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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 →
300Owner complaints

Model-year median: 228.5

1Recall campaigns

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0Investigations

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
177
1995253
1996131
1997300
1998249
1999210
2000396
2001
Compare all Tacoma years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Structure
98Air Bags
46Tires
29Suspension
28Seat Belts
23
All reported categories
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
17Unknown Or Other
16Vehicle Speed Control
16Engine And Engine Cooling
15Steering
12Power Train
10Exterior Lighting
6Electrical System
5Visibility
5Wheels
5Equipment
4Fuel System, Gasoline
2Parking Brake
2Service Brakes
2Engine
1Equipment Adaptive/mobility
1Fuel System, Other
1Latches/locks/linkages
1

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

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

Equipment Adaptive/mobility complaints

1 reports
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90,000 miles · Mar 15, 2013
Equipment Adaptive/mobilitySeat Belts

NOT LONG AFTER MY BASIC WARRANTY EXPIRED, I HAD FRAYING IN MY SEAT BELT THAT WAS TO THE POINT IT DIDN'T PASS INSPECTION. I TOOK IT TO A TOYOTA DEALER IN WACO, TEXAS, AND THEY AGREED TO REPLACE THE BELT FREE DESPITE THE MILEAGE. ALMOST A YEAR LATER, THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED. I WENT BACK TO THAT DEALER AND THEY REPLACED IT FREE E…

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NOT LONG AFTER MY BASIC WARRANTY EXPIRED, I HAD FRAYING IN MY SEAT BELT THAT WAS TO THE POINT IT DIDN'T PASS INSPECTION. I TOOK IT TO A TOYOTA DEALER IN WACO, TEXAS, AND THEY AGREED TO REPLACE THE BELT FREE DESPITE THE MILEAGE. ALMOST A YEAR LATER, THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED. I WENT BACK TO THAT DEALER AND THEY REPLACED IT FREE EVEN THOUGH THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE OBLIGATION. ABOUT TWO YEARS LATER, THE SAME OCCURRED. I HAVE MANAGED TO GET THE TRUCK INSPECTED BUT I NEED BADLY TO REPAIR THE BELT, BUT I CANNOT AFFORD IT. ALTHOUGH THE WEAR IS NEAR THE WAIST, WHERE ONE FIGURES ANY FRAYING MIGHT TAKE PLACE, BELT AFTER BELT SHOULD NOT HAPPEN. ALSO, MY FLOOR MAT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE CAME LOOSE A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO AND IT OCCASIONALLY WILL BUNCH UP AND HIT MY ACCELERATOR AND WILL ON OTHER TIMES BUNCH UP UNDER MY CLUTCH AND I AM UNABLE TO SHIFT INTO REVERSE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10503199

Official recalls

1

98V188000 · 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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.