KnownCarProblems2011 Toyota Venza Problems and Recalls
Owners filed 59 complaints with NHTSA about the 2011 Toyota Venza, most often about the electrical (25% of complaints, typically around 77,500 miles). It is the 3rd most complained-about Venza model year since 2000 and has 6 recalls.
Most common 2011 Toyota Venza problems
Electrical
15 complaints · 25%Half of these problems showed up before 77,500 miles.
I have posted the most recent incident because this has happened multiple times since the time I purchased this car used in 2017. Something is causing the power to drain from the battery I have replaced the battery 3 times since 2017 I was told that I wasn't driving the car enough to keep it charged if I left it sit…
While I was trying to turn into the driveway of a relative apartment, the steering wheel got really tight and eventually locked up giving very little to no time to pull over for safety. The engine then shuts down. I cannot imagine how dangerous it would have been if this had happened while driving 65mph plus on a…
Brakes
9 complaints · 15%Half of these problems showed up before 29,000 miles. Parts named most often: foundation components.
Two failures of complete brake failure. First time, maybe a month ago travelling 5-10 MPH, applied brakes and pedal went to the floor. Same time as trying to brake saw a flashing yellow light on dashboard. Slowed vehicle with parking brake, stopped and started vehicle moving again and had normal brakes, tried to…
While moving, the Venza seems to jerk, as if it's about to stop, w/out me applying a foot to the brake pedal (my foot is on the gas). This has happened several times this year.
Seats
8 complaints · 14%Half of these problems showed up before 65,000 miles. Parts named most often: front assembly.
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…
The driver seat heater when turned on overheated with a strong electrical burn smell. Toyota repair service said the heater element has gone bad, but no recall for our VIN# under NHTSA campain id#14v743000.
Other or unspecified
8 complaints · 14%Half of these problems showed up before 38,000 miles.
On september 1, 2015 at approximately 3:45 pm, I was driving from sheboygan wi to kenosha wi with my adult daughter on I 94 south near the exit for highway 20. I heard what sounded like a gun shot, looked at my daughter and said are you okay and we were suddenly showered with the broken glass of my moon roof. As I was…
Takata recall while car in motion at around 50mph on a highway, under normal road conditions and excellent car maintenance, a mysterious loud explosion burst occurred in the car. Then I noticed that the hood suddenly popped-up without any type of alert of flash light on the instrument panel, no hood vibration that…
Visibility and wipers
7 complaints · 12%Parts named most often: sun/moon roof assembly.
The contact owns a 2011 Toyota Venza. While driving at 65 MPH, the sun roof glass shattered in pieces without warning. The contact sustained cuts from the glass, but no medical attention was required. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing, but was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the…
Takata recall while car in motion at around 50mph on a highway, under normal road conditions and excellent car maintenance, a mysterious loud explosion burst occurred in the car. Then I noticed that the hood suddenly popped-up without any type of alert of flash light on the instrument panel, no hood vibration that…
Air bags
5 complaints · 9%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…
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…
Stability control
5 complaints · 9%On friday, april 17, 2015, a clear, sun shiny day, I experienced a sudden, violent deceleration with loud noises while driving at about 40 MPH on smooth pavement about three miles from my home. The slip indicator icon light was flashing on my dashboard indicating the vsc/trac had been engaged, cutting down the…
While I was trying to turn into the driveway of a relative apartment, the steering wheel got really tight and eventually locked up giving very little to no time to pull over for safety. The engine then shuts down. I cannot imagine how dangerous it would have been if this had happened while driving 65mph plus on a…
Body and structure
5 complaints · 9%Half of these problems showed up before 65,000 miles. Parts named most often: body.
Car was slowly pulling into a parking spot, when all of a sudden it revved its engine and accelarated. My foot was on the brake and it would not stop. The revving noise was loud. I hit a large tree that was luckily at the end of the parking spot. The tree is what stopped the car. When the car stopped, I looked and saw…
Unsafe to drive rust corrosion of sub frame. Vehicle kept in garage and brought into Toyota dealer every 5k miles for maintenance since purchase in 2011. My problem is the faulty sub frame part and the dealership neglect.
Complaints are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
2011 Toyota Venza recalls
Air bags: curtain
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.
Full defect summary
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.
Seats: seat heater/cooler
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.
Full defect summary
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.
Equipment: labels
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.
Full defect summary
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 vehicles were sold with labels that were outside the allowable one percent of accuracy of actual weight added. Thus, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard (fmvss) number 110, "tire selection and rims."
Seats
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.
Full defect summary
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 seat covers, seat heaters or headrest dvd systems, these vehicles may not have had the passenger seat occupant sensing system calibration tested. Without passing the calibration test, the occupant sensing system may not operate as designed.
Lights: switch
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.
Full defect summary
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 from the âparkâ position, or the vehicleâs brake lights could become inoperative.
Transmission: driveshaft
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.
Full defect summary
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.
Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which recalls are still open on your car.
Questions about the 2011 Toyota Venza
- What are the most common problems with the 2011 Toyota Venza?
- By NHTSA owner complaints: electrical (15 complaints, typically around 77,500 miles); brakes (9 complaints, typically around 29,000 miles); seats (8 complaints, typically around 65,000 miles).
- How many recalls does the 2011 Toyota Venza have?
- 6 recalls listed by NHTSA, the latest from April 13, 2021 (air bags). Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which ones are still open on your car.
- Is the 2011 a bad year for the Toyota Venza?
- It is the 3rd most complained-about Venza model year since 2000, with 59 complaints. Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so popular years collect more of them, and the newest years have had less time to.