2011 Toyota Venza: Recalls, Problems & MPG
Here are the deets on the 2011 Toyota Venza: 6 recalls, 59 owner complaints and up to 23 mpg combined.

Recalls
6 vehicle recalls from the manufacturer. Repairs are free. Check your VIN to see if one is still open on your car.
Transmission & drivetrain Vehicle recall #11V306000 · 2011 · 50 vehicles
What's wrong: There is a possibility that the front, right, drive shaft May break due to insufficient heat treatment.
Why it matters: 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.
The 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.
Exterior lights Vehicle recall #12V091000 · 2012 · 186,798 vehicles
What's wrong: 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.
Why it matters: Inoperative brake lights would not warn other drivers that the vehicle is slowing or stopping, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the stop lamp switch, free of charge. The safety recall began on April 12, 2012.
Seats, Airbags Vehicle recall #13V014000 · 2013 · 3,235 vehicles
What's wrong: 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.
Why it matters: 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…
The 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.
Equipment Vehicle recall #13V123000 · 2013 · 7,525 vehicles
What's wrong: 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."
Why it matters: 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.
The 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.
Seats Vehicle recall #14V743000 · 2014 · 3,233 vehicles
What's wrong: The affected vehicles May experience compression of the seat cushion which May damage the seat heater wiring.
Why it matters: 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.
The 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.
Airbags Vehicle recall #21V257000 · 2021 · 279,040 vehicles
What's wrong: The supplemental restraint system (SRS) wiring May become damaged with regular use of the driver-side door.
Why it matters: 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.
The 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.
Most-reported problems
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component. One complaint can list several components. 2 mention a fire, 7 injuries and 0 deaths were reported.
What owners describe
- Electrical (15): the most common themes are electrical failure (6), fire / smoke (4).
- Seats (8): the most common themes are electrical failure (4), fire / smoke (2).
- Brakes (8): the most common themes are noise or vibration (4), brake failure / soft pedal (2).
- Other / unknown (8): the most common themes are noise or vibration (2).
The 2011 Toyota Venza has 59 owner complaints, ranking #3 of 7 Venza model years for complaints (about average; the typical year has 65). Complaints peaked in 2015 (8 filed that year). The typical problem showed up when the car was about 5 years old, at a median of 45,300 miles. Neighboring years: 2010 (79 complaints, 9 recalls), 2012 (25 complaints, 4 recalls).
Engines & fuel economy (EPA)
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.7 L 4-cyl | Automatic (S6) | Front-Wheel Drive | 21 | 27 | 23 | Regular |
| 3.5 L 6-cyl | Automatic (S6) | Front-Wheel Drive | 19 | 26 | 21 | Regular |
Want the full repair deets? Get the factory manual.
Recall and complaint data tells you what goes wrong. A service manual tells you how to fix it: torque specs, wiring diagrams, fluid capacities and step-by-step procedures for the 2011 Toyota Venza.
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Most $25–$78, one-timePro-shop repair procedures, wiring diagrams and TSBs for your exact car.
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FAQ
Does the 2011 Toyota Venza have any recalls?
Yes. NHTSA lists 6 vehicle recalls for the 2011 Toyota Venza. Recall repairs are free at any dealer, no matter how old the car is. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What are the most common 2011 Toyota Venza problems?
Owners have filed 59 complaints with NHTSA. The most-reported areas are electrical (15), seats (8), brakes (8).
What gas mileage does the 2011 Toyota Venza get?
EPA ratings run up to 23 mpg combined (2.7 L, Automatic (S6)), across 2 engine and transmission combos.
Where can I get a 2011 Toyota Venza repair manual?
eManualOnline sells downloadable manuals, Mitchell 1 DIY and ALLDATAdiy sell online access to factory repair data, and Haynes sells printed guides and online access. Pick a download if you want to keep it, or a subscription for wiring diagrams and TSBs.