Tl* the contact owns a 1998 toyota rav4. The contact stated while driving approximately 25 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the vapor canister and the vacuum switching valve (vsv) needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The contact was informed that the VIN was not under recall. The failure mileage was approximately 140,734. Consumer stated vehicle has been repaired.
The worst 1998 Toyota RAV4 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.
- Brakes16
- Airbags13
- Acceleration12
- Transmission10
- Engine6
- Seat belts4
- Body3
- Electrical3
- Fuel system3
- Suspension3
- Steering2
- Tires2
- Lights1
- Locks1
- Visibility1
- Wheels1
Specific symptoms reported on the 1998 Toyota RAV4
Recalls 4
Air bags: frontal: driver side: inflator module
- What is wrong
- Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 1998-2000 RAV4, 1998-1999 RAV4 EV and Celica and 1997-1998 Supra vehicles. These vehicles were equipped with Non-Azide Driver air bag Inflators (NADI) and do not contain phase stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant. Due to a manufacturing issue, the NADI inflators may absorb moisture, causing the inflators to rupture or the air bag cushion to underinflate.
- Risk
- In the event of a crash necessitating air bag deployment, an inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants. An underinflated air bag may not properly protect the occupant, and increases the risk of serious injury or death.
- Remedy
- Toyota will notify owners, and owners will have the option to self-inspect, or have a dealer inspect the steering wheel on their vehicle to determine if their vehicle may be equipped with an affected inflator. Potentially affected steering wheel serial numbers will be inspected by a dealer. Based on the inspection, dealers will replace the front driver air bag inflator with an alternate one, as necessary. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began August 28, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1‑888‑270‑9371. Toyota's numbers for this recall is 20TB01 and 20TA01.
Recall number 20V033000 · Recall details
Power train: automatic transmission: park/neutral start interlock switch
- What is wrong
- Vehicle description: sport utility electric vehicles. If the subject vehicles are repeatedly parked by placing the shift lever into the "p" position without applying the parking brake, the parking lock rod, a component of the transmission parking lock system, could break.
- Risk
- This condition can render the system inoperative, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the parking lock rod.
Recall number 00V211000 · Recall details
Service brakes, air: disc: rotor
- What is wrong
- Vehicle description: sport utility electric vehicles. The front disc brake rotor, when equipped with steel wheels, can develop stress fractures if the lug nuts are tightened with excessive torque.
- Risk
- The disc rotor could break (where it mounts to the wheel), resulting in a loss of braking action on that wheel, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the disc brake rotors. If the vehicle is equipped with steel wheels, toyota will replace the front disc brake rotors and steel wheels with new disc brake rotors and new aluminum wheels. In addition a caution label that reads, "use new genuine toyota aluminum wheels." will be affixed. Vehicles already equipped with aluminum wheels will only require caution label installation.
Recall number 00V212000 · Recall details
Electrical system: ignition: anti-theft: control module
- What is wrong
- Vehicle description: sport utility vehicles, mini vans and passenger vehicles equipped with a theft deterrent systems (tds) supplied by audiovox corporation and distributed by southeast toyota distributors, inc. In the states of alabama, florida, georgia, north and south carolina. The alarm wiring harness plugs into the vehicle's ignition switch and the vehicle's ignition switch wiring harness plugs into the alarm harness to complete the circuit. A percentage of the female terminals used in the alarm connector were found to be defective, causing an 'open circuit' condition when mated to the male ignition switch terminals.
- Risk
- This condition can cause intermittent performance of the vehicle's electrical components such as the dash warning lights and/or HVAC fan speed controls. Also, the vehicle may not run smoothly and could stall.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect the date code label on the security system harness and any displaying the manufacturing/final date code will be replaced with newly produced harnesses. The date codes are: rav4 - 6/24/98, 6/25/98, 6/26/98; sienna - 6/25/98, 6/26/98; and avalon - 6/30/98, 7/1/98, 8/31/98, 9/1/98, 9/2/98, and 9/3/98.
Recall number 98V278000 · Recall details
Technical service bulletins for the 1998 Toyota RAV4 66
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- Obsolete notice
- Replacement certification labels (the vinyl label installed on the driver door or door post) and VIN...
- TT: Some Toyota vehicles installed with Toyota Complete Maintenance Care (TCMC) brake pads may exhibit a...
- POL: This consolidated Tire Warranty Guide contains the complete warranty terms for all brands of ground...
- Toyota Safety Recall and Service Campaign
- TT: Some Toyota vehicles installed with Toyota Complete Maintenance Care (TCMC) brake pads may exhibit a...
- Replacement certification labels (the vinyl label installed on the driver door or door post) and VIN...
- Obsolete notice
- Supersession notice
- Obsolete notice
1998 Toyota RAV4 fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0L 4‑cyl | FWD | 21 | 26-27 | 23 |
| 2.0L 4‑cyl | 4WD | 19-20 | 24 | 21-22 |
What 1998 Toyota RAV4 owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
Tl* the contact owned a 1998 toyota rav4. The contact stated while making a left turn at an intersection, another vehicle crashed into the front passenger side of their vehicle. The air bags failed to deploy. A police report was filed. The contact stated that two people in the vehicle sustained injuries. The passenger in the passenger seat sustained a black eye, several leg bruises and had to get 7 stitches in her head. The passenger in the back seat sustained two broken ribs. The vehicle was not drivable and was towed to a junk yard. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired as of yet. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer had not been informed of failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
My vehicle is being recalled for takada air bags.
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 rav 4. The contact was notified through local emissions that the vehicle was included in the federal safety agency campaign number: 20v033000 (air bags). The VIN tool confirms that the vehicle was subjected to the recall. Neither a dealer nor the manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Vin tool confirms parts not available.
Even after I replaced the brake pads while doing maintenance, the brakes are still loose at times, mostly after running on the highway.
Excessive oil use, tried to have dealer fix at 149,000, would not check. Warenty enhancement, now 200000 miles 1 qt+ 1200 miles. Took to dealer 2/27/17 said I had to pay 3000+ to fix. Toyota new it was bad pistons or rings and admit it. But I pay? Always took care of vehicle
Re: safety recall for rear outboard seatbelts. I first became aware of the the recall in feb. 2016. In early march, we scheduled normal maintenance for our rav4. When we inquired about the seatbelt recall, the dealership had no knowledge of the issue. I have now been driving my 6 and 8 year old children around in a vehicle with recalled seatbelts for 2 months. Today, april 7, is the first notification I have received from toyota and the notification states that toyota still has no "remedy". Toyota is putting my children in danger everyday and I have lost all trust in toyota.
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 toyota rav4. The contact stated that while driving 25 MPH, the brakes were applied and there was an abnormal noise. In addition, the vehicle was difficult to come to a stop. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where the front driver's side rotor was replaced. The contact stated that the VIN was not included in any recalls. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The mileage was unavailable.
During slow turns such as through intersections there is a knocking in the steering wheel. This has been present since I purchased the car in 2008 and has been getting slowly worse. Dhl toyota in wappingers falls, ny has told me that this is a safety issue and the steering can go at any time. There are 2 toyota technical service bulletins dating from 2008 on how to fix this problem: t-sb-0308-08 and t-sb-0318-08. I was told toyota will not pay for it and the fix is $2800. Since toyota told me this is a safety issue, then there should be a safety recall and toyota should fix it at their expense.
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 toyota rav4. The contact was driving 60 MPH and attempted to avoid a tractor trailer. While switching lanes, the rear of the contact's vehicle crashed into another vehicle, causing the contact to spin out of control, crash into the tractor trailer and then into the guard rail. The vehicle was destroyed. The air bags did not deploy. Each of the three passengers were wearing seat belts however none of them locked on impact, causing injury to each of the three passengers. The vehicle was neither repaired nor inspected for the cause of the air bag failure. The failure and the current mileages were 105,000.
Compare the 1998 Toyota RAV4
RAV4 vs Ford EscapeRAV4 vs Honda CR-VRAV4 vs Jeep CherokeeRAV4 vs Chevrolet EquinoxRAV4 vs Nissan RogueRAV4 vs Subaru ForesterRAV4 vs Hyundai TucsonRAV4 vs Kia Sportage
Other model years
19941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025
Questions about the 1998 Toyota RAV4
Is the 1998 Toyota RAV4 reliable?
Owners have filed 77 complaints about the 1998 Toyota RAV4, fewer than a typical RAV4 model year.
What is the most common problem with the 1998 Toyota RAV4?
Brakes, with 16 complaints. Next is airbags (13).
How many recalls does the 1998 Toyota RAV4 have?
4 recalls, covering air bags, power train and service brakes, air.
Was there a recall on the 1998 Toyota RAV4 brakes?
Yes, 1 recall: 00V212000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.
What year does the Toyota RAV4 have bad brakes?
The Toyota RAV4 model years with the most brakes complaints are 2011 (48 complaints), 2007 (47 complaints) and 2016 (46 complaints).
What gas mileage does the 1998 Toyota RAV4 get?
Official estimates for the 1998 Toyota RAV4 range from 21 to 23 mpg combined. The most efficient version (2.0L 4-cyl, FWD) gets 21 city and 26-27 highway.
VIN decoder
See the problems and recalls for an exact car
Buying a used 1998 Toyota RAV4?
Check the exact car before you pay: accidents, salvage or flood titles, odometer readings and previous owners.
Check its history