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2021 Toyota Venza

Solid pick. The public record on this car is clean for its age. Inspect it, then negotiate with confidence.

Recalls, complaint breakdown & inspection checklist, all in a shareable PDF

181 owner complaints · 1 recalls · data verified July 11, 2026 · source: NHTSA

Buywillitcar.com

Why buy?

Visibility & wipers problems dominate (44% of complaints, typically reported near 8k miles).

The math, shown

Full methodology →
Complaint volume (40%)73
Severity (30%)62
Recall load (20%)100
Trend (10%)76

Complaints filed per year

Fading = early teething worked out. Climbing = problems aging in.

20212026

The road ahead

What breaks on a 2021 Toyota Venza, plotted where owners report it happening.

030k mi60k mi90k mi120k miVisibility & wipers~8k mi · 79 reportsBrakes~14k mi · 13 reports

Also reported (mileage varies): Electrical system (14) · Lights (13) · Speed control (12) · Fuel system (11)

Mileage medians come from owners who mentioned an odometer reading in their NHTSA complaint, a rough guide, not a schedule.

Visibility & wipers

44%

79 complaints · typically near 8k mi · 10 in the last 2 years

Windshield suddenly cracked, making two large arcs several feet long. Driving on paved road at 20 mph, no gravel, no other traffic.

Electrical system

8%

14 complaints · 6 in the last 2 years

Primary Control/Head Unit Failure - I can no longer access any of the electronic functions of the vehicle due to the computer screen failure. The back up camera works,…

Brakes

7%

13 complaints · typically near 14k mi · 2 in the last 2 years

It's its been about 4 times for myself and twice for my husband. When pulling out of parking lot onto busy street making a right hand turn, the car failed to accelerat…

Lights

7%

13 complaints · 1 in the last 2 years

I just purchased as 2021 Toyota Venza Limited. The headlight on low beam cast a odd shaped shadow. It is very distracting and often makes you think something is in fro…

Recalls (1)

Safety recall repairs are free at the brand’s franchised dealers. Before buying, run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and make the seller show the work was done.

Electronic Stability Control (esc) · 22V239000

Toyota Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2022 Lexus LX 600, Lexus NX 350h, Lexus NX 450h+, Toytoa RAV4 Hybrid, 2021-2022 Lexus LS 500h, Toyota Mirai, RAV4 PRIME, Sienna, Venza, and 2020-2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid vehicles. The Skid Control ECU software may not turn on the Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) system when the vehicle is restarted after the driver has disabled the VSC system. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 126, "Electronic Stability Control Systems."

Risk: Driving with a deactivated stability control system increases the risk of a crash.

Fix: Dealers will update the Skid Control ECU software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 27, 2022. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 22TA03. Lexus' number for this recall is 22LA01.

Before you hand over money

Check the VIN for open recalls

NHTSA’s free lookup shows whether this exact car had its recall remedies completed.

Free NHTSA VIN check

Get a pre-purchase inspection

A $150 to $250 independent inspection of this exact 2021 Toyota VENZA beats every score on the internet, including ours.

What to ask for

Not set on the 2021? See how every Venza model year scores →

Cross-shopping? Compare the 2021 Toyota Venza against another car →

What owners say

Real owners of this exact model-year, shown separately from the NHTSA score. If they disagree, that’s worth knowing.

The fine print: this verdict is computed from public NHTSA complaint and recall records for the 2021 Toyota Venza as a model, not for any individual car. A well-maintained example of an “Avoid” can outlast a neglected “Buy”. Informational only, so always get a professional pre-purchase inspection.