no report yet
Air bags: on-off switch assembly
Risk. 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…
1998 Toyota TacomaProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 300 owner complaints about the 1998 Toyota Tacoma, most often about the structure. It is covered by 1 safety recall.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through February 12, 2025. Updated daily.
Complaints by system
Where the 1998 Toyota Tacoma has problems
300 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
98Structure1 crash/fire/injury
46Air bags42 crash/fire/injury
29Tires
28Suspension
23Seat belts4 crash/fire/injury
17Service brakes, hydraulic
16Vehicle speed control
15Engine and engine cooling
12Steering
4513 other systems2 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Structure | 98 | 1 |
| Air bags | 46 | 42 |
| Tires | 29 | 0 |
| Suspension | 28 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 23 | 4 |
| Service brakes, hydraulic | 17 | 3 |
| Vehicle speed control | 16 | 3 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 15 | 0 |
| Steering | 12 | 0 |
| 13 other systems | 45 | 2 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
1 recall
1998 Toyota Tacoma 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.
Mileage at failure
When do structure problems start?
135kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 68 structure complaints. 25% were reported before 100,000 miles.
Only 40% of complaints for this model year include a mileage.
2under 30k miles17under 100k miles51100k miles or more
Best & worst years
1998 vs. every other Tacoma 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 Tacoma median. How we score
'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
1998 Toyota Tacoma safety ratings
1998 Toyota Tacoma Extended Cab in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
Frontal crashNot rated
- Stability control: No
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
In owners' words
What Tacoma owners report
Recent structure complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
The contact owns a 1998 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that while the vehicle was at the dealer for routine maintenance, the contact was informed that the subframe was severely corrosion. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to Customer Satisfaction Campaign:…
The contact owns a 1998 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that while inspecting the subframe of the vehicle, he noticed that there was a hole in the rear passenger side wheel well. The contact stated that the failure had increased significantly. The dealer and the manufacturer were notified of the…
I BOUGHT A 1998 TOYOTA TACOMA 4X4 AUTOMATIC WITH 106995 ON THE ODOMETER AND I AM HAVING A HARD TIME GETTING IT INSPECTED BECAUSE OF THE RIGHT SIDE REAR FRAME IS TESTED TO BAD
Own a 1998 Tacoma?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.