RoadVitals

1998 Toyota Towing Hitch Kit

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
3
Latest Aug 10, 2004
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
1
Latest Apr 19, 1999
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
0
1 injuries, 0 deaths reported

Overview

Our database contains 3 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1998 Toyota Towing Hitch Kit, most frequently naming the other / unspecified, interior & seats and brakes categories. 1 safety recall has been issued covering this model year.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Other / unspecified333.3%
  • Interior & seats222.2%
  • Brakes111.1%
  • Heating & air conditioning111.1%
  • Electrical111.1%
  • Seat belts111.1%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

1 campaign cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov
99E012000

TRAILER HITCHES

Apr 19, 1999
20,613 units potentially affected
The defect: TOWING HITCH KITS AND AFTERMARKET TRAILER TOWING WIRE HARNESS CONVERTERS FOR USE ON 1998-1999 LEXUS LX470, AND TOYOTA LAND CRUISERS. DUE TO INADEQUATE WATERPROOFING PERFORMANCE AND IMPROPER INSTALLATION LOCATION OF THE CONVERTER, WHICH IS MOUNTED ON THE EXTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE, AN ELECTRICAL SHORT CIRCUIT COULD OCCUR IF WATER ENTERS THE CONVERTER HOUSING.
The risk: THE SHORT CIRCUIT CAN CAUSE A FAILURE OF THE CONVERTER, AND IF A TRAILER IS BEING TOWED AT THE TIME, CAN ALSO CAUSE FAILURE OF THE TRAILER LIGHTS.
The remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE CONVERTER.
TOYOTA MOTOR CO., LTD.View on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

Interior & seatsOther / unspecified
Filed Aug 10, 2004
1 injury reported

RELATED TO: MOST OF THE VEHICLE WHICH HAD POWER SEATS ON THE PASSENGER SITE. LAST EVENING, I LAID MY CELL PHONE AND WALLET ON THE PASSEGER SEAT BEFOR I STARTED THE ENGINE, WHILE I WAS BACKING OUT FROM THE PARKING LOT, I MADE A SMALL TURN, THIS MOVEMENT CAUSED MY CELL PHONE AND WALLET SLIDED DOWN TOWARD THE RIGHT SIDE ENDED UNDER THE RIGHT SEAT. SO I STOPED THE CAR AND BENDED OVER THE RIGHT SIDE TO GET THEM OUT WITH MY RIGHT HAND, SINCE THEY WERE UNDER THE SEAT, I WAS NOT ABLE TO EVEN REACH THEM. THEN I USED MY LEFT HAND, TRIED REACH THEM FROM UNDER THE SEAT. GUES WHAT HAPPENED? SINCE MY RIGHT HAND STILL ON THE RIGHT SITE OF THE SEAT, IT ACCIDENTLY PUSHED THE SEAT MOVE FORWARD BUTTON, THE SEAT WAS MOVING FORWARD WHILE MY LEFT HAND STILL UNDER THE SEAT. BECAUSE THERE IS A MATEL OBJECT WAS UNDER, IT HURT MY LEFT HAND BADLY, LUCKILY I REALIZED I WAS PUSHING THE BOTTON, I RELEASED IT ON TIME, SO THERE'S NO SERIOUS INJURE. HAD I NOT RELEASE MY RIGHT HAND ON TIME, I WOULD HAVE GOT A REAL SERIOUS INJURY. SO PLEASE START SOME OF YOUR INVESTIGATION. IF POSSIBLE MAKE A RECALL RECOMMENDATION TO THOSE VEHICLE WILL CAUSE THE SAME SAFTY THREAD. THANKS. YAN FANG CAO

NHTSA ID
10086531
Incident
Aug 9, 2004
BrakesHeating & air conditioningElectrical+1 more
Filed Jul 29, 2003

BRAKE VIBRATION AND EXCESSIVE BRAKE WEAR. BRAKES WERE SERVICED AT ABOUT 38,000 MILES DUE TO SEVERE VIBRATION WHEN BRAKING. PROBLEM RETURNED AFTER A COUPLE OF WEEKS. BRAKES REPLACED AGAIN AT 68,000 MILES AND VIBRATION HAS AGAIN RETURNED. THERE IS A VIBRATION AND ROUGH BRAKING WHEN SLOWING DOWN FROM HIGHWAY SPEEDS.*AK

NHTSA ID
10030333
Incident
Jul 29, 2003
Mileage
38,000 mi
Interior & seatsOther / unspecifiedSeat belts
Filed Jun 6, 2003

WE CURRENTLY HAVE A 1999 TOY EX CAB AND ARE NOT ABLE TO GET THE BACK SEAT BEAT TIGHT ENOUGH. I READ THE MANUAL THAT STATES FLIP SEAT UP AND PUT CUP HOLDER UP. WITH THE CUP HOLDER UP AND SEAT CARPET THE SEAT SLIDES AROUND A LOT. . WHERE THE SEAT BELT COME OUT OF THE FLOOR AND BUCKLES I HAVE TRIED AND TRIED TO GET IT TIGHT AND HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE. NOT IN THE BACK OF THOSE TRUCKS THE SEAT IS STRAIGHT UP AND DOWN. I HAVE TRIED A STRAIGHT BACK AND A SEAT AT A SLANT IT STILL DOES NOT WORK. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO TOYOTA AND THEY DON'T KNOW WHY IT WILL NOT WORK. I THEN TOOK IT TO A MARY BRIDGE CAR SEAT CHECK AND THEY STRAIGHT THAT THE BELT IS TO FAR APART. WHEN YOU SIT IN A REGULAR SEAT THE BELT THE COME OUT OF THE FLOOR AND THEN CLICKS TOGETHER IS CLOSE TO YOU HIPS. NOT IN THE BACK OF THE TOYOTA'S THEY ARE FAR APART. TOYOTA DOESN'T SEEN TO BE HELPING ME AT ALL, AND AM WONDERING HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE BEEN PUTTING THERE CHILDREN IN THE BACK SEAT UNSAFE. I WOULD HATE TO SEE A CHILD GET KILLED DUE TO THIS. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF THERE IS A SECRET TO THIS THAT NOT MANY PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT. PLEASE HELP. *AK

NHTSA ID
10021166
Incident
May 1, 2003

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Toyota Towing Hitch Kit by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
1999211045.3
1998Viewing310—

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.