Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (accelerator pedal, throttle, sudden acceleration, cruise control).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1998 Toyota Camry owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
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.
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
My wife started up her 1998 Toyota Camry, slowly made a right turn when suddenly the automobile accelerated at a high speed, jumped the curb, knocked over a parking meter and hit the side of an apartment house. She was not hurt and the air bag did not deploy, despite the impact. Toyota, which had just serviced the car two weeks before, repaired the car (with my insurance). We insisted on a full investigation by Toyota, who determined that the floor mat jammed the accelerator. We do not buy that story in light of recent events and what happened to us. And that is why we are writing now to show this problem has existed for a while.
Tl* the contact owned a 1998 Toyota Camry. The contact stated that while driving 25 MPH, the vehicle suddenly accelerated without warning. The contact stated that he was unable to stop the vehicle when the brakes were applied. As a result, the vehicle crashed into a fence and dropped into a ditch. A police report was filed and the driver was suffering from back pain. The passenger sustained bruises, a contusion, chest pain, a broken rib, and skin damage. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure and current mileages were 100,000.
On May 13, 2010 approx 9:15 pm while driving a 1998 Toyota Camry le v6, car stalled/malfunctioned while being pulled over by chp which caused rear end collision spin out and 2 other car accidents, I have proof (video, photos, receipts, and service history) the car's throttle position sensor, idle speed control valve and or other systems caused the accident. Updated ivoq 08/17/10 updated ivoq 10/06/10 updated ivoq 11/17/10 it was determined the throttle position sensor was faulty and needed to be replaced. Also, the outer door handle was replaced. Updated 01/12/11
Tl contact owns a 1998 Toyota Camry. The vehicle suddenly accelerated when the contact attempted to stop. The failure occurred on two occasions. On one occasion, she struck and destroyed a bicycle and on another, she struck the rear end of a vehicle while attempting to park. She damaged her vehicle's bumper. The vehicle is currently at the dealer. The purchase date and speed were unknown. The current and failure mileages were 49,750.
Tl contact owns a 1998 Toyota Camry. While the contact was coming to a complete stop at 10 MPH, the vehicle suddenly accelerated without warning causing the contact to crash into the rear of the vehicle in front of him. No one was injured during the crash and a police report was filed for the incident. The vehicle has not been diagnosed by the dealership and there were no prior warnings. The current and failure mileages were 127000.
Tl contact owns a 1998 Toyota Camry xle. While driving into a parking space at very low speeds the contact applied pressure to the brakes, the vehicle accelerated, and crashed into a wall. The contact was not injured and the air bags did not deploy. The floor mat advisory is not related to the vehicle accelerating. The contact is aware of the safety risk involved. The current and failure mileages were 23,900.
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 Toyota Camry. While exiting the drive- way at 5 MPH, the vehicle accelerated without intention into the building. The vehicle was moderately damaged, but there was a hole in the building. The manufacturer had not been contacted. No repairs were made to the vehicle. The current and failure mileages were under 149,000. The vehicle identification number was unavailable.
Related recalls
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…
Acceleration complaints in other Camry years
Frequently asked questions
How common are acceleration problems on the 1998 Toyota Camry?
NHTSA has 83 complaints about the speed control & acceleration of the 1998 Toyota Camry, 14% of the model year's 600 complaints. The component named most often is accelerator pedal (14 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1998 Toyota Camry acceleration problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 01V-012 (vehicle speed control, Jan 16, 2001). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 1998 Toyota Camry acceleration problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 96,000 miles, and 5% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 26 crashes, 2 fires and 10 injuries to speed control & acceleration problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.