There are 32 owner-reported steering complaints for the 1998 Toyota Camryin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
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.
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. *TR
PROBLEM WITH STICKY GAS PEDAL OFF AND ON FOR 1 YEAR. HAVE BEEN PRESSING HARD TO GET PEDAL TO WORK PROPERLY. SO FAR, NO PARTS HAVE BEEN REPAIRED OR REPLACED ON 1998 TOYOTA CAMRY. ALSO STEERING PROBLEMS IN 2008; TOOK TO DEALER WHO ADDED POWER STEERING FLUID. *TR
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? *TR
STEERING IS LOOSE CAR WANDERS LEFT AND RIGHT. RACK AND PINION IS LEAKING. SEEMS TO BE TO MANY COMPLAINTS OF THE RACK AND PINION FAILURES AND THE COST OF REPAIR. TOYOTA YOU KNOW YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THIS AND IT NEEDS TO BE FIXED. WHAT WILL IT TAKE TO GET YOUR ATTENTION? *TR
TL*THE 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.
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.
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. *NM
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.*AK
CONSUMER MECHANIC FOUND A PROBLEM WITH THE COLUMN POST ABOUT TO COME LOOSE SO THAT THE DRIVER COULD NOT CONTROL VEHICLE. *TS THE MECHANIC ALSO DISCOVERED THAT BOTH AIR BAGS WERE NOT COMPLETELY ASSEMBLED. PARTS WERE ON TOP OF THE AIR BAG BUT NOT INSTALLED. *JB
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. *JB
WHILE TRAVELING AT 40 TO 55 MPH CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND HIT A TREE. UPON IMPACT NONE OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. *AK 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. *NM
THE CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED BECAUSE THE STEERING COLUMN LOCKED UP. THE RECALL LETTER WAS RECEIVED AFTER THE ACCIDENT FOR 40-4000046657. *JB
STEERING COMPLETELY FAILED WHEN DRIVING ON DRY, CLEAR, DAY. CAR PULLED TO THE LEFT, WENT RIGHT, THAN HEAD ON WITH ONCOMING VEHICLE. *AK
CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER ON A STEERING PROBLEM. DEALER SAID THEY WERE GOING TO LOOK AT IT.*AK
STEERING COLUMN VIBRATES AFTER BEING REPAIRED IN RECALL. DEALER WILL NOT INSPECT IT AGAIN. *AK
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. *AK
THE BRAKES ON MY 1998 TOYOTA CAMRY WORE OUT AT 15000 MILES. THE SERVICE WRITER AT THE SERVICE DEALER TOLD ME THAT THE 1997 AND 1998 CAMRY HAVE A DESIGN DEFECT THAT CAUSES MORE PRESSURE TO BE APPLIED TO THE FRONT BRAKES THAN TO THE BACK BRAKES, CAUSING THE FRONT BRAKES TO WEAR OUT PREMATURELY. MY POWER STEERING PUMP DEVELOPED A LEAK BEFORE IT WAS REPLACED BY THE SERVICING DEALER AT 19000 MILES, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO HAVE STEERING AND CONTROL PROBLEMS. *AK
DESIGN OF POWER STEERING FLUID RESERVIOR FAILED, CAUSING LEAKAGE, DUE TO SPLIT SEAM. *YC
ALARM--SILENCER SECURITY.
Showing 1–20 of 32 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026