Most common 1998 Toyota Camry problems
Share of the 600 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Toyota Camry complaints by model year
Best Camry years: 2022, 2017, 2024. Years to avoid: 2009, 2018, 2007, 2002, 2008. Compare all years →
1998 Toyota Camry recalls (2)
Vehicle speed control
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles equipped with cruise control and v6 engines, and built at one of two lines at the kentucky plant. The accelerator cable housing could be deformed at the cruise control actuator-to-throttle body connection. The accelerator inner-cable could wear away and eventually break.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the accelerator cable. Owner notification began February 23, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a…
Steering › Steering wheel/handle bar
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The steering wheel set nut May not have been sufficiently tightened causing steering vibration and looseness.
Remedy: Dealers will tighten the steering wheel set nut.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 2 possible defects involving the 1998 Toyota Camry:
Engine compartment fire
Odi's data analysis found the fires rates to be consistently low and evenly distributed among six model years and six different engine configurations.odi examined a variety of root causes, those being detonation (resulting in oil pan puncture from connecting rod), starter fires, various fuel related fires, leaking oil filters, wiring issues, improper repairs and brake fluid leaks.none of the issues examined had…
Engine seizure
What 1998 Toyota Camry owners say
Brakes all 121 →
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 Toyota Camry. While driving approximately 40 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed but failed to respond. The contact noticed that the accelerator pedal was stuck to the floorboard. As a result, the contact crashed into a concrete median. The air bags failed to deploy. The contact sustained collar bone injuries and abrasions that required medical attention. The vehicle was destroyed. A police report was filed. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 192,000.
Tl* the contact owned a 1998 Toyota Camry. The contact stated that the vehicle experienced unintended acceleration. The brakes did not function even when the brake pedal was depressed. As a result, the vehicle crashed between the contact's tree and a neighboring house. The vehicle was towed to a salvage yard where the vehicle was deemed destroyed. A police report was filed and there were no injuries. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 47,000.
Engine & cooling all 95 →
My daughter has 2 1998 Toyota camrys both have had massive engine block failure by the front motor mount, one resulted in a fire under the hood. Her first Camry I helped her buy it used about 1 1/2 years ago (this car was actually titled in my name) and approximately 6 months ago while driving at highway speed the engine block came apart by the front motor mount spraying oil all over the engine compartment, which proceeded to catch on fire, luckily no one was hurt and the fire was contained under the hood. There was parts of the engine block, and bolts and oil scattered on the highway. That Camry was not repairable. We found her another 1998 Camry about two months ago and this one she bought all on her own and it is titled in her name. Well a couple of days ago her new 1998 Camry had massive engine block failure at the front motor mount in the same location as the other Camry. …
Tl contact owns a 1998 Toyota Camry. The contact was driving approximately 45 MPH on normal road conditions. There was an unintended increase in acceleration of 110 MPH. Suddenly, the vehicle reduced speed. The driver was able to slow down. The failure occurrences were intermittent during highway driving. The identical failure occurred and the gear shifter was placed into the "park" position. The vehicle was able to slow down. There was smoke and flames coming from the hood area. The driver pulled over to the side of the road and exited the vehicle. The vehicle ignited into massive flames. The police and fire department were called to the scene. There were no personal injuries. The vehicle was towed to a collision facility. The vehicle was completely destroyed. The failure mileage was 65,000. Updated 03/19/10. Updated 09/21/10
Speed control & acceleration all 83 →
Tl* the contact owned a 1998 Toyota Camry. The contact stated that the vehicle experienced unintended acceleration. The brakes did not function even when the brake pedal was depressed. As a result, the vehicle crashed between the contact's tree and a neighboring house. The vehicle was towed to a salvage yard where the vehicle was deemed destroyed. A police report was filed and there were no injuries. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 47,000.
I had used the coast on my cruise control to reduce my set speed from 78mph to 71mph, after about 50 yards, my cruise control sped up on its own to about 76mph before I tapped the brakes and cut the cruise control off. After about 3 minutes, I cut the cruise control back on and went to use the set button to set my speed at 71mph. When I pushed the set button, the cruise control did not 'lock in' to the 71mph but instead started to speed up beyond 71mph and at 75mph I tapped the brake and cut off the cruise control. The next day, the next three time I went to cut the cruise control on and went to push the set button to set it at the speed I was going, the car always took off beyond what I was wanting to set it at and causing me to tap the brakes and I was forced to cut it off because after I had tapped the brake and let off the brake it would start to increase speed again.
1998 Toyota Camry engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.2L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 21 / 29 / 24 |
| 2.2L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 20 / 28 / 23 |
| 3.0L 6-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 18 / 26 / 21 |
| 3.0L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 17 / 25 / 20 |
EPA ratings. Class: Midsize car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1998 Toyota Camry a good car?
Based on 600 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1998 Camry rates average: about as many complaints as a typical year of the Camry at the same age. 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 Toyota Camry?
The brakes — 121 complaints, 20% of all complaints for this model year, most often about antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip. Next are the engine & cooling (95) and speed control & acceleration (83).
How many recalls does the 1998 Toyota Camry have?
There are 2 recalls for the 1998 Toyota Camry, the most recent from January 16, 2001 (vehicle speed control). 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 Toyota Camry?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2022, 2017 and 2024. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2009, 2018, 2007, 2002 and 2008. See the full Toyota Camry years comparison.
At what mileage do 1998 Toyota Camry problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 87,000 miles; 18% 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.