IllustrationPOWER STEERING RESERVOIR LEAK. YH
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
What owners actually said
178 reportsA/C SYSTEM BLOWER MOTOR FAILED. YH
REAR SEAT BELT ON PASSENGER SIDE TOO SHORT RESULTING IN DISAPPEARING INTO SLOT. *YC
POWER STEERING PUMP LEAK. YH
ON DEC. 24, 98 LEN LUZZI WAS IN AN ACCIDENT IN MARIANNE SIMONS TOYOTA AVALON, BUT DRIVER'S SIDE/PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DRIVER OF AVALON INJURED. *AK.ET.
WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH THE PASSENGER LEANED OVER AND ACCIDENTLY PUSHED THE AUTOMATIC TRANMISSION GEAR FROM DRIVE POSITION TO NEUTRAL POSITION, WHICH ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. OWNER BELIEVES THIS EASE IN SWITCHING GEARS IS A DANGEROUS DESIGN FLAW. *AK.ET.
ENGINE SURGES AND DROPS RPMS RAPIDLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY WHEN ENGAGING CRUISE OR WHEN LETTING FOOT OFF OF GAS PEDAL.
UNINTENDED ACCERLERATION. UPON BACKING OUT OF GARAGE. DAMAGED DRIVERS DOOR AND FRONT QUARTER PANEL OF AUTO. DRIVER DOORS IMPACTED SIDE OF GARAGE. THE ENGINE SEEMED TO BE RACING. ENGINE WAS WARM PRIOR TO ACCIDENT
SIDE AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY DURING SIDE IMPACT COLLISION
CONSUMER WAS GOING THROUGH AN INTERSECTION THEN WAS HIT ON THE LEFT FRONT CORNER OF THE VEHICLE. NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. POLICE WAS CALLED. CONSUMER WAS INJURED. *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.