Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power steering, steering column, rack and pinion).
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 owns a 1998 Toyota Camry. While driving 5 MPH and making left or right turns, the steering wheel shook and felt loose. The contact was able to pull the steering wheel up towards her while the vehicle was being driven or while parked. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the vehicle was serviced per NHTSA campaign number: 99V307000 (steering). The manufacturer was notified of the issue. The VIN was invalid. The failure mileage was 129,000.
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.
While traveling at 40 to 55 MPH consumer lost control of the vehicle and hit a tree. Upon impact none of the airbags deployed. The driver suffered a fractured left shoulder, minor injuries on the left side of his head and bruising to his left hip. The consumer believes that an antilock brake failure May have also contributed to the accident.
My mother just had an accident this morning and from her describing that 98 Toyota Camry was out of control and break seemed not working at all. So I started looking for vehicle recalls and defects then I realized this accident my mother had could be caused by defects. If you just look, you could easily find many others complaints. She was driving at 55 MPH and trying to change lane then next thing she know was car started to swerving so she tried to regain control then hit the break which did not function. I will have to look for legal advise within next couple of days and see what they say. By the way air bags were not activated. Please let me know if there was any lawsuit or compensation for this kind of fatal accident. Thank you.
I bought 98 Toyota Camry 3mos ago, the car pulls across road, I figured needed alignment and I knew it needed struts,, I had struts , axle replaced then new tires and brought to rusty wallace for alignment. They did alignment, I left car still pulls I brought back and they rechecked still pulls said there nothing else they can do.. I have rotors replace and brakes checked and nothing, I seen recall bout steering on my year Camry but Toyota says not my car! I seen it on NHTSA web page but the 800 # tells me there's nothing they can do what am I suppose to do>? Sounds like the problem im having why will the car not drive straight?
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.
Steering completely failed when driving in clear, dry, midday weather on I-695 in baltimore. Car wobbled right then left. Driver tried to compensate, but car radically oversteered at first. Then, on its own, the car sharply veered left across highway into concrete wall. Skid marks showed car traveling in direction of wheels, I.e. No lateral skid marks, so wheels were turned to left in spite of attempts to turn right. We are temporarily holding the car for your possible investigation. Please notify asap.
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 Toyota Camry. While driving at speeds of 35 MPH and higher, the steering wheel would lock and become extremely hard to control. The failure occurred frequently and the vehicle was taken to the dealer for further inspection. The dealer however could not duplicate the failure. The contact was concerned with his safety while driving a vehicle he potentially could not control. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was 116,000 and the current mileage was unknown.
Dt: on 7/7/05, the steering wheel assembly had to be replaced by owner. She received recall sscxoc6 notice, but did not recall whether she received the recall letter before or after repairs were done. Owner called Toyota to have them check recall letter to see if it was related to the work done. Toyota told owner she has had the recall work done. The vehicle iwasregularly serviced. The location of the work was the steering wheel assembly.
Car began "going out of control" unable to steer the vehicle. As if I had no control over the car. Car continued straight instead of turning with the road, into a fence/tree and caught fire and burned up. Air bags did not deploy. Passenger received facial trauma, chest trauma, and multiple lacerations and contusions, requiring surgery.
Related recalls
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.
Steering complaints in other Camry years
Frequently asked questions
How common are steering problems on the 1998 Toyota Camry?
NHTSA has 33 complaints about the steering of the 1998 Toyota Camry, 6% of the model year's 600 complaints. The component named most often is steering wheel/handle bar (6 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1998 Toyota Camry steering problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 99V-307 (steering wheel/handle bar, Nov 1, 1999). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 1998 Toyota Camry steering problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 116,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 7 crashes, 1 fire and 5 injuries to steering 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.