

Filed Feb 22, 2016 · Electrical · 218,000 miles · AL

Tl* the contact owns a 1998 toyota camry. The contact stated that the odometer failed. All the other gauges and lights were illuminated and worked as intended. The vehicle was not taken to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the issue. The approximate failure mileage was 218,000. The VIN was not available.

Filed Aug 10, 2015 · Airbags · FL

This 1998 toyota camry le was purchased used in 2003 from a local dealership. It now has 64, 970 miles on it, has never been in an accident, contains all original parts, and has a flawless electronics system. The problem lies with the air bags warning light which has burned constantly for the last few years, while driving. To have this system checked is costly, yet there has never been a recall on these air bags for this year and model. In addition, I have never received a recall notice of any kind regarding this vehicle. Please advise

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Compare the 1998 Toyota Camry

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Other model years

19901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024

Questions about the 1998 Toyota Camry

Is the 1998 Toyota Camry reliable?

Owners have filed 600 complaints about the 1998 Toyota Camry, 1.3 times a typical Camry model year.

What is the most common problem with the 1998 Toyota Camry?

Brakes, with 121 complaints, typically around 80,000 miles. Next is engine (95).

How many recalls does the 1998 Toyota Camry have?

2 recalls, covering vehicle speed control and steering.

What year does the Toyota Camry have bad brakes?

The Toyota Camry model years with the most brakes complaints are 2007 (316 complaints), 2002 (173 complaints) and 2018 (165 complaints).

What gas mileage does the 1998 Toyota Camry get?

Official estimates for the 1998 Toyota Camry range from 20 to 24 mpg combined. The most efficient version (2.2L 4-cyl, FWD) gets 20-21 city and 28-29 highway.

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