1998 Toyota Corolla Recalls, Ratings & Complaints

Incident: May 22, 2022 · Filed: May 26, 2022

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.

Incident: September 19, 2021 · Filed: October 19, 2021

My auto mechanic and I, after extensive diagnosis, have confirmed that the Pulse mileage/route tracking device that Metromile car insurance had me plug into the computer port of my 1998 Toyota Corolla LE is failing or has failed, and this caused a potentially disastrous situation to develop w/my car engine. When starting the engine from cold, it would cause repeated misfires, causing the rpms to drop quickly, then surge up, before settling into the proper cold idle speed. This would repeat itself every few seconds until the engine warmed up completely (usually about 10 minutes). When in gear, the car would buck violently, putting repeated, extreme stress on the drive train; but even when in neutral gear, two mechanics have told me it could easily destroy my crankshaft bearings and/or other parts of the drive train. We have now tested this five times briefly in neutral gear. When we plug the pulse device in the problem occurs immediately. When we remove the device the problem goes away. We can also insert the mechanic's diagnostic device into the computer port and everything works fine. The new "Pulse" device was received as a replacement for the old one I had been using, that had worked fine, and was first inserted into the computer port on 8/9/21. So it worked fine for about a month. Supposedly the only difference between the old and new devices is that the new one uses 5G instead of 4G to receive and transmit data.

Incident: August 26, 2020 · Filed: September 23, 2020

AIR BAG LIGHT STAYS ON. WHEN I LOOKED UP ANY RECALLS ON THIS YEAR OF TOYOTA, THERE WERE ALOT OF COMPLAINTS AND NO FIXES. I THINK TOYOTA SHOULD FIX THIS SAFETY PROBLEM WITH THE AIR BAGS, IT IS A BIG DEAL NOT FEELIG SAFE ON THE ROAD. THE LIGHT CAME ON WHEN WE WERE DRIVING. WE TRIED TO RESET IT BUT HAS NO EFFECT. THERE ARE A LOT OF COMPLAINTS ON THE 1998 TOYOTA COROLLA.THIS IS NOT A COINCIDENCE, IT IS A SAFETY HAZZARD THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BY THE MANUFACUTURER. TOYOTA NEEDS TO STEP UP AND FIX THE PROBLEM, IT IS THERE FAULT. ANY HELP WOULD BE APPRECIATED.

Incident: August 22, 2019 · Filed: August 22, 2019

TAKATA AIRBAG RECALL MY 1998 TOYOTA COROLLA IS LISTED AS ONE OF THE CARS EFFECTED BY THE TAKATA AIRBAG RECALL. TODAY I NOTED A BLINKING LIGHT ON MY DASH BOARD FOR THE AIRBAG. PLEASE ADVISE.

Incident: May 1, 2018 · Filed: May 4, 2018

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 protected] HAVE BEEN UNANSWERED. AGNIK DOES NOT PUBLISH AN ADDRESS OR PHONE NUMBER.

Incident: December 25, 2016 · Filed: December 29, 2016

SAFETY ISSUE!!! THE LOW MILEAGE VEHICLE HAS A STRANGE ISSUE THAT TOYOTA SEEMS UNABLE TO REPAIR! 139000.0 MILES THE VEHICLE WILL INTERMITTENTLY REFUSE TO START. T THE KEY UNLOCKS BUT ONLY SO FAR IT REFUSES TO ENGAGE THE STARTER OR ALLOW THE AUTO GEAR SELECTOR TO WORK! STRANDS MY WIFE IN THE BAD PARTS OF TOWN AND CAUSES DISTRESS AND DANGER BECAUSE OF THE STRANDED VEHICLE CONDITION! NO CODES GENERATED AND TWICE TOYOTA HAS HAD FOR TWO DAYS AND NO FIX! CORPORATION HAS CASE OR INCIDENT REPORT OPEN BUT NOT FIXED. SO FAR IGNITION REPLACED BUT WAS TOLD THAT THE FOLLOWING COULD BE ISSUE? 1. IGNITION KEY CYLINDER 2. IGNITION ELECTRICAL SWITCH AND OR RELAY, 3. TRANSMISSION INTERLOCK SWITCH, 4. GEAR SHIFT LEVER BUTTON? GEAR SHIFT LINKAGE ADJUSTMENT TO ENSURE CAR IS IN PARK PROPERLY FOR INTERLOCK SWITCH TO WORK. EACH TIME IT COSTS OVER $200.00 AND A NEW $200.00 OR MORE WORTH OF PARTS! WOULD THIS NOT BE A SAFETY RECALL ISSUE WITH GEARSHIFT NEUTRAL INTERLOCK OR SOMETHING? MY ALTERNATIVE IS TO KEEP DRIVING A GAS HOG SUV THAT IS AT LEAST SOMEWHAT RELIABLE? SO MUCH FOR SAVING FUEL OR THE ENVIRONMENT IF A CAR IS NOT RELIABLE OR ACCORDING TO TOYOTA FIXABLE WITHOUT THROWING CASH AT MECHANICS OR DON'T KNOW HOW TO FIX WITHOUT JUST GUESSING AT RANDOM PARTS REPLACEMENTS? THE VEHICLE IS AT REST AFTER DRIVING AND IS IN PARK WITH KEY ENGAGED PROPERLY WITH BRAKE ENGAGED PROPERLY TO START THE IGNITION PROCESS THAT INTERMITTENTLY ENGAGES SOLUTIONS ... MAKE A NEW KEY?, REPLACE KEY AND CYLINDER OR ANY NUMBER OF OTHER THINGS? NEVER A RENTAL OR LOANER SO LOJACK NOT AN ISSUE, NO BLUETOOTH, NO GPS DISABLER TO MY KNOWLEDGE IF ONE EXISTS IT IS A CRIMINAL ACT TARGETING MY WIFE OR MYSELF. *TR

Incident: June 13, 2001 · Filed: July 14, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 TOYOTA COROLLA. WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT, THE HEADLIGHTS WERE VERY DIM AND HINDERED THE CONTACT'S VISIBILITY. THE VIN WAS EXCLUDED FROM NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 09E012000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING), 08E050000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING), 06E065000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING), AND 06E026000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING); HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 118,000.

Incident: December 20, 2013 · Filed: January 21, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 TOYOTA COROLLA. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL SEIZED. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE UNKNOWN.

Incident: December 31, 2000 · Filed: October 28, 2015

THE ENGINE CONSUMES OIL AT AN ALARMING RATE SINCE I PURCHASED THE CAR 15 YEARS AGO. TOLD A TOYOTA SHOP FOREMAN ME ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND HE TOLD ME THAT TOYOTA DOESN'T WANT TO ADMIT ANY FAULT. HE SAID THEY MADE THE PISTONS TOO SMALL AND THE RINGS TOO BIG. HE IS A CLOSE FRIEND WHO KNOWS I TAKE CARE OF MY CARS EXTREMELY WELL. HE SAID TO JUST KEEP NURSING THE CAR LIKE I DO. AND FOR 15 YEARS I HAVE BEEN NURSING MY CAR EVERY WEEK I CHECK THE OIL. IF IT IS A SLIGHT BIT LOW I WILL ADD OIL TO THE FULL LINE. THIS IS THE ONLY WAY TO MAKE THE CAR LAST, IF I LET IT GO AND DIDN'T CHECK THE OIL, THERE WOULD BE NOTHING LEFT IN THE CRANKCASE, THE ENGINE WOULD PROBABLY SEIZE UP BECAUSE OF LACK OF OIL. I NOTICED THIS CONDITION WITH THE ENGINE WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR 15 YEARS AGO USED. THE CAR WAS A YEAR AND HALF OLD. I CALLED TOYOTA ABOUT IT BACK THEN IN THE YEAR OF 2000 AND THEY DENIED ANY PROBLEM OR RECALL LIKE THEY STILL DO TODAY. SINCE THEN, I HAVE CONFRONTED OTHER TOYOTA COROLLA OWNERS WITH THE SAME YEAR AS MINE GIVE A TAKE A YEAR OR TWO AND THEY HAVE ALL STATED THAT YES THERE OIL WAS EXTREMELY LOW ALSO. ONE STRANGER I WALKED UP TO IN THE PARKING LOT SAID TO ME "YES, I ADD OIL TO IT EVERY WEEK." SO TO SUM THINGS UP. I FEEL THAT TOYOTA SHOULD COMPENSATE OWNERS LIKE ME WHO HAVE FAITHFULLY ADDED OIL TO THE ENGINE EVERY WEEK FOR THE PAST 15 YEARS THAT I HAVE OWNED THAT CAR. TOYOTA SHOULD BE SUED FOR NOT BEING HONEST ABOUT THEIR OIL BURNING ENGINES FOR THE 1998 TO 2002 COROLLA MODEL YEAR. THERE IS NO OIL LEAKING UNDER THE CAR AT ALL AND ALL OF THE GASKETS ON THE ENGINE ARE DRY WITH NO LEAKS. THE INTERIOR OF THE TAILPIPE HAS ALOT OF BLACK SOOT INDICATING OIL CONSUMPTION WITHIN THE ENGINE.

Incident: August 29, 2015 · Filed: August 31, 2015

STARTER DID NOT STOP CRANKING, ALTHOUGH IGNITION WAS TURNED OFF AND KEY WAS REMOVED. CONTINUED CRANKING UNTIL AFTER LARGE AMOUNT OF BLACK SMOKE BILLOWED FROM ENGINE. EVENTUALLY STOPPED BEFORE CATCHING FIRE. FOUND MAIN ENGINE WIRE HARNESS MELTED, CHARRED:; STARTER CHARRED: BATTERY CASE MELTED; BATTERY WIRE MELTED. UNABLE TO ROLL WINDOW BACK UP, EVEN AFTER RECONNECTING BATTERY. REQUIRED TOW HOME.