IllustrationWHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE ENGINE STALLED. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *MR
1998 Toyota Camry
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Camry years
Owner complaints for the 1998 Toyota Camry are substantially higher than the model-year median of 295.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Camry 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
90–25K
2125–50K
3050–75K
4475–100K
35100–150K
25150K+
164 reports with mileage · 436 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.
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 112 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 92 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 83 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
64 crash reports31 fire reports35 injury reports
What owners actually said
600 reportsCONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE TRAVELING THE CONSUMER HAD NO WAY OF BELTING IN THE CHILDERN DUE TO THE LATCHES IN THE REAR SEAT NOT WORKING. CONTACTED DEALER AND THE DEALER IS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING. NLM
WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH ON INTERSTATE 40 THE ENGINE SEIZED DUE TO OIL GELATION. MR
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. CONSUMER CAN HEAR WATER IN ENGINE. THIS CAN RESULT IN A FIRE. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK
ACCELERATOR CABLE BROKE WHILE DRIVING. CONSUMER WAS NOT ABLE TO MOVE CAR AT ALL. RECALL 01V0120000 DID NOT APPLY TO THIS VEHICLE DUE TO VIN. *AK
I AM CONCERNED WHY IT IS THAT TOYOTA DID NOT CONTACT ME WITH ONE OF THE LETTERS TELLING ME ABOUT ENGINE GEL UNTIL I CONTACTED THEM ABOUT ANOTHER ENGINE FAILURE THAT I HAD WITH ANOTHER CAR. I HAVE SPOKEN WITH MANY THAT HAVE THE TOYOTA'S THAT FALL UNDER THE ENGINE GEL CAMPAIGN AND THEY TOO HAVE NOT RECEIVED LETTERS ABOUT THIS POTE…
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I AM CONCERNED WHY IT IS THAT TOYOTA DID NOT CONTACT ME WITH ONE OF THE LETTERS TELLING ME ABOUT ENGINE GEL UNTIL I CONTACTED THEM ABOUT ANOTHER ENGINE FAILURE THAT I HAD WITH ANOTHER CAR. I HAVE SPOKEN WITH MANY THAT HAVE THE TOYOTA'S THAT FALL UNDER THE ENGINE GEL CAMPAIGN AND THEY TOO HAVE NOT RECEIVED LETTERS ABOUT THIS POTENTIAL PROBLEM. I AM UNDERSTAND THAT TOYOTA HEADED OFF A RECALL BY SENDING OUT THESE LETTERS. I AM TELLING YOU THAT THERE ARE A LOAD OF PEOPLE THAT OWN THESE CARS THAT KNOW NOTHING ABOUT THE IMPENDING DAMAGE TO THEIR ENGINES. COULD YOU PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS ASAP.*AK
WHILE DRIVING ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE UNDER HOOD. NO INJURIES. VEHICLE CHECKED BY DEALER WHO COULD NOT DETERMINE CAUSE.*AK
CONSUMERS 23 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WAS INVOLVED IN AN INCIDENT ALONG WITH HER FRIEND. WHERE THEY WERE ATTEMPTING TO TAKE AN EXIT, WHEN THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ALLOW HER TO SLOW DOWN. VEHICLE ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN, CAUSING THEM A LIFE THREATENING EXPERIENCE. THE TWO RAN OF OF THE ROAD IN ORDER TO BLOCK FROM HITTING 0THER VEHICLES, A…
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CONSUMERS 23 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WAS INVOLVED IN AN INCIDENT ALONG WITH HER FRIEND. WHERE THEY WERE ATTEMPTING TO TAKE AN EXIT, WHEN THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ALLOW HER TO SLOW DOWN. VEHICLE ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN, CAUSING THEM A LIFE THREATENING EXPERIENCE. THE TWO RAN OF OF THE ROAD IN ORDER TO BLOCK FROM HITTING 0THER VEHICLES, AND IN ORDER TO NOT HIT A TREE WHEN THEY RAN OF THE ROAD, THEY HAD GOTTEN BACK ONTO THE ROAD AFTER THE PASSENGER HAD INFORMED THE DRIVER THAT THE ROAD WAS CLEAR ENOUGH TO GET BACK ON. THEY DID SO, LUCKILY NOT HITTING ANYONE, THEY ENDED UP IN A VACANT PARKING LOT WHERE THE DRIVER HAD TAKING THE KEYS OUT OF THE IGNITION. DURING THE ACCIDENT THE DRIVER TRIED TO BRAKE AND EVEN PULL THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AND THE VEHICLE REJECTED THAT. VEHICLE WAS TOWED BACK TO THE SERVICE CENTER, WHERE THREE WEEKS PRIOR, THE CONSUMER HAD AN OIL CHANGE, LUBRICATIONS, AND THE TIRES ROTATED. THEY TESTED THE VEHICLE, AND REPORTED THAT THEY FOUND NOTHING. THE SERVICE CENTER SUGGESTED THAT THEY COULD CLEAN THE THROTTLE LINKAGE AND LUBRICATE A SPECIFIC CABLE (NAME NOT AVAILABLE). VEHICLE WAS THEN INSPECTED AT A TOYOTA DEALER WHO DID NOT SEE A PROBLEM EITHER AND EVEN ALLOWED ONE OF THE EMPLOYEES TO TAKE THE VEHICLE HOME FOR FURTHER INSPECTION AND HE FOUND NO PROBLEM AS WELL. CONSUMER STATED THAT THE DEALER HAD BEEN ABLE TO CLEAR THE AIRBAG SIGN THAT WAS DISPLAYED ON THE DASHBOARD.*SCC
WHILE SLIGHTLY APPLYING ACCELERATOR PEDAL IT CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE, RESULTING IN VEHICLE ACCELERATING INTO A BUILDING.*AK
WHENEVER IT RAINS OR SNOWS DEFOGGER WILL JUST STOPPED WORKING. WINDOWS FOGGED UP, AND IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE CLEARLY. CONSUMER FELT THIS WAS VERY UNSAFE. *AK ALSO WITH THE AIR CONDITIONER ON TO ASSIST WITH THE HEATER, THE AIR CONDITIONER LIGHT FLASHED AND THE AIR CONDITIONER STOPPED WORKING. MOIST WEATHER AND DRIVING OVE…
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WHENEVER IT RAINS OR SNOWS DEFOGGER WILL JUST STOPPED WORKING. WINDOWS FOGGED UP, AND IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE CLEARLY. CONSUMER FELT THIS WAS VERY UNSAFE. *AK ALSO WITH THE AIR CONDITIONER ON TO ASSIST WITH THE HEATER, THE AIR CONDITIONER LIGHT FLASHED AND THE AIR CONDITIONER STOPPED WORKING. MOIST WEATHER AND DRIVING OVER WATER PUDDLES POSSIBLY CAUSED ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION WITH THE AIR CONDITIONER AND DEFOGGER. *TT
Official recalls
201V012000 · Vehicle Speed Control
Jan 16, 2001
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.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: 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.
99V307000 · Steering: Steering Wheel/handle Bar
Nov 1, 1999
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE STEERING WHEEL SET NUT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN SUFFICIENTLY TIGHTENED CAUSING STEERING VIBRATION AND LOOSENESS.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CAN RESULT IN A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL TIGHTEN THE STEERING WHEEL SET NUT.
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
2PE02079 · Engine Compartment Fire
Opened Oct 22, 2002 · Closed Mar 18, 2003
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling
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.
DP02004 · Engine Seizure
Opened Apr 30, 2002 · Closed Jun 20, 2002
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling
No summary supplied.