FaultScore

1998 Toyota Corolla body problems

24 of the 278 complaints about the 1998 Toyota Corolla are about the body and structure — 9% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 92,500 miles.

B

24

Complaints

1

Crashes

0

Fires

1

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Door 14 58.3%
Body 3 12.5%
Structure 3 12.5%
Trunk LID 2 8.3%
Hinge AND Attachments 1 4.2%
Underbody Shields 1 4.2%

Body & Structure across every Toyota Corolla year

1991 16 4.3%
1993 14 3.8%
1998 24 6.4%
1999 10 2.7%
2001 12 3.2%
2003 32 8.6%
2005 17 4.6%
2006 22 5.9%
2007 18 4.8%
2009 43 11.5%
2010 28 7.5%
2011 22 5.9%
2012 14 3.8%
2013 10 2.7%
2014 33 8.8%
2015 32 8.6%
2016 15 4.0%
2020 11 2.9%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

at 106,000 miles Colorado Springs, CO

STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS

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.

NHTSA complaint #11466216 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Painted Post, NY

STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR

THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR WON'T OPEN BOTH FROM INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE. I TOOK IT THE TOYOTA DEALER AND WAS TOLD THE PROBLEM IS DUE TO MALFUNCTION OF THE LATCH IN DOOR. THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR IS STARTING TO SHOW THE SAME PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM WAS OCCURRED SOME 2 YEARS AGO. IT WOULD CAUSE SERIOUS CONSEQUENCE WHEN THE OCCUPANT(S) NEED TO BE EVACUATED FROM THE VEHICLE SHOULD SOMETHING HAPPEN IN EMERGENCY, E.G. FIRE, ROAD HAZARD, CRUSH, ETC.

NHTSA complaint #10380092 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 94,000 miles SAN Jose, CA

STRUCTURE

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 TOYOTA COROLLA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CEILING INSIDE THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT WAS FALLING DOWN. THE FAILURE WORSENS BY THE DAY. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT NOTHING COULD BE DONE. THE DEALER REFUSES TO MAKE ANY REPAIRS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 94,000.

NHTSA complaint #10243237 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 95,000 miles Jamestown, NC

STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS:UNDERBODY SHIELDS

INTERIOR DOOR HANDLES HAVE CRACKED RESULTING IN THE INABILITY TO EXIT THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA complaint #10212701 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 140,000 miles Grosse ILE, MI

STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR

A PART IN THE DOOR OF MY 1998 TOYOTA COROLLA BROKE ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO. I COULD NOT OPEN THE DRIVER'S DOOR FROM THE OUTSIDE. I GOT IT FIXED AT THE DEALER FOR ABOUT $300. A FEW MONTHS AGO, SOMETHING IN THE SAME DOOR MALFUNCTIONED. I AM NOW UNABLE TO OPEN THE DOOR FROM THE INSIDE. A FEW DAYS AGO, THE ORIGINAL PROBLEM OCCURRED AGAIN. I AM NOW UNABLE TO OPEN THE DRIVER'S DOOR.

NHTSA complaint #10207665 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 91,000 miles South Royalton, VT

STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR

1998 TOYOTA COROLLA'S DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT FAILED AT THE LATCH AREA WHERE IT HOOKS IN . THE TRUNK LOCK BROKE INSIDE THE CYLINDER AND THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR HANDLE BROKE INSIDE. *TS THE SEAT BELT WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND FLASHED ALTHOUGH ALL THE OCCUPANTS HAD THEIR SEAT BELTS BUCKLED.

NHTSA complaint #10150826 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 65,000 miles OAK Creek, WI

STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR

THE DOOR FAILED TO OPENED. *JB THE INSIDE DOOR HANDLE BROKE OFF THE VEHICLE WHICH MEANT THAT THE DOOR COULD NOT BE CLOSED FROM THE INSIDE.

NHTSA complaint #10107398 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Pekin, IL

STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR

THE DOOR HANDLE STRUCTURE BROKE. THIS WAS SAID TO BE COMMON IN THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE. THIS IS A SAFETY RISK.

NHTSA complaint #10062341 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Pekin, IL

STRUCTURE

THE CD DOOR ON THE INTERIOR OF THE CAR FELL OFF FOR NO REASON. SAFETY HAZARD.

NHTSA complaint #10062342 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 34,000 miles SAN Bernardino, CA

STRUCTURE:BODY

MOLDING ALONG ALL FOUR DOORS IS FALLING OFF. IT LOOKS LIKE MOLDING SHRUNK AND GLUE DID NOT HOLD. ONCE MOLDING STARTED COMING OFF IT BECAME BRITTLE AND FELL APART. ALMOST EVERY '98 COROLLA WE HAVE SEEN HAS HAD THIS PROBLEM, INCLUDING ONES BEING SOLD ON TOYOTA DEALERSHIPS.

NHTSA complaint #10052308 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Cincinnati, OH

STRUCTURE:BODY

AFTER THE LONG HARD RAIN WE HAD IN CINCINNATI YESTERDAY LABOR DAY SEPT 1, HERE WAS APPROXIMATELY 1-2 INCHES OF RAIN SETTING IN THE DRIVERS SIDE FLOOR OF MY CAR. THE SIDES OF THE FLOOR WERE NOT DAMP AS IF IT CAME FROM BELOW BUT I AM NOT SURE.

NHTSA complaint #10037032 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 84,000 miles Knapp, WI

STRUCTURE

THE SUN VISOR FLIPPED IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION, WHICH CAUSED THE SUN TO SHINE INSIDE THE VEHICLE. TS

NHTSA complaint #8023906 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Cape Coral, FL

STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR

WHEN TRYING TO EXIT VEHICLE DOOR HANDLES ON DRIVERS AND PASSENGERS SIDE WILL NOT OPEN, CAN BE OPENED FROM OUTSIDE USING A KEY TO LOCK AND UNLOCK. HAD NOT TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP.

NHTSA complaint #898971 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Denton, TX

STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR

ALL FOUR DOOR PANELS WERE REPLACED DUE TO BEING STAINED BY EXCESSIVE GLUE MELTING IN THE PANELS, THE WEATHER STRIP ON THE DRIVER DOOR PANEL WAS ALSO REPLACED DUE TO IT COMING APART. *SLC

NHTSA complaint #558526 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Buffalo, NY Crash 1 injured

STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR

WHILE DRIVING AT 10 MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE GOING ABOUT 30 MPH HIT CONSUMER'S VEHICLE FROM DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR, AND DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY, WHICH DID NOT PROTECT THE OCCUPANT IN THIS CRASH. *AK THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR WAS DAMAGED DUE TO THE ACCIDENT.

NHTSA complaint #870996 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Amelia, OH

STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR

ALL FOUR DOORS LET IN WATER WHEN IT RAINS. YH

NHTSA complaint #553351 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Amelia, OH

STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR

EVERYTIME IT RAINS ALL 4 DOORS LEAK. CONTACT DEALER, AND NOTHING THEY COULD DO. VEHICLE IS SMELLING MOLDY.

NHTSA complaint #865533 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Laurel, MD

STRUCTURE:BODY:TRUNK LID

HIGH SPEEDS CAR HARD TO CONTROL, CORNERS HORRIBLY,PITCHING MOTION OVER BUMPS, CRUNCHING NOISE ON UNEVEN PAVEMENT

NHTSA complaint #712862 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Anaheim, CA

STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR

LEFT FRONT DOOR SCUFF PLATE.

NHTSA complaint #609675 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Yorba Linda, CA

STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR

OUTSIDE DOOR TRIM. PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG.

NHTSA complaint #609761 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Corona, CA

STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR

DRIVE SIDE DOOR FAILED. YH

NHTSA complaint #608645 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Temple CIT, CA

STRUCTURE:BODY

SUNVISOR FAILED.

NHTSA complaint #607710 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Smithville, TX

STRUCTURE:BODY:TRUNK LID

THERE IS NO INSIDE TRUNK RELEASE SEPARATE FROM THE KEY.

NHTSA complaint #541424 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

NEW Port R, FL

STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR

1998 TOYOTA COROLLA. ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN. ON AUGUST 20, 1999, THE CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT A RUBBING SOUND IN THE AREA OF THE RIGHT REAR TIRE WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED EARLY IN THE MORNINGS. THE MECHANIC COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. THE DOOR PANELS WERE REPLACED DUE TO THE GLUE COMING THROUGH THE FABRIC. THE DOME LIGHT WOULD NOT COME ON AT TIMES. THE CONSUMER SUSPECTED THERE MAY BE AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. *JB THE CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING AT A SPEED OF 44 MPH, THE VEHICLE WOULD ACCELERATE AND THEN DECREASE IN SPEED. THE CONSUMER FIRST NOTICED THE PROBLEM WHEN THE AIR CONDITIONER WAS ON. UPDATED 05/26/10.

NHTSA complaint #534376 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 1998 Toyota Corolla problems

← Full 1998 Toyota Corolla report