2012 Toyota Venza recalls and problems
The 2012 Toyota Venza has 4 safety recalls and 25 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at any Toyota dealer.
Recalls may cover only some 2012 Toyota Venza vehicles. Check your VIN at NHTSA ↗ to see open recalls for your exact car.
2012 Toyota Venza recalls
Recall 21V-257: Air Bags
Problem: 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.
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.
Recall 13V-442: Equipment, Air Bags, Electrical System
Problem: Toyota is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 Avalon, Avalon HV, Venza, Camry, and Camry HV vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the drain hose for the air conditioning condenser may become clogged causing water to accumulate at the bottom of the air conditioning condenser unit housing. The accumulated water may then leak through a seam in the housing onto the air bag control module potentially resulting in a short circuit of the module.
Risk: A short circuit may cause the air bags to become disabled or inadvertently deploy. An inadvertent airbag deployment can increase the risk of injury or the possibility of a crash. An inoperative airbag can increase the risk of injury in a severe crash. The power steering assist could also become inoperable resulting in increased steering effort and can increase the risk of a crash at low speeds.
Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will seal the air conditioning condenser unit housing and install a protective cover on the airbag control module, free of charge. The recall began on February 5, 2014. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331.
Recall 13V-123: Equipment
Problem: 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."
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.
Recall 13V-014: Seats, Air Bags
Problem: 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.
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.
2012 Toyota Venza problems reported by owners
| Problem area | Reports | |
|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 9 | |
| Unknown or Other | 6 | |
| Visibility/Wiper | 6 | |
| Structure | 5 | |
| Visibility | 1 | |
| Power Train | 1 | |
| Service Brakes | 1 | |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 | |
| Seat Belts | 1 | |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 1 | |
| Engine | 1 | |
| Steering | 1 |
Most reported parts
- Structure › Body — 2
- Structure › Body › Hatchback/Liftgate — 1
Typical mileage at the time of the problem: 47,000 miles (median of owner reports).
Problems that are not covered by a recall are paid repairs; labor rates follow local mechanic pay — see what auto mechanics earn in each state.
Recent 2012 Toyota Venza complaints
Owner reports filed with NHTSA, as written (personal details removed). Complaints are not verified by NHTSA.
Other Toyota Venza years
Frequently asked questions
Does the 2012 Toyota Venza have any recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 4 recalls for the 2012 Toyota Venza: 21V-257 (air bags), 13V-442 (equipment, air bags, electrical system), 13V-123 (equipment), 13V-014 (seats, air bags). Not every vehicle is affected, so check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What is the most common problem with the 2012 Toyota Venza?
Owners report air bags problems most often (9 reports), followed by unknown or other (6). The typical mileage when problems were reported is about 47,000 miles.
Are Toyota recall repairs free?
Yes. Safety recall repairs are free at authorized Toyota dealers, whether you are the first owner or bought the car used.