ToyotaCelica1998Overview/toyota/celica/1998/base/

1998 Toyota Celica

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1998 Celica.

Transmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1998 Toyota Celica is equipped with a four-speed automatic transmission and carries EPA fuel economy estimates of 19/26/22 mpg, while routine maintenance calls for 3.8 quarts of 5W-30 API oil. Reliability data places this model year among the most trouble-free of the 1990–2005 generation, logging only five total owner complaints—primarily concerning air bags and the fuel/propulsion system—alongside a single recall. This places it significantly below the generation's 2000 peak of 108 complaints and near the series low of four reported in 2004.

Model year200019991998199519941989198819871986

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity3.8 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque76 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy19/26/22 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 35 · 360 CCA battery, OE oil filter 90915YZZN1. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 35 · 360 CCAOEM · verified
Tail / brake / turnLOEM · verified
Tire size203-55VR15OEM · verified
Wheel / rim6.5-, 7-JJ inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter90915YZZN1
Engine air filter1780103010
Fuel filter2330079425
Spark plug9008091180
Front wiper blades852221G090 alt 85212YZZ07TM
Serpentine belt993639076083 alt 909160235683
Thermostat9091603090 alt 1632563011

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length174.4 in
Overall width68.9 in
Overall height51.6 in
Wheelbase100 in
Curb weight2579 lb
Track (front / rear)59.8 / 59.1 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)63/37

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined19 / 26 / 22 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Celica of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

8.4 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 8.40 sec — 1994 GT Coupe
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
1994GT Coupe 2.2L I-48.40 sec16.40 sec130 hpFWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 3.8 qt of 5W-30 API engine oil, ATF in the differential. Torque lug nuts to 76 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-4-2.

Lubricants & capacities

Differential Gear OilATF
Differential Gear Oil Capacity3.4 Pints
Engine Oil5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity3.8 qt

Engine torques

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts80 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts76 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub159 ft-lbs
Rear Wheel Hub159 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)700 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)50 rpm
Ignition Coil Primary Resistance.36-.55 ohms
Ignition Coil Secondary Resistance9000-15,400 ohms
Spark Plug ManufacturerDenso
Spark Plug Gap0.043 in
Spark Plug Torque13.0 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.43 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil TypeND 8 oil
Oil Capacity7.61 oz
Standard BCI Group Number35
Standard BCI Cranking Performance360 cca
Optional BCI Group Number35

Service checks

Pressure Test17 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief11-15 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature176-183 °F
Regulated Fuel System Pressure (Without Vacuum)38.0-44.0 psi
Regulated Fuel System Pressure (With Vacuum)33.0-38.0 psi
Injector Primary Resistance13.4-14.2 @ 68 degreesF ohms
Injector Primary Resistance12-16 na ohms
Engine Compression142-178 psi

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket80 ft-lbs / 14 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle76 ft-lbs / 34 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.039; Rear: 0.039 in
Minimum Shoe Thickness0.039 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.0019 in / 0.0059 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From1.102 in / 0.354 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To1.102 in / 0.354 in
Rotor Discard at or Under1.024 in / 0.315 in

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 mi; spark plugs every 60,000 mi; coolant every 30,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 30,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 7,500 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 15,000 miAxle Shaft Oil Seal (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Final Drive (inspect fluid level) · Rack & Pinion Assembly (inspect)
Every 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Fuel Tank (inspect)
Every 60,000 miEngine Valves (inspect valve lash) · Fuel Evaporative Canister (inspect) · Spark Plugs (replace)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 1998 Toyota Celica sits at the mature tail end of the sixth-generation platform (1990–1999), and the federal data shows it benefiting from a decade of refinement. Complaints declined steadily across the generation from 34 in 1990 to just 5 in 1998 — the lowest count in the entire record — while TSBs climbed from 28 to 46 over the same span, suggesting Toyota was proactively addressing issues through service bulletins rather than leaving them to surface as consumer complaints. The single recall in 1998 is consistent with the low-recall pattern seen in 1996–1999, and the complaint areas are scattered across four distinct categories with no dominant failure mode; the data does not specify root causes for any of these. By contrast, the 2000 redesign saw complaints spike to 108 with 3 recalls and 96 TSBs, indicating the next-generation model introduced substantial new problems. With zero crash or fire complaints and the lowest complaint volume of the entire generation, 1998 represents the most statistically stable year on record — making it a strong choice for a used Celica buyer, provided the TSBs have been addressed over the vehicle's life.

1
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
46
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
5
Owner complaints
0 involved a crash · 0 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 5 complaints on record, top 5 components.

Air Bags,Fuel/Propulsion System1
Tires1
Structure1
Engine & Engine Cooling,Structure1
Visibility1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

20V033000Air Bags:Frontal:Driver Side:Inflator ModuleReported 22/01/2020

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 1998-2000 RAV4, 1998-1999 RAV4 EV and Celica and 1997-1998 Supra vehicles. These vehicles were equipped with Non-Azide Driver air bag Inflators… Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and owners will have the option to self-inspect, or have a dealer inspect the steering wheel on their vehicle to determine if their vehicle may be…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 46 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
TSB0032202023-08-17Air BagsTSB: Replacement certification labels (the vinyl label installed on the driver door or…
TTT0636202022-03-17Back Over PreventionTT: Some Toyota vehicles installed with Toyota Complete Maintenance Care (TCMC) brake…
Toyota PRO19-022022-01-12TiresPOL: This consolidated Tire Warranty Guide contains the complete warranty terms for all…
Toyota Safety Re2021-03-17Air BagsToyota Safety Recall and Service Campaign - Technician Certification Requirements
T-TT-0636-20 Rev2021-03-12Service BrakesTT: Some Toyota vehicles installed with Toyota Complete Maintenance Care (TCMC) brake…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Celica. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1998 Celica take?

3.8 qt of 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 1998 Celica have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Celica get?

EPA figures are 19 city / 26 highway / 22 combined mpg.