IllustrationON BOTH OCCASIONS WHICH THE FAILURES OCCURRED IT WAS NECESSARY FOR MY WIFE, AND IN THE LATTER CASE OUR FAMILY, TO TRAVEL TO ANOTHER CITY TO OBTAIN SERVICE WITHOUT THE SAFETY PROTECTION OF THE AIR BAG SYSTEM. *AK
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 reportsI BEGAN COMPLAINING ABOUT BRAKE PROBLEMS WITHIN DAYS OF LEASING THE CAR. I KEPT BEING TOLD THAT THE GRINDING NOISES WERE NORMAL FOR TOYOTA. FINALLY AT 11,000 MILES THEY EXAMINED THE BRAKES AND DISCOVERED THEY HAD GROUND DOWN INTO THE ROTORS. THEY SAID THAT THE BRAKES WERE MY RESPONSIBILITY AND I MUST PAY. I PROTESTED, WITH …
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I BEGAN COMPLAINING ABOUT BRAKE PROBLEMS WITHIN DAYS OF LEASING THE CAR. I KEPT BEING TOLD THAT THE GRINDING NOISES WERE NORMAL FOR TOYOTA. FINALLY AT 11,000 MILES THEY EXAMINED THE BRAKES AND DISCOVERED THEY HAD GROUND DOWN INTO THE ROTORS. THEY SAID THAT THE BRAKES WERE MY RESPONSIBILITY AND I MUST PAY. I PROTESTED, WITH NO SUCCESS. I TOOK THE CAR TO AN INDEPENDANT AND HAD IT REPAIRED FOR HALF THE MONEY TOYOTA WANTED. BETWEEN THEN AND NOW I HAVE HAD MY BRAKES FAIL 4 MORE TIMES. TWICE THE ROTORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED AND THE REAR DRUMS ONCE, ALL THROUGH TOYOTA. THE LAST TIME, AFTER BEING TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR, I PERSISTED AND THEY DISCOVERED THAT THE PUSH ROD IN THE MASTER CYLINDER WAS NOT ADJUSTED PROPERLY. THE SYSTEM WAS REPAIRED AND JUST 6,000 MILES LATER THE BRAKE SYSTEM IS FAILING AGAIN. THE FACTORY REP. SHOWED MY FATHER THAT THE SYSTEM HAS OVERHEATED AND SCORED THE ROTORS AND DRUMS. THE PADS HAD LITTLE LEFT ON THEM. TOYOTA SAID THE SYSTEM CHECKS OUT FINE AND IT'S MY PROBLEM. 5 BRAKE JOBS IN 30,000 MILES, SOMETHING IS WRONG. PLEASE HELP!
CONSUMER'S WIFE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION, AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY,CAUSING HER TO SUSTAIN SERIOUS INJURIES. *AK
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION WHILE APPROACHING A STOP LIGHT RESULTING IN THE DRIVER HITTING A CEMENT BARRIER, INJURING HER BACK AND BREAKING HER WRIST.
THE FRONT AND REAR SUSPENSION ON THIS VEHICLE IS TOO SOFT. THE CAR'S FRAME SCRAPES THE GROUND WHEN DRIVING OVER A SPEED BUMP AT ANY SPEED. *AK
THE BRAKES ON MY 1998 TOYOTA CAMRY WORE OUT AT 15000 MILES. THE SERVICE WRITER AT THE SERVICE DEALER TOLD ME THAT THE 1997 AND 1998 CAMRY HAVE A DESIGN DEFECT THAT CAUSES MORE PRESSURE TO BE APPLIED TO THE FRONT BRAKES THAN TO THE BACK BRAKES, CAUSING THE FRONT BRAKES TO WEAR OUT PREMATURELY. MY POWER STEERING PUMP DEVELOPED A L…
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THE BRAKES ON MY 1998 TOYOTA CAMRY WORE OUT AT 15000 MILES. THE SERVICE WRITER AT THE SERVICE DEALER TOLD ME THAT THE 1997 AND 1998 CAMRY HAVE A DESIGN DEFECT THAT CAUSES MORE PRESSURE TO BE APPLIED TO THE FRONT BRAKES THAN TO THE BACK BRAKES, CAUSING THE FRONT BRAKES TO WEAR OUT PREMATURELY. MY POWER STEERING PUMP DEVELOPED A LEAK BEFORE IT WAS REPLACED BY THE SERVICING DEALER AT 19000 MILES, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO HAVE STEERING AND CONTROL PROBLEMS. *AK
LOCK DESIGN ALLOWS FOR CONSUMERS TO BE TEMPORARLY LOCKED IN VEHICLE.
IF VEHICLE IS LOCKED FROM OUTSIDE AND SOMEONE IS STILL INSIDE, THE LOCKS WILL NOT LET THE PERSON ON THE INSIDE TO GET OUT. DOOR HAS TO BE OPENED WITH KEY FROM THE OUTSIDE. DEALER SAYS THAT'S NORMAL. *AK
LEFT SIDE INTERIOR PANEL DOES NOT FIT TIGHTLY. YH
SEAT BELT OUT OF ORDER. YH
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.