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What 59 owners told NHTSA about the 2013 Toyota Venza

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (59)Crash / fire / injury (19)Airbags (12)Body & structure (10)Brakes (10)Electrical system (10)Engine (7)Speed control (7)Steering (6)Fuel system (4)Electronic Stability Control (esc) (2)Seats (2)

Newest first · 59 complaints · page 3 of 3

Feb 27, 2014Seats

THE HEAD RESTRAINT OR HEAD REST IS POSITIONED SO THAT IT PUSHES MY HEAD FORWARD IN AN UNNATURAL ANGLE. IT APPLIES PRESSURE THAT CAUSES A SEVERE HEADACHE AFTER DRIVING 15 TO 20 MINUTES WITH MY HEAD PUSHED FORWARD SO FAR. THERE IS NO ADJUSTMENT OF THE HEAD RESTRAINT ANGLE WITH RESPECT TO THE ANGLE OF THE BACK SUPPORT TO CORRECT THE UNNATURAL ANGLE. THE DEALER WILL NOT DO ANYTHING TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM SAYING THAT THEY HAD CONTACTED THE INDIVIDUAL THEY DEAL WITH AT TOYOTA BALTIMORE AREA SALES WHO SAID: THAT IS THE WAY THE HEAD RESTRAINT IS DESIGNED AND THAT I BOUGHT THE CAR AND THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THE DEALER SAID THAT THE HEAD REST COULD BE REVERSED WHICH WOULD ELIMINATE THE PROBLEM BUT THAT THEY COULD NOT TELL ME TO DO THIS BECAUSE THIS NEGATED THE CRASH TESTING DONE FOR GOVERNMENT APPROVALS. THEY INDICATED THAT OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM AND HAD REVERSED THE HEAD RESTRAINT, BUT THAT THEY COULD NOT RECOMMEND THIS. HOWEVER WHEN THE HEAD REST IS REVERSED, THERE IS A LARGE GAP BETWEEN THE RESTRAINT AND MY HEAD THAT IS NOT SAFE IN THE EVENT OF A REAR END COLLISION. THE FACT THAT A NUMBER OF OTHER PEOPLE, HAVE REVERSED THE RESTRAINT IN STRONG EVIDENCE THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH TOYOTA VEHICLES THAT NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED.

NHTSA ODI 10567256

Feb 18, 2014Electrical systemAirbags

TL -THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 TOYOTA VENZA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 13V442000 (AIR BAGS, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EQUIPMENT) HAD A EXCEEDED A REASONABLE TIME FOR REPAIR. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT A SMALL QUANTITY OF PARTS WERE PROVIDED AND THE VEHICLES THAT WERE PURCHASED AT THE DEALERSHIP WOULD BE REPAIRED FIRST; THEREFORE, THE CONTACT WAS PLACED ON A WAITING LIST. RK

NHTSA ODI 10564778

Dec 10, 2013Body & structure

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 TOYOTA VENZA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS EXCESSIVE RUST UNDER THE REAR PASSENGER SEATS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 6,000. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10555417

Sep 12, 2013Fuel systemElectrical systemSpeed control

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. IT NOW HAS 1200 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. CAR HAS BEEN RETURNED TO THE DEALER TWICE FOR THIS REASON WITHOUT RESULT. THE LAST DEALER VISIT IN SEPTEMBER 2013, I WAS ADVISED THE "DRIVE BY WIRE" SYSTEM WAS OPERATING TO SPECIFICATION AND THERE WAS NO FIX FOR THE PROBLEM PRESENTLY. FURTHER, IT IS A PROBLEM COMMON TO THE VENZA MODEL AS WELL AS CERTAIN OTHER TOYOTA MODELS. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10543279

Apr 23, 2013Body & structure

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 TOYOTA VENZA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, HE NOTICED A STRONG FLOW OF AIR EMITTING THROUGH THE REAR LIFTGATE DOOR SEAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, WHO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS FUNCTIONING AS DESIGNED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND PLANNED TO FURTHER INVESTIGATE THE ISSUE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 400.

NHTSA ODI 10509225

Apr 2, 2013Body & structure1 injury

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 TOYOTA VENZA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE MANUALLY CLOSING THE REAR LIFTGATE, THE AUTOMATIC POWER FEATURE ACTIVATED AND INDEPENDENTLY CLOSED ON HIS LEFT MIDDLE FINGER. THE CONTACT SOUGHT MEDICAL ATTENTION AND HAD TO RECEIVE STITCHES TO THE FINGER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,900. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10505377

Mar 1, 2013Visibility & wipers

DRIVING DOWN INTERSTATE WITH MOON ROOF/SUN ROOF OPEN, THE MOON ROOF/SUN ROOF SHATTERED INTO A GAZILLION PIECES. THERE WAS NO SOUND OF A ROCK OR OTHER PROJECTILE HITTING THE MOON ROOF/SUN ROOF. IT JUST RAINED GLASS DOWN ON US WITHOUT WARNING. LUCKILY MY HUSBAND WAS WEARING A BALL CAP THAT PROTECTED HIS EYES, BUT IT COULD HAVE BLINDED SOMEONE AND CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. I CUT STAINED GLASS SO AM FAMILIAR WITH HOW GLASS BREAKS. I BELIEVE THE PANORAMIC MOON ROOF/SUN ROOF IS A DESIGN DEFECT, WHICH RESULTED IN A STRESS FRACTURE. I HAVE PICTURES THAT CLEARLY SHOW BOTH SIDES OF THE MOON/SUN ROOF TORE SIMULTANEOUSLY. ALL THIS FROM AN ALLEGED "ROCK". I DON'T THINK SO. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10500935

Feb 26, 2013Transmission & drivetrainBrakesCrash1 injury

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. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10500554

Jan 7, 2013Body & structure1 injury

2013 TOYOTA VENZA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO FINGERS BEING CRUSHED IN REAR HATCH INCIDENT. *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED HE AND HIS WIFE WERE LOOKING AT THE VEHICLE. WHEN HIS WIFE USED BOTH HANDS TO SLOWLY CLOSE THE HATCH, THE AUTOMATED FEATURE GRABBED THE HATCH BRINGING IT TO FULL CLOSURE ON HIS WIFE'S FINGERS.

NHTSA ODI 10491322

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Working with the data? Download all 59 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 11, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2013 Toyota Venza verdict →