2011 Toyota Venza problems, complaints & recalls
Most-reported problem areas: Service Brakes (6) · Seats (6) · Visibility/Wiper (5)
🧭 Reliability snapshot
Compared against other Toyota Venza model years — complaint volume vs the model's median year, recalls and severity. How we score →
🛣️ Complaints by mileage
45 NHTSA complaints that reported an odometer reading.
Safety recalls (6)
Air Bags:side/Window:curtain 2021-04-13 · campaign 21V257000 · 279,040 vehicles
Defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2009-2015 Venza vehicles. The Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) wiring may become damaged with regular use of the driver-side door.
Risk: Damaged wires may cause the air bag sensor to become inoperable, preventing the deployment of the side and curtain air bags on the driver side and increasing the risk of injury during a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the driver-side front door wire harness, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 19, 2021. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 21TB01/21TA01.
Seats:front Assembly:seat Heater/Cooler 2014-11-19 · campaign 14V743000 · 3,233 vehicles
Defect: Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2010-2011 Prius and Corolla, 2009-2011 Venza, 2006-2010 Avalon, 2007-2010 FJ Cruiser, 2005-2011 Sienna and Sequoia, 2006-2011 Tacoma 4x2 and 4x4, Camry, Highlander, Tundra 4x2 and 4x4, and 2007-2011 Rav4 and 4Runner. The affected vehicles may experience compression of the seat cushion which may damage the seat heater wiring.
Risk: Damage to the seat heater wiring could cause the wires to short, increasing the risk of the seat burning and causing personal injury to the occupant.
Fix: SET will notify owners, and dealers will disconnect the heaters with copper strand heating elements and refund the purchase price of the seat heater accessory, free of charge. The recall is expected to began in January 2015. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226.
Equipment:other:labels 2013-04-09 · campaign 13V123000 · 7,525 vehicles
Defect: Southeast Toyota is recalling certain model year 2008 and 2010-2013 Toyota Tundra, 2010-2012 Rav4, 2012 Toyota Sequoia, 2010-2011 Toyota Corolla, 2010-2011 Toyota Camry and Camry Hybrid, 2010-2013 Toyota Highlander and Highlander Hybrid, 2010-2013 Toyota FJ Cruiser, 2011 Toyota Land Cruiser, 2010-2013 Toyota Venza, 2010-2011 Toyota 4Runner, 2010-2013 Toyota Tacoma, 2011-2012 Toyota Sienna, 2012 Toyota Prius, 2013 Scion FR-S, 2011 Scion XD, 2011 Scion XB, and 2012 Scion TC vehicles. These vehicl
Risk: An inaccurate label could lead to owners overloading their vehicles and tires. An overloaded vehicle can result in a tire failure which may result in a vehicle crash, personal injury, or property damage.
Fix: Southeast Toyota will notify owners and provide a corrected label with instructions concerning its installation. A small group of the affected vehicles will need additonal remedies which are still being developed. The recall began on May 28, 2013. Owners may contact Southeast Toyota at 1-800-301-6859.
Seats 2013-01-16 · campaign 13V014000 · 3,235 vehicles
Defect: Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain models interspersed through model years 2009 through 2013 as follows: model year 2009-2012 Tacoma, 4Runner, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Prius, and RAV4; model year 2009-2010 Avalon, FJ Cruiser, and Highlander Hybrid; model year 2010-2013 model year Corolla, Sienna and Tundra; model year 2009-2013 Highlander and Venza; model year 2012 Prius V; and model year 2010-2012 Sequoia. During modification by SET to include accessories such as leather
Risk: If the front passenger seat occupant sensing system is out of calibration, the front passenger airbags may not deploy or they may deploy inappropriately for the passenger's size and position. This could increase the risk of personal injury during the event of a vehicle crash necessitating airbag deployment.
Fix: Southeast Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will test the sensitivity of the occupant detection sensors, and recalibrate them as necessary. The recall began on March 21, 2013. Owners may contact Southeast Toyota at 1-800-301-6859.
Exterior Lighting:brake Lights:switch 2012-03-07 · campaign 12V091000 · 186,798 vehicles
Defect: TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2009 CAMRY VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM JULY 1, 2008, THROUGH FEBRUARY 28, 2009, AND MODEL YEAR 2009-2011 VENZA VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM OCTOBER 20, 2008, THROUGH JANUARY 4, 2011. DURING ASSEMBLY OF THE CONTACT-TYPE STOP LAMP SWITCH, SILICONE GREASE MAY HAVE COME IN CONTACT WITH THE SURFACE OF THE SWITCH WHICH COULD CAUSE CONTACT RESISTANCE. IF THIS OCCURS, WARNING LAMPS COULD ILLUMINATE, A NO START CONDITION COULD RESULT, THE SHIFT LEVER MAY NOT SHIFT FR
Risk: INOPERATIVE BRAKE LIGHTS WOULD NOT WARN OTHER DRIVERS THAT THE VEHICLE IS SLOWING OR STOPPING, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Fix: TOYOTA WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE STOP LAMP SWITCH, FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 12, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.
Power Train:driveline:driveshaft 2011-06-01 · campaign 11V306000 · 50 vehicles
Defect: TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 VENZA AND SIENNA PASSENGER CARS MANUFACTURED FROM MARCH 7, THROUGH MARCH 10, 2011. THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE FRONT, RIGHT, DRIVE SHAFT MAY BREAK DUE TO INSUFFICIENT HEAT TREATMENT.
Risk: SHOULD THE DRIVE SHAFT BREAK DURING VEHICLE OPERATION, THE VEHICLE WILL LOSE POWER WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. LOSS OF MOTIVE POWER WITHOUT WARNING MAY INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Fix: TOYOTA WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE DRIVE SHAFT, AND, IF THE DRIVE SHAFT IS IDENTIFIED AS ONE THAT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN CORRECTLY MANUFACTURED, IT WILL BE REPLACED WITH A NEW ONE AT NO CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 22, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.
Service bulletins (231)
Technical service bulletins are repair instructions manufacturers send dealers for known issues. Unlike recalls, the fix is not automatically free — but naming the bulletin at the service desk can save diagnosis time and support goodwill repairs.
Unknown Or Other 2026-01-07 · T-SB-0055-24 Rev2 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
some 2005 – 2026 toyota vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a musty odor is present. follow the procedures in this bulletin to remediate the odor and address this condition. the purpose of this service bulletin is to provide general guidelines and procedures
Structure:body 2024-12-06 · T-SB-0039-24 Rev2 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
the condition known as acid rain is caused by airborne chemicals or particles in the atmosphere, which mix with rainwater, nighttime dew, or high humidity to form acidic compounds. if these contaminants settle and remain on a painted vehicle surface, especially the horizonal areas of the hood, roof,
Structure:body 2024-12-06 · T-SB-0038-24 Rev2 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
to prevent brake rotor rust from forming during transportation and storage, wheel film will be used instead of a cardboard type of anti-rust cover. the purpose of the wheel film is to shield the disc brake rotor from weather elements and initial rust before the vehicle is delivered to the customer.
Structure:body 2024-12-06 · T-SB-0035-24 Rev2 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
acid rain results from rainwater or other airborne moisture that become acidic due to industrial chemical impurities in the atmosphere. if these acidic compounds settle on an exposed vehicle, especially the horizontal areas such as the hood, roof, and decklid, significant damage to the painted surfa
Structure:body 2024-12-05 · T-SB-0061-23 Rev2 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
toyota vehicles are currently protected with rapgardtm protective film designed to protect the horizontal painted surfaces. this material protects from acid rain, environmental fallout, and rail contamination. follow the removal procedure in this bulletin to remove the rapgardtm protective film wi
Structure:body 2024-12-03 · T-SB-0062-23 Rev2 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
vehicles may occasionally be subjected to contamination by airborne iron particles shed from railroad tracks, train wheels, exposure to heavy machinery facilities, grinding, welding, etc. this type of contamination can be identified by the presence of small, red or brown particles on the paint surfa
Showing the 6 most recent of 231 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.
What owners report
2025-07-15 · Visibility/Wiper“purchased a 2011 toyota venza almost 28 days ago. i haven't even made my first payment for my car loan. the rain here in florida has shown that it is raining inside my vehicle. i have contacted the dealer, i have contacted my insurance company. i have done research and it's a known issue with this vehicle. i need help in correcting this. i am not d…”
2025-01-14 · Unknown Or Other“my horn no longer works. my mechanic informed me that it is the part that sits behind the airbag in the steering wheel. i was also informed that this happens to a lot of toyota's. it is very expensive to repair and have not had it repaired. since it is a common problem, does this issue fall under a recall? i don't feel safe driving without a horn. …”
2024-03-07 · Air Bags“see attached document for complaint…”
2023-11-15 · Engine“i had a 2011 toyota venza. notice oil leakage. took for oil and filter change and a check. nothing was found, however four months later car began rattling and driving rough - i took to dealership and was told the water pump needed to be replaced. i have since found out that toyota has had a many issues with the vvt-i oil line failures and water pum…”
2023-10-14 · Visibility/Wiper“the roof panoramic glass shattered for no apparent reason. passengers in the car could have been harmed insurance has approved the repair. there was no warning or indication of failure.…”
2023-09-28 · Electrical System“the headlight housing prongs are incorrect. the bulbs are h11, but the housing does not fit h11. i have tried 4 different brands. …”
2023-07-14 · Seats · 137,945 mi“the contact owns a 2011 toyota venza. the contact stated that the air bag warning light illuminated, and the check srs (supplement restraint system) message was displayed. the vehicle was taken to a dealer and the error messages were cleared; however, upon placing her purse on the passenger seat, the messages again became displayed. the vehicle was…”
2021-08-13 · Service Brakes · 💥 crash“major brake problem ; we were saved miraculously i have a toyota venza 2011 and i am the only owner ; the car drives smooth , however with major brakes issue my brakes and rotors are still in good condition, however; twice in the highway i wanted to slow down and the brakes don’t work , i freak out and my steering wheel looses control and almost …”
2021-04-15 · Seats · 64,750 mi“heated lights on but the driver's side seat not warming up. bought this car second hand from a small auto dealer (buyacar.com in greensboro nc). but i did take my car to a toyota dealer for repairs, they did not tell me that there's a recall about seats for this model and i did complain about the warming seat not working. so recall was about, wirin…”
2020-02-18 · Air Bags · 140,000 mi · 💥 crash“tl* the contact owns a 2011 toyota venza. the contact stated her daughter was driving at 25 mph in the rain and fog when she lost control on a curve colliding into a guard rail. the contact stated that the air bags failed to deploy as the front and side of the vehicle was damaged. the contact's daughter sought medical attention and was diagnosed w…”
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.