IllustrationV6 ENGINE FAILURE ON A TOYOTA PICKUP. THE PISTON DETACHED FROM THE ROD CAUSING INTERNAL DAMAGE. *LA
1998 Toyota Tacoma
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1998 Toyota Tacoma do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 228.5.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Tacoma 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
20–25K
425–50K
1350–75K
1375–100K
35100–150K
52150K+
119 reports with mileage · 181 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.
- Structure. Review the 98 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 46 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Tires. Review the 29 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
49 crash reports0 fire reports25 injury reports
What owners actually said
300 reportsWHILE DRIVING 45 MPH VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION. UPON IMPACT, DUAL AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. AS A RESULT, DRIVER SUSTAINED SEVERE UPPER BODY INJURIES, AND WAS HOSPITALIZED FOR TWO DAYS. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *AK
UPON FRONTAL COLLISION AT 40-45 MPH IN THE FRONT MIDDLE TO LEFT SIDE OF VEHICLE, BOTH AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. OWNERS INFORMATION STATES THE AIR BAG SHOULD GO OFF AT 14 MPH. *AK
FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS CONSUMER HAD BEEN COMPLAINING OF FUEL LEAKING INTO THE OIL OF THE ENGINE. THIS LEAKAGE CAUSED ENGINE DAMAGE.*AK
MY HUSBAND WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT GO OFF.*AK
THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION, AND THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. *NLM
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION AT 30 MPH YET NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *NLM
THE CONSUMER LOSS CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND WENT DOWN A 15 FEET. EMBANKMENT AND LANDED ON THE NOSE OF THE VEHICLE, AND NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. *JB
DRIVER WAS ALONE TRAVELING WESTBOUND ON I-64. WHILE TRAVELING AT THE POSTED HIGHWAY SPEED (65), AFTER COMING OVER THE CREST AT MILE MARKER 242. THE DRIVER NOTED A LOUD SNAPPING SOUND. DRIVER THEN NOTED WITH PERIPHERAL VISION THAT THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL HAD BEEN EJECTED FROM THE VEHICLE. DRIVER'S IMMEDIATE REACTION WAS TO REMOV…
Read full complaint
DRIVER WAS ALONE TRAVELING WESTBOUND ON I-64. WHILE TRAVELING AT THE POSTED HIGHWAY SPEED (65), AFTER COMING OVER THE CREST AT MILE MARKER 242. THE DRIVER NOTED A LOUD SNAPPING SOUND. DRIVER THEN NOTED WITH PERIPHERAL VISION THAT THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL HAD BEEN EJECTED FROM THE VEHICLE. DRIVER'S IMMEDIATE REACTION WAS TO REMOVE FOOT FROM ACCELERATOR AND TO CONTINUE MAINTAINING CONTROL. THAT IS CONTINUE IN A STRAIGHT PATH WITH BOTH HANDS ON THE STEERING WHEEL TO PREVENT AN OVER CORRECTION SCENARIO. DRIVER TRIED TO APPLY PRESSURE TO THE BRAKES TO GRADUALLY SLOW DOWN. HOWEVER, AFTER APPLYING PRESSURE THE DRIVER REALIZED THAT HE HAD NO BRAKES. DRIVER CONTINUED WITH THE CONTROLLED CRASH AND ALLOWED THE TRUCK TO DRIFT TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER WHERE THE TRUCK EVENTUALLY CAME TO A STOP. RIGHT FRONT SPINDLE SNAPPED. SINCE ROTOR AND BRAKES EJECTED WITH THE WHEEL DRIVER HAD NO BRAKES. WITNESS AVAILABLE IN RED JEEP (LICENSE # AVAILABLE). MORE DETAILS AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST. DT
CONSUMER STATES THAT WHEN HAVING AN OIL CHANGE WAS INFROMED THAT THE LEAF SPRINGS WERE FALLING APART. DEALER CONTACTED, THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. TS
Official recalls
198V188000 · Air BAGS:ON-OFF Switch Assembly
Aug 6, 1998
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE STATEMENT REQUIRED IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL THAT "...THE ON-OFF SWITCH SHOULD ONLY BEN USED WHEN A MEMBER OF A PASSENGER RISK GROUP IDENTIFIED IN THE REQUEST FORM IN APPENDIX B......IS OCCUPYING THE RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER SEATING POSITION..." IS MIS-STATED. THIS DOES NOT COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS 208, "OCCUPANT CRASH PROTECTION."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THE AIR BAG SWITCH IS "OFF," THE SEAT OCCUPANT WHO IS NOT A MEMBER OF THE PASSENGER RISK GROUP WOULD BE SUBJECT TO INCREASED INJURY IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: OWNERS WILL BE SENT A CORRECTED OWNER'S MANUAL.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.