Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (buckles, retractors, anchors and pretensioners).
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).
Starting in 2015, three of the 5 seat belts in my 1998 Camry do not remain latched, or fail to initially latch. As a (retired) mechanical engineer, I disassembled them to understand the problem. The defect is in the anchor mechanism with the "press" button on it. The "press" button has a metal spring mounted on the red plastic part, and the plastic has gradually cracked at the spring mount. This metal spring is what pushes the metal block through the rectangular hole in the shoulder belt coupler, when it is plugged into the seat belt anchor and latched properly. Eventually, the crack grows to the point that the metal spring cannot exert enough force to reliably latch to the shoulder belt. It May initially latch and feel secure, but can then come loose several minutes later when driving the car. I plan to include 3 photos of the problem part, one showing the crack in the plastic. …
While making a slight turn, the steering continued to turn right and the front wheels locked without warning. As a result the consumer lost control of the vehicle and collided into a stone wall. The dual airbags did not deploy and the consumers seat belt did not lock. The driver sustained chest and back pain due to hitting her chest on the steering wheel. The cause has yet to be determined. Please provide additional information.
Tl contact owns a 1998 Toyota Camry. The contact stated that his vehicle is experiencing the same failure as noted in recall # 99V307000 (steering:wheel and handle bar). The dealer and manufacturer stated that his vehicle is not included in the recall. While driving 20 MPH, he lost complete control of the vehicle and fears that a crash May occur if he drives on the highway. The contact also stated that the two rear passenger and driver side seat belts fail to retract properly. He is unable to pull them back into their regular position or push them in anymore. The current mileage is 135,000 and failure mileage was 130,000.
We purchased our 1998 Toyota Camry from my husband's 70 year old parents last year. There are 82,000 miles as of 1/08. There are two broken seatbelts in the back seat(passenger side and middle), and both front seatbelts either do not retract or have to be manually fed back into the retractor. Is there any kind of recall regarding this issue?
Seat belt on my 98 Toyota Camry malfunctioned will not retract. My 5 year old was pulling on the seat belt and pulled it out all the way. Dealer said he would fix for $200.00 I asked him why they don't fix it for free since it is a safety issue that's what they charge.
When the consumer unlatched the seat belt, it did not retract. The consumer contacted the dealer about this issue. Both the front seat belts did not retract and there was a vibration when the vehicle was in motion and was felt more when braking.
The rear middle seat belt suddenly will not retract. The rear side seatbelts seem to get stuck every once in awhile. My brother purchased this car from our mom (who has been the only owner) last year, and were wondering if she missed a recall.
Center rear seat belt does not retract. The failure was unexpected and seemed to be a defect. The consumer was not able to use the center belt in the rear seat. The dealer refused to cover the repair cost.
The child was fastened in the rear passenger side seat belt. The child leaned over to lay in the seat and slipped her head and shoulder in the center retractable seat belt. When the child moved suddenly to look out the window the seat belt tightened around her neck, strangling her. The more the child moved to free herself the tighter the belt became. The consumer had to use scissors to cut the belt off the child. The vehicle was taken to a body shop who replaced the belt and retractor. The consumer request reimbursement for this repair. Updated 11/29/2005.
About a year ago the driver-side rear shoulder belt failed to retract. I chose not to get it replaced, because my child rides on the passenger side. Now the passenger-side rear shoulder belt will not retract. My child is required by law to sit in a booster seat in the back, and it is very awkward to use the center seat with the size and shape of his booster. I will be spending nearly $600 to get the shoulder belts replaced.
Seat Belt complaints in other Camry years
Frequently asked questions
How common are seat belt problems on the 1998 Toyota Camry?
NHTSA has 35 complaints about the seat belts of the 1998 Toyota Camry, 6% of the model year's 600 complaints. The component named most often is rear/other (14 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1998 Toyota Camry seat belt problems?
No. NHTSA lists no seat belts recall for the 1998 Toyota Camry, though it has 2 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 1998 Toyota Camry seat belt problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 90,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 1 injury to seat belts 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.