Most common 1998 Eagle Talon problems
Share of the 17 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Eagle Talon complaints by model year
Best Talon years: 1998, 1997. Years to avoid: 1995, 1996. Compare all years →
1998 Eagle Talon recalls (3)
Suspension › Front › Control arm › Lower ball joint
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. If the rubber boots on the lower lateral arm ball joints of the front suspension were damaged during assembly, dirt and water can intrude. Also, mmc has added the potential of leaking moisture, which can cause the ball stud to corrode.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the lower lateral arm ball joint for wear. Ball joints that exhibit wear beyond the established tolerance will be replaced with newly designed lateral arm ball joints.
Power train › Automatic transmission
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. Lockup of the transfer case can occur due to insufficient lubrication.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the vehicles for adequacy of the transfer case oil volume, transfer case oil leakage, and operational degradation of the transfer case mechanism.
Vehicle speed control
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The dash panel pad can shift interferring with the throttle cable control.
Remedy: Dealers will remove a portion of the dash panel pad so it cannot interfere with the throttle cable control.
What 1998 Eagle Talon owners say
Brakes
On aug.24 2005 purchased an Eagle Talon(1998)the day we bought it the car wouldn't start. The sales rep messed with some wires and it started. We got it home the following day it wouldn't start. Our mechanic had to replace some of the wiring. The next thing that went was the clutch cables. The same day the cables were replaced the brakes started acting up. We took it to the mechanic and they found that the entire brake system had to be replaced. Someone had put power steering fluid in the master cylinder,which ruined the system. The mechanics are willing to make the statement that this damage was done before we bought it. The car was supposed to be inspected the day before we bought it,that can't be true because the damage would have been noticed. The rotors were so thin that they cracked,they were cracked when we bought it.
While driving at 55 MPH dash panel insolation slides down into throttle, causing consumer to get into an accident. Contacted dealer, and dealer will not do anything. The front brakes wore out prematurely. The dealer failed to remove paper and plastic covers on discs causing over heating and almost fire at front brakes plus brake failure. The vehicle accelerated when the driver was trying to slow down, and crashed. The consumer received a recall notice after the accident and wants the manufacturer to refund the expense for new vehicle.
Speed control & acceleration
While driving at 55 MPH dash panel insolation slides down into throttle, causing consumer to get into an accident. Contacted dealer, and dealer will not do anything. The front brakes wore out prematurely. The dealer failed to remove paper and plastic covers on discs causing over heating and almost fire at front brakes plus brake failure. The vehicle accelerated when the driver was trying to slow down, and crashed. The consumer received a recall notice after the accident and wants the manufacturer to refund the expense for new vehicle.
Vehicle was parked and consumer went inside. Then turned vehicle on and it acellerated due to thottle pedal getting stuck. Vehicle was turning around and around inside he parking lot. Consumer kept kicking the pedal until it let up. Also, when she put key in the ignition, she had to pull and tussle it for it to come out. After having work done on the vehicle for the sudden acceleration problem, the consumer received recall 98V045002. The consumer was having problems with the seat belt releasing on it's own. On April 13, 2000, the dealer replaced the fuel door release spring, the gas tank door wouldn't open. The brake light was illuminated. The lock cylinder was recoded on January 31, 2000 due to the key would not go into the ignition, sometimes the consumer could move the steering wheel from left to right and the key would work in the ignition. …
Engine & cooling
Dt: the contact stated the harmonic balancer in the engine fell apart while driving. There were no warnings prior to the smoke he saw coming from underneath the hood. He drove the vehicle home where he has done the necessary repairs.
Timing belt tensioner bolt snapped. Resultant timing belt failure bent the intake valves. This required the head to be rebuilt. Timing belt had been replaced at 61,000 miles in November of 2001 as part of scheduled 60,000 mile maintenance. This automobile is a sister vehicle of the Mitsubishi eclipse and this problem has been previously reported there (odi id 745661 - another possible report is made on odi id 884276). Based on conversation with mechanic I believe this problem has occurred significantly more often than has been reported to the NHTSA. Also heard, but cannot confirm, that this part has been reengineered as there is a superceding part number for the tensioner. Contacted Chrysler customer assistance for reimbursement of repair and was told that the vehicle was no longer under warranty and there were no outstanding recalls for this problem. Nlm
1998 Eagle Talon engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 20 / 30 / 24 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 5-speed manual | FWD | 20 / 29 / 23 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 18 / 28 / 22 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 5-speed manual | 4WD/AWD | 19 / 26 / 21 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 18 / 25 / 20 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 17 / 23 / 19 |
EPA ratings. Class: Subcompact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1998 Eagle Talon a good car?
Based on 17 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1998 Talon rates better than average: 55% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Talon at the same age. It is one of the best Talon years by this measure. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 1998 Eagle Talon?
The brakes — 4 complaints, 24% of all complaints for this model year, most often about foundation components. Next are the speed control & acceleration (3) and engine & cooling (3).
How many recalls does the 1998 Eagle Talon have?
There are 3 recalls for the 1998 Eagle Talon, the most recent from December 18, 2000 (lower ball joint). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Eagle Talon?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 1998 and 1997. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 1995 and 1996. See the full Eagle Talon years comparison.
At what mileage do 1998 Eagle Talon problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 84,000 miles; 0% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.