Most common 1998 Toyota Corolla problems
Share of the 225 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Toyota Corolla complaints by model year
Best Corolla years: 2018, 2025, 2023. Years to avoid: 2011, 2012, 2020, 2009, 2010. Compare all years →
What 1998 Toyota Corolla owners say
Air bags all 61 →
My wife's 1998 Toyota Corolla was hit head on at 70mph by a full size passenger truck and the airbag did not deploy. She has been the sole owner of the vehicle since purchase. Prior to the accident, in the course of ownership, the airbag warning light came on periodically. We took the vehicle in several occasions to two different authorized Toyota dealerships and both reported that nothing was wrong. This, in spite of the fact that the light continued to flash intermittently. We have retained the diagnostic receipts from the dealerships. I contacted Toyota motors, and they have created a case number. Toyota motors requested crash photographs to be e-mailed to them, which I have done. No further contact has been received from Toyota motors. The vehicle is being held at our insurers salvage yard for further instructions.
Airbag light started flashing intermittently. Took it to the dealership who charged $ 100 for diagnostics and told me it would cost $500 to fix. I then took it to a self employed mechanic who had worked for Toyota. He said it had just become disconnected under the seat. He was able to fix it, it seemed, for a period of time, but the problem keeps coming back. I recently learned online that this is a common problem and huge safety concern. Several who have shelled out the money to Toyota to have it "fixed" say the problem has not gone away. I am so angry that Toyota hasn't taken responsibility and NHTSA is not holding them accountable.
Body & structure all 24 →
The contact's wife owns a 1998 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated while his wife was taking items out of the trunk of the vehicle, the trunk lid closed abruptly. The contact later noticed that the trunk lid driver's side hinge was fractured. The contact's wife did not sustain any injuries. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the trunk lid hinges needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA. The failure mileage was approximately 106,000.
A part in the door of my 1998 Toyota Corolla broke about two years ago. I could not open the driver's door from the outside. I got it fixed at the dealer for about $300. A few months ago, something in the same door malfunctioned. I am now unable to open the door from the inside. A few days ago, the original problem occurred again. I am now unable to open the driver's door.
Engine & cooling
This complaint is about a GPS device that attaches to the car through the obdii port. Manufacturered by agnik corporation sold under the brand name vyncs. The device, when installed, has caused intermittent stalling of the vehicle at low speed such approaching a stop or idling in gear at a stop. This was realized to be caused by the device after about 1 week of experiencing intermittent stalling. When the device was removed from the car, the stalling issue dissapeared. I have retained the device for submission to the NHTSA for testing. When I brought this issue to the manufacturer attention they ceased communication with me, disabled the GPS service, and closed my account, whereby I could no longer extract any historical communications from them. Additional attempts to contact them through [email] have been unanswered. Agnik does not publish an address or phone number.
Of the eleven (11) vehicles that I have owned thus far, at least eight (8) has been Toyota, one a Ford, and two were Nissan's. All the Toyota's gave me excellent service, except the last. This was a 1998 Toyota Corolla ce that was regularly serviced and well taken care of. So much so, that we purchased a Smart choice warranty for twelve hundred dollars ($1200) to give us an added piece of mind. This vehicle was puirchased for my college going daughter, based on the premise that this brand is based on reliabilty, economy and durability. These are well known toyotra attributes.on 11/28/2003 the oil light kept coming on at intervals. I did my own diagonistics as a responsible Toyota owner and found that everything was normal. I then left work to take the car for a second opinion and was told after hours of examination that the oil pump needed replacing. …
1998 Toyota Corolla engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.8L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 27 / 34 / 30 |
| 1.8L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 25 / 33 / 28 |
| 1.8L 4-cyl | 3-speed automatic | FWD | 24 / 30 / 26 |
EPA ratings. Class: Compact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1998 Toyota Corolla a good car?
Based on 225 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1998 Corolla rates average: 15% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Corolla 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 Corolla?
The air bags — 61 complaints, 27% of all complaints for this model year, most often about frontal. Next are the body & structure (24) and engine & cooling (19).
How many recalls does the 1998 Toyota Corolla have?
NHTSA lists no recalls for the 1998 Toyota Corolla. You can still confirm with your VIN using our VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Toyota Corolla?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2018, 2025 and 2023. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2011, 2012, 2020, 2009 and 2010. See the full Toyota Corolla years comparison.
At what mileage do 1998 Toyota Corolla problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 78,000 miles; 22% 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.