1998 Toyota RAV4 Problems and Recalls (76 Complaints)

The most-reported problem on the 1998 Toyota RAV4 is Brakes (17% of 76 owner reports). There are 5 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Brakes — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-09-07 76 complaints · 5 recalls

What problems show up on the 1998 Toyota RAV4?

13 of 76 filings named Brakes (17% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.

Second is Airbags (12 reports).

There are 5 official safety recalls on this year. They were filed about Transmission / driveline, Brakes, Airbags, and Electrical. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov — a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific truck.

The 1997 has 53 reports on file; this year has 76. Older years collect more reports just by being on the road longer. If you need a fairer comparison, use the equal-time view.

What to check before you buy a 1998 Toyota RAV4

A useful visit to this page takes five minutes. YearTell does not score years and cannot see the vehicle in front of you.

  1. Look up the VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov. This year has 5 campaigns on file below.
  2. Brakes. Have a shop check pads, rotors, fluid and whether the pedal feels firm.
  3. Airbags. Confirm the airbag light behaves normally and that open airbag recalls are closed.
  4. Cruise / speed control. Test cruise control and ask about unintended-acceleration reports on this year.
  5. Skim a few owner reports below for Brakes. Look for the same symptom repeating.
  6. Take that list to a mechanic. Do not turn the complaint total into a score.

What owners reported

System named most often: Brakes 13 complaints · 17.1% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
  • Crashes 19
  • Fires 0
  • Injuries 12
  • Deaths 0
All Toyota RAV4 years →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Which systems owners named

Share of owner complaints filed against each vehicle system. These shares are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold.

Which systems owners named Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) appears in 13 of 76 owner complaints (17.1%) in this vehicle snapshot. Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES): 13 complaints, 17.1% of reports Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 2 crash reports 13 · 17.1% Airbags (AIR BAGS): 12 complaints, 15.8% of reports Airbags (AIR BAGS) 9 crash reports 12 · 15.8% Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL): 11 complaints, 14.5% of reports Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) 2 crash reports 11 · 14.5% Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN): 10 complaints, 13.2% of reports Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 2 crash reports 10 · 13.2% Engine (ENGINE): 6 complaints, 7.9% of reports Engine (ENGINE) 1 crash reports 6 · 7.9% Seat belts (SEAT BELTS): 4 complaints, 5.3% of reports Seat belts (SEAT BELTS) 1 crash reports 4 · 5.3% Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM): 3 complaints, 4.0% of reports Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 3 · 4.0% Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM): 3 complaints, 4.0% of reports Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) 3 · 4.0% Steering (STEERING): 2 complaints, 2.6% of reports Steering (STEERING) 2 · 2.6% Unclassified NHTSA leftover: 53 complaints, 69.7% of reports Unclassified NHTSA leftover 14 crash reports 53 · 69.7% 0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

“Unclassified NHTSA leftover” is not a car part. It is a filing bucket and always sits last.

View component data as a table
System / Component Complaints Share of Reports Safety Reports (Crashes / Fires)
Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 13 17.1% 2 crashes · 0 fires
Airbags (AIR BAGS) 12 15.8% 9 crashes · 0 fires
Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) 11 14.5% 2 crashes · 0 fires
Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 10 13.2% 2 crashes · 0 fires
Engine (ENGINE) 6 7.9% 1 crashes · 0 fires
Seat belts (SEAT BELTS) 4 5.3% 1 crashes · 0 fires
Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 3 4.0% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) 3 4.0% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Steering (STEERING) 2 2.6% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Unclassified NHTSA leftover 53 69.7% 14 crashes · 0 fires
NHTSA Consumer Complaints, NHTSA Safety Recalls, and NHTSA Defect Investigations Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

When reports and recalls showed up

When owners filed reports, and when recall campaigns showed up.

When reports and recalls showed up Owner reports in this snapshot begin in Jan 1998; the first recall shown was reported in Oct 1998. 1998-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 1998-Q3: 5 owner reports 5 1998-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 1999-Q1: 11 owner reports 11 1999-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 1999-Q4: 6 owner reports 6 2000-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2000-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2000-Q3: 6 owner reports 6 2000-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2001-Q1: 6 owner reports 6 2001-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2001-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2002-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2002-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2003-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2004-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2004-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2005-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2006-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2007-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2008-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2008-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2009-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2010-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2010-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2010-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2011-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2011-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2012-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2014-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2014-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2016-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2017-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2017-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2020-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2020-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2021-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2021-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 Owner reports Jan 1998 Apr 2021 Recall campaign 98E035000 ◆ Recall campaign 98E035000 Recall campaign 98V278000 ◆ Recall campaign 98V278000 Recall campaign 00V211000 ◆ Recall campaign 00V211000 Recall campaign 00V212000 ◆ Recall campaign 00V212000 Recall campaign 20V033000 ◆ Recall campaign 20V033000
  • Campaign 00V211000 was reported 601 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 00V212000 was reported 923 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 20V033000 was reported 7,979 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
1998-Q1 Owner reports 2
1998-Q3 Owner reports 5
1998-Q4 Owner reports 1
1999-Q1 Owner reports 11
1999-Q3 Owner reports 2
1999-Q4 Owner reports 6
2000-Q1 Owner reports 1
2000-Q2 Owner reports 3
2000-Q3 Owner reports 6
2000-Q4 Owner reports 1
2001-Q1 Owner reports 6
2001-Q2 Owner reports 1
2001-Q3 Owner reports 1
2002-Q3 Owner reports 1
2002-Q4 Owner reports 1
2003-Q1 Owner reports 1
2004-Q1 Owner reports 1
2004-Q4 Owner reports 2
2005-Q3 Owner reports 1
2006-Q3 Owner reports 1
2007-Q3 Owner reports 2
2008-Q3 Owner reports 1
2008-Q4 Owner reports 1
2009-Q4 Owner reports 2
2010-Q1 Owner reports 1
2010-Q2 Owner reports 1
2010-Q3 Owner reports 1
2011-Q1 Owner reports 2
2011-Q2 Owner reports 1
2012-Q2 Owner reports 1
2014-Q1 Owner reports 1
2014-Q3 Owner reports 1
2016-Q2 Owner reports 1
2017-Q1 Owner reports 1
2017-Q4 Owner reports 1
2020-Q1 Owner reports 1
2020-Q4 Owner reports 1
2021-Q1 Owner reports 1
2021-Q2 Owner reports 1
Recall campaign 1 98E035000
Recall campaign 1 98V278000
Recall campaign 1 00V211000
Recall campaign 1 00V212000
Recall campaign 1 20V033000
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-09-06 Open source record

Safety Recalls (5)

Official campaigns. Each one says what could go wrong and what the dealer was told to fix.

In short, these campaigns were filed about Transmission / driveline, Brakes, Airbags, and Electrical.

  1. Recall campaign 00V211000

    Transmission / driveline

    Report date
    Component:
    Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)
    Consequence:
    THIS CONDITION CAN RENDER THE SYSTEM INOPERATIVE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE PARKING LOCK ROD.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  2. Recall campaign 00V212000

    Brakes

    Report date
    Component:
    Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES)
    Consequence:
    THE DISC ROTOR COULD BREAK (WHERE IT MOUNTS TO THE WHEEL), RESULTING IN A LOSS OF BRAKING ACTION ON THAT WHEEL, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE DISC BRAKE ROTORS. IF THE VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH STEEL WHEELS, TOYOTA WILL REPLACE THE FRONT DISC BRAKE ROTORS AND STEEL WHEELS WITH NEW DISC BRAKE ROTORS AND NEW ALUMINUM WHEELS. IN ADDITION A CAUTION LABEL THAT READS, "USE NEW GENUINE TOYOTA ALUMINUM WHEELS." WILL BE AFFIXED. VEHICLES ALREADY EQUIPPED WITH ALUMINUM WHEELS WILL ONLY REQUIRE CAUTION LABEL INSTALLATION.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  3. Recall campaign 20V033000

    Airbags

    Report date
    Component:
    Airbags (AIR BAGS)
    Consequence:
    In the event of a crash necessitating air bag deployment, an inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants. An underinflated air bag may not properly protect the occupant, and increases the risk of serious injury or death.
    Remedy:
    Toyota will notify owners, and owners will have the option to self-inspect, or have a dealer inspect the steering wheel on their vehicle to determine if their vehicle may be equipped with an affected inflator. Potentially affected steering wheel serial numbers will be inspected by a dealer. Based on the inspection, dealers will replace the front driver air bag inflator with an alternate one, as necessary. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began August 28, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's numbers for this recall is 20TB01 and 20TA01.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  4. Recall campaign 98E035000

    Electrical

    Report date
    Component:
    Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM)
    Consequence:
    THIS CONDITION CAN CAUSE INTERMITTENT PERFORMANCE OF THE VEHICLE'S ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS SUCH AS THE DASH WARNING LIGHTS AND/OR HVAC FAN SPEED CONTROLS. ALSO, THE VEHICLE MAY NOT RUN SMOOTHLY AND COULD STALL.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE DATE CODE LABEL ON THE SECURITY SYSTEM HARNESS AND ANY DISPLAYING THE MANUFACTURING/FINAL DATE CODE WILL BE REPLACED WITH NEWLY PRODUCED HARNESSES. THE DATE CODES ARE: RAV4 - 6/24/98, 6/25/98, 6/26/98; SIENNA - 6/25/98, 6/26/98; AND AVALON - 6/30/98, 7/1/98, 8/31/98, 9/1/98, 9/2/98, AND 9/3/98.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  5. Recall campaign 98V278000

    Electrical

    Report date
    Component:
    Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM)
    Consequence:
    THIS CONDITION CAN CAUSE INTERMITTENT PERFORMANCE OF THE VEHICLE'S ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS SUCH AS THE DASH WARNING LIGHTS AND/OR HVAC FAN SPEED CONTROLS. ALSO, THE VEHICLE MAY NOT RUN SMOOTHLY AND COULD STALL.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE DATE CODE LABEL ON THE SECURITY SYSTEM HARNESS AND ANY DISPLAYING THE MANUFACTURING/FINAL DATE CODE WILL BE REPLACED WITH NEWLY PRODUCED HARNESSES. THE DATE CODES ARE: RAV4 - 6/24/98, 6/25/98, 6/26/98; SIENNA - 6/25/98, 6/26/98; AND AVALON - 6/30/98, 7/1/98, 8/31/98, 9/1/98, 9/2/98, AND 9/3/98.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

What owners actually wrote

Short excerpts from the public NHTSA file. Look for the same symptom repeating.

Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · snapshot 2026-09-07
Safety incident filters
Showing 10 of 76 complaints · page 1 of 4
2021-04-22Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11413379
CrashFireInjuryDeath
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VAPOR CANISTER AND THE VACUUM SWITCHING VALVE (VSV) NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT YET REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT UNDER RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 140,734. Consumer stated vehicle has been repaired.*JB
2021-03-17Airbags (AIR BAGS)
NHTSA ODI 11403564
CrashFireInjuryDeath
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 1998 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN AT AN INTERSECTION, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THEIR VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT TWO PEOPLE IN THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED INJURIES. THE PASSENGER IN THE PASSENGER SEAT SUSTAINED A BLACK EYE, SEVERAL LEG BRUISES AND HAD TO GET 7 STITCHES IN HER HEAD. THE PASSENGER IN THE BACK SEAT SUSTAINED TWO BROKEN RIBS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DRIVABLE AND WAS TOWED TO A JUNK YARD. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED AS OF YET. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN INFORMED OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
2020-11-16Airbags (AIR BAGS)
NHTSA ODI 11374940
CrashFireInjuryDeath
MY VEHICLE IS BEING RECALLED FOR TAKADA AIR BAGS.
2020-02-24Airbags (AIR BAGS)
NHTSA ODI 11311119
CrashFireInjuryDeath
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 RAV 4. THE CONTACT WAS NOTIFIED THROUGH LOCAL EMISSIONS THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V033000 (AIR BAGS). THE VIN TOOL CONFIRMS THAT THE VEHICLE WAS SUBJECTED TO THE RECALL. NEITHER A DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.
2017-10-30Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES)
NHTSA ODI 11041468
CrashFireInjuryDeath
EVEN AFTER I REPLACED THE BRAKE PADS WHILE DOING MAINTENANCE, THE BRAKES ARE STILL LOOSE AT TIMES, MOSTLY AFTER RUNNING ON THE HIGHWAY.
2017-03-24Engine (ENGINE)
NHTSA ODI 10968427
CrashFireInjuryDeath
EXCESSIVE OIL USE, TRIED TO HAVE DEALER FIX AT 149,000, WOULD NOT CHECK. WARENTY ENHANCEMENT, NOW 200000 MILES 1 QT+ 1200 MILES. TOOK TO DEALER 2/27/17 SAID I HAD TO PAY 3000+ TO FIX. TOYOTA NEW IT WAS BAD PISTONS OR RINGS AND ADMIT IT. BUT I PAY? ALWAYS TOOK CARE OF VEHICLE
2016-04-07Seat belts (SEAT BELTS)
NHTSA ODI 10854226
CrashFireInjuryDeath
RE: SAFETY RECALL FOR REAR OUTBOARD SEATBELTS. I FIRST BECAME AWARE OF THE THE RECALL IN FEB. 2016. IN EARLY MARCH, WE SCHEDULED NORMAL MAINTENANCE FOR OUR RAV4. WHEN WE INQUIRED ABOUT THE SEATBELT RECALL, THE DEALERSHIP HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF THE ISSUE. I HAVE NOW BEEN DRIVING MY 6 AND 8 YEAR OLD CHILDREN AROUND IN A VEHICLE WITH RECALLED SEATBELTS FOR 2 MONTHS. TODAY, APRIL 7, IS THE FIRST NOTIFICATION I HAVE RECEIVED FROM TOYOTA AND THE NOTIFICATION STATES THAT TOYOTA STILL HAS NO "REMEDY". TOYOTA IS PUTTING MY CHILDREN IN DANGER EVERYDAY AND I HAVE LOST ALL TRUST IN TOYOTA.
2014-08-04Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES)
NHTSA ODI 10618588
CrashFireInjuryDeath
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED AND THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE WAS DIFFICULT TO COME TO A STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE ROTOR WAS REPLACED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY RECALLS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE.
2014-01-21Steering (STEERING)
NHTSA ODI 10560765
CrashFireInjuryDeath
DURING SLOW TURNS SUCH AS THROUGH INTERSECTIONS THERE IS A KNOCKING IN THE STEERING WHEEL. THIS HAS BEEN PRESENT SINCE I PURCHASED THE CAR IN 2008 AND HAS BEEN GETTING SLOWLY WORSE. DHL TOYOTA IN WAPPINGERS FALLS, NY HAS TOLD ME THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND THE STEERING CAN GO AT ANY TIME. THERE ARE 2 TOYOTA TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS DATING FROM 2008 ON HOW TO FIX THIS PROBLEM: T-SB-0308-08 AND T-SB-0318-08. I WAS TOLD TOYOTA WILL NOT PAY FOR IT AND THE FIX IS $2800. SINCE TOYOTA TOLD ME THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE, THEN THERE SHOULD BE A SAFETY RECALL AND TOYOTA SHOULD FIX IT AT THEIR EXPENSE. *TR
2012-06-22Seat belts (SEAT BELTS)
NHTSA ODI 10462724
CrashFireInjuryDeath
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 TOYOTA RAV4. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 60 MPH AND ATTEMPTED TO AVOID A TRACTOR TRAILER. WHILE SWITCHING LANES, THE REAR OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE, CAUSING THE CONTACT TO SPIN OUT OF CONTROL, CRASH INTO THE TRACTOR TRAILER AND THEN INTO THE GUARD RAIL. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. EACH OF THE THREE PASSENGERS WERE WEARING SEAT BELTS HOWEVER NONE OF THEM LOCKED ON IMPACT, CAUSING INJURY TO EACH OF THE THREE PASSENGERS. THE VEHICLE WAS NEITHER REPAIRED NOR INSPECTED FOR THE CAUSE OF THE AIR BAG FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 105,000.

Toyota RAV4 Complaints by Model Year

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems on the 1998 Toyota RAV4?

Owners named Brakes most often — 13 of 76 reports (17%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.

Are there recalls for the 1998 Toyota RAV4?

NHTSA lists 5 safety recall campaigns. They were filed about Transmission / driveline, Brakes, Airbags, and Electrical. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov; a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific vehicle.

What should I inspect before buying a 1998 Toyota RAV4?

Look up the VIN for open recalls. Have a shop check pads, rotors, fluid and whether the pedal feels firm. Then skim owner filings for the same symptom and take that list to a mechanic.

Does a high complaint count mean I should skip this year?

No. Counts are reports people chose to file and they are not adjusted for sales volume. YearTell does not publish scores or a list of years to skip. Inspect the vehicle.

EPA Fuel Economy Database Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record

Estimated Ownership Cost

EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates

Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-08-21
Supported range: 1,000–60,000 miles per year
Supported range: $1.50–$10.00 per gallon
55% city45% highway
Estimate unavailable

EPA fuel-economy data is unavailable for this vehicle.

No estimate is shown when required EPA values are unavailable.

 Open Ownership Cost Calculator →

Adjacent Model Years

Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records

NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Methodology & Data Integrity

Source: NHTSA ODI / recalls, snapshot 2026-09-07. YearTell is not a government agency.

Read our complete data methodology → Sources