no report yet
Anti-theft: control module
Risk. THIS CONDITION CAN CAUSE INTERMITTENT PERFORMANCE OF THE VEHICLE'S ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS SUCH AS THE DASH WARNING LIGHTS AND/OR HVAC FAN SPEED CONTROLS.
1998 Toyota AvalonProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 178 owner complaints about the 1998 Toyota Avalon, most often about the suspension. It is covered by 1 safety recall.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through June 26, 2023. Updated daily.
Complaints by system
Where the 1998 Toyota Avalon has problems
178 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
19Suspension1 crash/fire/injury
19Visibility
19Electrical system1 crash/fire/injury
17Equipment
16Air bags15 crash/fire/injury
16Vehicle speed control7 crash/fire/injury
14Tires
11Service brakes, hydraulic
11Power train
5213 other systems7 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 19 | 1 |
| Visibility | 19 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 19 | 1 |
| Equipment | 17 | 0 |
| Air bags | 16 | 15 |
| Vehicle speed control | 16 | 7 |
| Tires | 14 | 0 |
| Service brakes, hydraulic | 11 | 0 |
| Power train | 11 | 1 |
| 13 other systems | 52 | 7 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
1 recall
1998 Toyota Avalon recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Toyota.
Owner-reported costs
What owners say repairs cost
Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.
Equipment
8 owners mentioned a cost$1,000median
Middle half: $900 – $1,050
If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.
Best & worst years
1998 vs. every other Avalon year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Avalon median. How we score
'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
1998 Toyota Avalon safety ratings
1998 Toyota Avalon 4-DR. w/SAB in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
Frontal crashNot rated
Side barrierNot rated
- Stability control: No
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
1 investigation
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 1998 Toyota Avalon, and the recalls they led to.
- ENGINE SEIZURENo recall
In owners' words
What Avalon owners report
Recent suspension complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
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…
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
Own a 1998 Avalon?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.