Total Complaints
2 filings
TOYOTA PRERUNNER · model year
1998 TOYOTA PRERUNNER
2 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1998TOYOTAPRERUNNER carries 2 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1998 PRERUNNER is vehicle speed control:accelerator pedal with 1 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 51 investigation files overlapping the 1998 PRERUNNER, and 1 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
2
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20091106ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
WE HAVE A 1998 TOYOTA TACOMA. SOON AFTER PURCHASING THE TRUCK WE NOTICED THAT IT WOULD SURGE WHEN AT A STOP. IN OTHER WORDS, THE ENGINE WILL REV UP EVEN THOUGH WE DON'T HAVE OUR FOOT ON THE ACCELERATOR. WE REPORTED THE PROBLEM TO THE AGENCY WHERE WE PURCHASED THE TRUCK AND THEY SUPPOSEDLY REPORTED THE PROBLEM TO TOYOTA. THEY REPORTED BACK TO US THAT THEY AND TOYOTA HAD NEVER HAD ANY SIMILAR COMPLAINTS OF THIS KIND AND THEY DID NOT KNOW WHAT MIGHT BE CAUSING THE PROBLEM. WE WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATED THE PROBLEM WHEN TEST DRIVING WITH THE SERVICE MANAGER AT THE AGENCY. WE NEVER KNOW WHEN IT WILL HAPPEN. WHEN MY WIFE TALKED TO THE SERVICE MANAGER, HE TRIED TO CONVINCE HER THAT IT WAS HER FAULT AND IT HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE WAY SHE DROVE THE TRUCK. HE SAID THAT SHE SHOULD CONTINUED DRIVING UNTIL THE TRUCK GOT USED TO HER DRIVING STYLE. WHAT A CROCK OF CRAP. AFTER THE PROBLEM AROSE AND WE GOT ALL THIS '!@#$%' FROM THE AGENCY, I LOOKED AROUND THE INTERNET AND FOUND THAT MANY
20030226VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
THE ACCELERATOR BECAME STUCK.*JB
Mileage: 25,000
Compare 1998TOYOTAPRERUNNER to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 1 Open
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1998 TOYOTA PRERUNNER have?▼
The 1998 TOYOTA PRERUNNER has 2 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1998 TOYOTA PRERUNNER?▼
The most-complained component for the 1998 TOYOTA PRERUNNER is VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING.
Is the 1998 TOYOTA PRERUNNER safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.