MODELYEARINDEX

Which Toyota Venza years to avoid

Across 7 scored model years, the 2021, 2013 and 2010 model years carry the highest severity-weighted complaint rates.

Ownership label · Toyota Venza Full report
F
Grade 2010–2021
2021 vs model median 6.2×
Model median3× median
Lights & Visibility 92
Fuel System 12
Brakes 12
Avoid

2013 · 2021

Best

2012 · 2014

Year by year

Severity-weighted complaints filed in each model year’s first 60 months on the road, so every year is measured over an identical window.

Year Complaint volume vs median Reports Grade
2010
1.80× 49 F
2011
0.75× 28 C
2012
0.40× 10 B
2013
2.43× 47 F
2014
0.90× 25 B
2015
1.00× 21 B
2021
6.22× 217 F
2022 P
2.91× 78 F
2023 P
1.60× 29 C
2024 P
1.28× 33 C

P — provisional. These years have not completed 60 months on the road, so their totals are incomplete and they are excluded from the verdict.

What owners report

The component groups most often named, with one representative report. These are unverified — allegations, not findings.

2013 F 47 reports · median 31,900 mi

  1. Body & Interior 10

    2013 toyota venza. Consumer writes in regards to fingers being crushed in rear hatch incident. The consumer stated he and his wife were looking at the vehicle. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  2. Brakes 8

    Park the car got out took the keys out,went to the back of car to open trunk car run back on me hit me and ran into a fence. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  3. Electrical 6

    Depressing the acceleration pedal has no effect on engine speed for up to 3 or more seconds. This situation has occurred approximately twelve times since car was purchased new in may 2013. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

18 crash · 20 injuries

2021 F 217 reports · median 15,000 mi

  1. Lights & Visibility 92

    Left and right headlights, in 'low beam' setting, have a visible 'dark shadow' that projects slightly off to the left of the field of view. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  2. Fuel System 12

    My 2021 toyota venza hybrid le claims to have a 14.5 fuel tank capacity by toyota but mine will only fill up to around 11 gallons when it gets to empty. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  3. Brakes 12

    Pulling into a parking spot (under 5 MPG), brakes did not engage. Car drove up onto the sidewalk. Had to put car into reverse to avoid hitting the building. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

25 crash · 23 injuries

The best year for the Venza

Ranked by overall score among years with a full 60 months on the road.

2012 is the best-scoring Venza model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 80.1 out of 100 — a score that combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.

Yearvs medianReportsGrade
2012 0.40× 10 B
2014 0.90× 25 B
2015 1.00× 21 B

Recalls

13 campaigns on record.

Campaign Component Model years Units affected
10V023000 VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL 2010 1,126,915
13V442000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 2012, 2013 802,769
25V595000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL 2023, 2024 591,377
22V239000 ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC):CONTROL MODULE:SOFTWARE 2021, 2022 458,110
21V257000 AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW:CURTAIN 2010–2015 279,040
10V035000 EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS 2010 271,417
12V091000 EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH 2010, 2011 186,798
10V036000 EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS 2010 153,418
16V396000 SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:SEAT HEATER/COOLER 2010 7,749
13V123000 EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS 2010–2013 7,525
13V014000 AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE-INACTIVE 2010–2013 3,235
14V743000 SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:SEAT HEATER/COOLER 2010, 2011 3,233

+ 1 further campaigns

How long do they last?

Complaint records show when problems get reported, not how long a car survives. Where owners gave an odometer reading, faults on the 2021 were reported at a median of 15,000 miles. Treat that as the point problems start being noticed, not a lifespan.

Common questions

Answered directly from this model’s record.

Which Toyota Venza years should you avoid?
2021, 2013, 2010 carry the highest severity-weighted complaint rates of any Toyota Venza model year measured over an identical 60-month window.
What is the best year for the Toyota Venza?
2012 is the best-scoring Toyota Venza model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 80.1 out of 100. The score combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.
How many recalls does the Toyota Venza have?
13 distinct recall campaigns are on record across all scored Toyota Venza model years. A recall is a matter of record: the manufacturer filed a defect report with NHTSA.

How this was calculated

Every model year is scored over an identical window: complaints filed with NHTSA during the first 60 months after that model year went on sale. Without this, older cars look worse purely because they have had longer to accumulate reports.

Limitations. Complaints are unverified reports submitted voluntarily by owners; they are allegations, not findings, and reporting rates vary between models. Model years with fewer than 60 months on the road are marked provisional and excluded from verdicts. Cross-model comparison is withheld pending production-volume data.

Full methodology · Sources · Data vintage August 9, 2026

Working 2021 Venza
Complaints in window
217
Severity-weighted
298.5
Model median (weighted)
48
vs model median
6.22×
Recall campaigns (weighted)
1
Open investigations
0
Score 22.5 F