Problems · NHTSA complaints

1998 Toyota Tacoma problems

Owners filed 310 complaints about the 1998 Toyota Tacoma with NHTSA between Sep 1997 and Feb 2025. The most-cited component is structure (99).

Complaints
310
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
50
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
29
People reported injured
Deaths
1
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Structure99
  2. Air bags47
  3. Tires30
  4. Suspension29
  5. Seat belts24
  6. Service brakes, hydraulic18
  7. Vehicle speed control16
  8. Engine and engine cooling15
  9. Steering11
  10. Power train10
  11. Exterior lighting6
  12. Electrical system5
  13. Wheels5
  14. Visibility5

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
19972
199821
199957
200040
200117
200214
20037
20044
20057
20060
200718
200830
20092
201011
20116
20126
20137
201410
201511
201615
201713
20183
20193
20200
20212
20222
20231
20240
20251

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Structure

99 reports1 crash
“The contact owns a 1998 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that while the vehicle was at the dealer for routine maintenance, the contact was informed that the subframe was severely corrosion. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to Customer Satisfaction Campaign: 10030357-0006 (Frame Corrosion-Preventative Compound); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 164,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 12, 2025StructureODI 11642253

Air bags

47 reports43 crashes1 related recall
“I had an accident over a year ago and the airbags did not deploy then I ask the guy that fixed it told me that it didn't have the sensor on the front of my truck, and I wonder why. Now I realized the never saw that sensor on my truck, and want to know what is happening with my truck if other vehicles are involved in the same situation. Sincerely: [XXX].”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 15, 2022Air bagsCrash reportedODI 11474087

Tires

30 reports
“MY TRUCK HAD BEEN VIBRATING REALLY BAD I WAS DRIVING WEST BOUND ON I20 WHEN I HEARD A POP THEN IT SOUNDED LIKE MY TIRE BLOW OUT SO I PULLED OVER TO DISCOVER THAT MY TREAD HAD SEPARATED FROM MY TIRE AND HAD TORN UP MY PASSAGE SIDE OF MY TRUCK. *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 14, 2012TiresODI 10461816

Suspension

29 reports
“The contact owns a 1998 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that while inspecting the subframe of the vehicle, he noticed that there was a hole in the rear passenger side wheel well. The contact stated that the failure had increased significantly. The dealer and the manufacturer were notified of the failure and informed the contact that they could not assist as an unknown recall had expired. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 24, 2023Suspension, StructureODI 11503438

Seat belts

24 reports4 crashes
“THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT STARTED FRAYING AND AFTER WHILE LOCKED UP ,WOULD NOT RETRACTED OR PULL OUT. NOW THE PASSENGER SIDE IS FRAYING AND NOW IT IS LOCKED UP, IT DOES NOT MATTER IF THE ENGINE IS RUNNING OR NOT IT WILL NOT RETRACTED OR PULL OUT.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 28, 2019Seat beltsODI 11183215

Service brakes, hydraulic

18 reports3 crashes
“MY WIFE STOPPED AT THE EDGE OF OUR DRIVEWAY TO LET A PEDESTRIAN PASS AND THEN PROCEED TO ENTER THE DRIVEWAY BY MAKING A RIGHT TURN. AS SHE ACCELERATED TO ENTERED THE DRIVEWAY, THE TACOMA TOOK OFF WITH THE ENGINE SCREAMING AT A VERY HIGH RPM AND, DESPITE HER EFFORTS TO STOP THE TRUCK BY PRESSING HARD ON THE BRAKE, SHE CRASHED INTO THE GARAGE AND EAST WALL OF THE HOUSE. DESPITE THE ENORMOUS DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE, IT IS A TOTAL, I THINK, THE AIR BAGS NEVER DEPLOYED.OBVIOUSLY THE TACOMA SUFFERED FROM THE SAME ACCELERATOR PROBLEM THAT HAS PLAGUED TOYOTA UNITS. MY WIFE, THE DRIVER, SUFFERED BRUISED RIBS AND A HEADACHE. FIRE AND POLICE RESPONDED TO EMERGENCY CALL. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 12, 2011Service brakes, hydraulic, Power train, Air bagsODI 10425071
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.