1998 Toyota Tacoma Vehicle speed control Problems
- Complaints
- 16about this part
- Share
- 5%of 300 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 169,364miles
- Trend
- StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
NHTSA recorded 16 complaints about the vehicle speed control of the 1998 Toyota Tacoma, 5% of the 300 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 169,364 miles. 3 of these say a crash was involved, according to the filers.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“I started my truck and was slowly driving down a driveway, as I changed from 2nd gear to 3rd gear my vehicle acceleration went from 15mph to 67mph within just a few seconds and there was nothing that I could do but swerve to miss the vehicle in front of me. The engine roared out of control. As a swerved to miss the vehicle in front of me, I was forced into a ditch and the truck rolled over.”
NHTSA complaint #10508675, filed 2013-04, 226,038 miles“My 1998 Toyota Tacoma experience unexpected acceleration in 2004. The vehicle was totaled (worth about $12k at the time) due to the bent frame caused by hitting a concrete wall, then another car in a parking lot. My wife, a Toyota employee, who was driving the truck, suffered bumps and bruises due to the fact the truck only went about 30 feet before impact. The insurance investigator found no problems with the vehicle, and postulated my wife had her foot on the accelerator. She guaranteed her foot had been on the brake. …”
NHTSA complaint #10316414, filed 2010-03, 65,000 miles“I have a 1998 Toyota Tacoma pickup. Today october 14, 2010 I was driving on a surface street and my gas pedal dropped to the floor as I was driving. The engine revved up to extremely high RPM's. I tried to stop, but my new brakes were barely able to slow me down. I had to put the engine into neutral and park the truck. A friend and I looked the engine over and we found that there was about two inches of play in the accelerator cable were the cable meets the engine. Which would explain why I was having such poor performance problems with the engine. Is this covered by any recalls? Thank you”
NHTSA complaint #10360525, filed 2010-10, 138,727 miles“I have seen in the news, reports of '07 Toyota tacomas accelerating unintentionally. I bought a used 1998 Tacoma about four years ago and I have experienced perhaps ten or more incidents of my engine running away to the point I have to put it neutral and kick the gas pedal to stop it. At least twice that has not worked , forcing me to turn off the engine. I notice it happens when I'm downshifting from third to second. I called Toyota two years ago and asked if they had heard of this problem from other owners. They said they had not. …”
NHTSA complaint #10210329, filed 2007-11“The contact owns a 1998 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated when driving the vehicle at any speed it would accelerate to over a 200rpm. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and they replaced the sensor because of the throddle failure. The repair cost were over $600. The Toyota manufacturer was called and representative stated that they will call him back but no one called up until the time of the complaint . The failure was 200,000.”
NHTSA complaint #10312661, filed 2010-02, 200,000 milesRelated service bulletins
- 10244113Aug 17, 2023TSB: Replacement certification labels (the vinyl label installed on the driver door or door post) and VIN plates (the metal plate riveted to dashboard) (see Figure 1) for most…
Vehicle speed control: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 2 | 15% |
| 2024 | 2 | 1% |
| 2023 | 2 | 4% |
| 2022 | 1 | 2% |
| 2021 | 5 | 6% |
| 2020 | 9 | 10% |
| 2019 | 12 | 5% |
| 2018 | 19 | 9% |
| 2017 | 11 | 5% |
| 2016 | 10 | 3% |
| 2015 | 9 | 9% |
| 2014 | 4 | 4% |
| 2013 | 8 | 6% |
| 2012 | 22 | 7% |
| 2011 | 9 | 5% |
| 2010 | 34 | 12% |
| 2009 | 59 | 11% |
| 2008 | 85 | 19% |
| 2007 | 108 | 20% |
| 2006 | 147 | 19% |
| 2005 | 93 | 13% |
| 2004 | 30 | 7% |
| 2003 | 26 | 7% |
| 2002 | 8 | 2% |
| 2001 | 11 | 3% |
| 2000 | 6 | 3% |
| 1999 | 8 | 3% |
| 1998 | 16 | 5% |
| 1997 | 6 | 5% |
| 1996 | 12 | 5% |
| 1995 | 5 | 3% |
Other parts of the 1998 Toyota Tacoma
98 complaintsAir bags
46 complaintsTires
29 complaintsSuspension
28 complaintsSeat belts
23 complaintsBrakes
21 complaintsOther or unknown
16 complaintsEngine cooling
15 complaintsSteering
12 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
10 complaintsExterior lighting
6 complaintsElectrical system
5 complaints
← All problems reported for the 1998 Toyota Tacoma
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology