IllustrationTie rods detached from frame, along with steering parts became unsafe on minor highway speed turnes
1998 Toyota Avalon
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1998 Toyota Avalon do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 101.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Avalon 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
30–25K
1325–50K
1050–75K
975–100K
9100–150K
7150K+
51 reports with mileage · 127 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.
- Electrical System. Review the 19 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Suspension. Review the 19 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Visibility. Review the 19 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
25 crash reports1 fire reports20 injury reports
Suspension complaints
19 reportsELECTRICAL SYSTEM SHUT DOWN IN TRAFFIC AT THE LIGHT, ALTERNATOR WAS TESTED. BATTERY LIGHT STAY ON, LIGHTS DIMMED OUT, LOST SPEED. HAD TO GET PUSHED OUT THE ROAD AT A BUSY INTERSECTION IN ATLANTA GEORGIA ON CLEVELAND AVENUE.. BOUGHT A SECOND ALTERNATOR, SAME EXACT INCIDENT . ONCE HEADLIGHTS ARE TURNED ON AT NIGHT, CAR LOOSES TOT…
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ELECTRICAL SYSTEM SHUT DOWN IN TRAFFIC AT THE LIGHT, ALTERNATOR WAS TESTED. BATTERY LIGHT STAY ON, LIGHTS DIMMED OUT, LOST SPEED. HAD TO GET PUSHED OUT THE ROAD AT A BUSY INTERSECTION IN ATLANTA GEORGIA ON CLEVELAND AVENUE.. BOUGHT A SECOND ALTERNATOR, SAME EXACT INCIDENT . ONCE HEADLIGHTS ARE TURNED ON AT NIGHT, CAR LOOSES TOTAL POWER. I HAD TO DRIVE FIVE BLOCKS AT NIGHT WITHOUT LIGHTS ON RALPH DAVID ABERNATHY BLVD, ATLANTA GEORGIA, EVEN THE HAZARD LIGHTS DRAINED A BRAND NEW BATTERY PURCHASED 12/02/2018.
THE FRONT SUSPENSION RATTLES REALLY LOUD WHEN GOING OVER SMALL WASHBOARD TYPE BUMPS OR ANY DISTURBANCES IN THE ROAD. THIS IS CAUSED BY A FAULTY STRUT MOUNT. *JB
THUNKING NOISE WHEN GOING OVER ROUGH PAVEMENT FROM AREA OF FRONT WHEEL ON PASSENGERS SIDE DETERMINED BY INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE A STRUT MOUNT, WHICH APPARENTLY IS A PROBLEM KNOWN BY TOYOTA. CAR HAS ONLY 55,000 MILES ON IT.*AK
LOUD NOISE COMING FROM FRONT OF VEHICLE. WAS INFORMED BY TOYOTA THAT FRONT STRUTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED WITH ONLY 50,000 MILES ON VEHICLE. THEY KNOW THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM BUT ARE UNWILLING TO HELP.*AK
PREMATURE FAILURE OF LEFT FRONT STRUT AT 63000 MILES ALONG WITH BOTH STRUT SUPPORTS.
REAR SPRINGS/STRUTS ARE SO WEAK THAT IF I HAVE TWO PEOPLE IN THE BACK SEAT, OR SEVERAL SUITCASES IN THE TRUNK, THE REAR SUSPENSION BOTTOMS OUT. THIS CAUSES A VERY UNCOMFORTABLE WIGGLE WHEN IT COMES BACK UP. MY NEW TIRES ARE STARTING TO FLAT SPOT AS DID MY LAST SET. I BROUGHT THIS TO COURTESY TOYOTA WHEN IT WAS UNDER WARRENTEE…
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REAR SPRINGS/STRUTS ARE SO WEAK THAT IF I HAVE TWO PEOPLE IN THE BACK SEAT, OR SEVERAL SUITCASES IN THE TRUNK, THE REAR SUSPENSION BOTTOMS OUT. THIS CAUSES A VERY UNCOMFORTABLE WIGGLE WHEN IT COMES BACK UP. MY NEW TIRES ARE STARTING TO FLAT SPOT AS DID MY LAST SET. I BROUGHT THIS TO COURTESY TOYOTA WHEN IT WAS UNDER WARRENTEE. THEY CLAIMED NO PROBLEM AND READJUSTED MY HEADLIGHTS. I HAVE CONTACED CAPITOL TOYOTA IN CHATANOOGA, TN. A COUPLE OF TIMES. THEY SAID THEY HAVE HAD SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS BUT COULDN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT UNLESS SOMETHING WAS WORN OR DAMAGED. I CALLED TOYOTA. THEY SAID THE SAME. BUT TOOK MY NAME AND SAID THAT IF ENOUGH PEOPLE COMPLAINED THEY MIGHT ADDRESS THE PROBLEM. *AK
THERE WAS A LOUDER THEN USUAL THUMP IN THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE WHEN GOING OVER BUMPS IN THE ROAD. TO VEHICLE TO DEALER REPAIR SHOP, AND MECHANIC NOTED THAT FRONT STRUT WAS BREAKING. CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER KNEW ABOUT THE PROBLEM WITH THE STRUT, BUT WA SNOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING.*AK
FRONT SUSPENSION CREAKED AND GROANED. THE UPPER STRUT MOUNTS WERE REPLACED BY DEALER (BOTH SIDES) AT 3000 AND AGAIN AT 32000 MILES.
WHEN DRIVING OVER ROUGH ROADS WITH PASSENGERS IN REAR SEAT, THE REAR SUSPENSION REPEATEDLY "BOTTOMS OUT" CAUSING UNPREDICTABLE VEHICULAR MOVEMENTS AND LOUD NOISE. DEALER SAYS THERE IS NOTHING WRONG. THIS PROBLEM HAPPENS FREQUENTLY WITH VEHICLE LOADED NEAR DESIGN LOAD LIMITS.*AK
Official recalls
198V278000 · Electrical SYSTEM:IGNITION:ANTI-THEFT:CONTROL Module
Oct 19, 1998
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.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: 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.
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
1DP02004 · Engine Seizure
Opened Apr 30, 2002 · Closed Jun 20, 2002
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling
No summary supplied.