1998 Toyota 4RUNNER Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other 4RUNNER years
- Far more complaints than other years 8th of 32 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 250 complaints with NHTSA about the 1998 Toyota 4RUNNER. That ranks 8th out of 32 4RUNNER model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is structure (78 complaints, 31%), typically at around 170,000 miles. Complaints mention 18 crashes, 5 fires, 21 injuries. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year.
- 250owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 18complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1998 Toyota 4RUNNER problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Structure problems | 78 | 31% | 170,000 | “frame rusted” (26%) | — |
| Suspension problems | 60 | 24% | 170,000 | “control arm” (23%) | — |
| Tires | 30 | 12% | 97,595 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 16 | 6% | 58,250 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 15 | 6% | 211,238 | — | — |
| Power Train | 12 | 5% | 190,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 12 | 5% | 130,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 12 | 5% | 122,340 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 11 | 4% | 102,560 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 9 | 4% | 124,312 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 8 | 3% | 152,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 7 | 3% | 69,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 6 | 2% | 55,001 | — | — |
| Equipment | 5 | 2% | 110,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 5 | 2% | 180,000 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 2 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 2 | 1% | 142,650 | — | — |
| Seats | 2 | 1% | 186,325 | — | — |
| Child Seat | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 0% | 167,043 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 0% | 218,206 | — | — |
| Visibility | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1998 Toyota 4RUNNER recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Suspension
Problem: On certain 2-wheel-drive (2wd) and 4-wheel-drive (4wd) 4runner sport utility vehicles, a combination of heavy loading (simultaneous loading to rear gross axle weight rating and gross vehicle weight rating) and severe steering maneuvers could cause the 2wd 4runner to lose directional stability.
Risk: This may result in a loss of control and could increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace rear suspension parts. Although the 4wd 4runners do not exhibit the handling condition, toyota will recall these vehicles to avoid any public confusion as to which vehicles should receive the replacement parts. Owner notification began february 28, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact toyota at 1-800-331-4331.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
The rear end suspension is sagging on my vehicle. When I look up the VIN number on the nhtsa website it says that there is not a recall, but when I look up my vehicle by year it says that all vehicles of this year should be recalled for rear suspension repair/check. I called usa toyota and they…
The frame is rusting out and broke while driving. The frame is almost totally destroyed from rust . The rear started swinging violently but luckily got it stop without crashing. The entire frame is a joke. I can't believe it hasn't been recalled STILL. The body is in perfect shape but a frame that…
The drivers side front lower ball joint completely sheared off at around 15 miles an hour. The wheel and tire separated from the vehicle.
Critical frame rust causing trailing arms to detach under normal use.
The driver's side rear control arm mounting bracket that is welded to the frame has rusted and completely fractured off of the frame. The failure occurred while i began to accelerate from a stop light on a city street at normal speeds. I felt and heard a loud pop, then had severe rear end…
Other Toyota 4RUNNER years
← 1997 4RUNNER · 1999 4RUNNER →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 4RUNNER | 7 | 2 |
| 2025 4RUNNER | 60 | 1 |
| 2024 4RUNNER | 9 | 1 |
| 2023 4RUNNER | 32 | 1 |
| 2022 4RUNNER | 39 | 3 |
| 2021 4RUNNER | 36 | 1 |
| 2020 4RUNNER | 33 | 1 |
| 2019 4RUNNER | 65 | 4 |
| 2018 4RUNNER | 58 | 5 |
| 2017 4RUNNER | 36 | 5 |
| 2016 4RUNNER | 79 | 8 |
| 2015 4RUNNER | 86 | 9 |
| 2014 4RUNNER | 77 | 7 |
| 2013 4RUNNER | 36 | 6 |
| 2012 4RUNNER | 96 | 8 |
| 2011 4RUNNER | 163 | 10 |
| 2010 4RUNNER | 146 | 12 |
| 2009 4RUNNER | 22 | 6 |
| 2008 4RUNNER | 96 | 5 |
| 2007 4RUNNER | 154 | 5 |
| 2006 4RUNNER | 381 | 5 |
| 2005 4RUNNER | 425 | 5 |
| 2004 4RUNNER | 678 | 2 |
| 2003 4RUNNER | 695 | 3 |
| 2002 4RUNNER | 225 | 1 |
| 2001 4RUNNER | 185 | 1 |
| 2000 4RUNNER | 483 | 0 |
| 1999 4RUNNER | 330 | 0 |
| 1998 | 250 | 1 |
| 1997 4RUNNER | 261 | 1 |
| 1996 4RUNNER | 161 | 2 |
| 1995 4RUNNER | 172 | 1 |
See all Toyota 4RUNNER problems by year, every Toyota model, or the Toyota VIN decoder.
Similar Toyota models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1998 Toyota 4RUNNER?
Owners most often report structure, suspension, tires problems. The top one, structure, accounts for 78 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1998 Toyota 4RUNNER?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1998 Toyota 4RUNNER a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other 4RUNNER model years, the 1998 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.