YearToAvoid

2009 Toyota Venza Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Avoid

Complaint Index

100/100

#1 most-complained of 7 Venza years

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

The 2009 Toyota Venza has 173 owner complaints and 8 safety recalls on file with NHTSA. Its Complaint Index is 100 out of 100 — the highest of 7 Venza model years (verdict: Avoid). The most reported problem area is engine (45 complaints, 26% of the total). Complaints report 18 crashes, 3 fires, 16 injuries, and 1 death.

Complaints
173
Recalls
8
Crashes / fires
18 / 3
Injuries / deaths
16 / 1
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
22.5
19.5 city / 27 hwy

Top 2009 Toyota Venza problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Engine45 (26%)
  2. Brakes29 (17%)
  3. Structure & Body28 (16%)
  4. Electrical System24 (14%)
  5. Visibility & Wipers23 (13%)
  6. Other20 (12%)
  7. Transmission & Powertrain19 (11%)
  8. Airbags14 (8%)
  9. Steering13 (8%)
  10. Suspension, Wheels & Tires6 (3%)
2009 Toyota Venza complaints: complaints filed per quarter292009 Q22011 Q12013 Q12015 Q32017 Q42019 Q42022 Q12024 Q4
225 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2009 Q2 to 2026 Q3; peak 2010 Q1 (29).

2009 Toyota Venza recalls

8 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 21V257000Apr 13, 2021Airbags279,040 vehicles

    Air bags:side/window:curtain

    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.

    Remedy: 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.

  2. NHTSA 16V396000Jun 2, 2016Structure & Body7,749 vehicles

    Seats:front assembly:seat heater/cooler

    Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2005-2011 4Runner, Highlander, Sequoia, and Sienna, 2005-2010 Avalon and Tundra, 2006-2008 Camry Solara, 2006-2010 Highlander hybrid, 2006-2011 Rav4 and Tacoma, 2007-2010 FJ Cruiser, 2007-2011 Camry hybrid, 2009-2010 Venza, 2010-2012 Prius, 1988-1990 and 2005-2010 Camry, and 1989 and 2009-2010 Corolla vehicles equipped with aftermarket accessory seat heaters with a copper strand heating element. The electrical wiring in the seat heaters may be damaged when the seat cushion is compressed.

    Risk: If damaged, the copper strand heating element may short circuit, increasing the risk of a fire.

    Remedy: SET will notify owners, and dealers will disconnect the seat heaters, free of charge, and refund the purchase price of the seat heater accessory. The recall began on July 14, 2016. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET number for this recall is SET16B.

  3. NHTSA 14V743000Nov 19, 2014Structure & Body3,233 vehicles

    Seats:front assembly:seat heater/cooler

    Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2010-2011 Prius and Corolla, 2009-2011 Venza, 2006-2010 Avalon, 2007-2010 FJ Cruiser, 2005-2011 Sienna and Sequoia, 2006-2011 Tacoma 4x2 and 4x4, Camry, Highlander, Tundra 4x2 and 4x4, and 2007-2011 Rav4 and 4Runner. The affected vehicles may experience compression of the seat cushion which may damage the seat heater wiring.

    Risk: 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.

    Remedy: 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. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226.

See all 8 recalls for the 2009 Toyota Venza →

2009 Toyota Venza fuel economy and fuel cost

City
19.5 MPG
Highway
27 MPG
Combined
22.5 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$2,875
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Regular
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2009 compared with other Venza years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)02550751002009201020112012201320142015
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2009Avoid100173822.5
2010Avoid8379922.5
2011Caution5059621.5

All Toyota Venza years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2009 Toyota Venza a reliable year?
Judged by NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2009 Toyota Venza ranks worst among Venza model years (Complaint Index 100/100, verdict: Avoid). It has 173 complaints and 8 recalls on file. This reflects reported safety-related problems, not an overall reliability rating.
What are the most common problems with the 2009 Toyota Venza?
The most reported problem areas are engine (45 complaints), brakes (29 complaints), and structure & body (28 complaints). The median mileage at the time of failure in complaints that report it is 40,000 miles.
Does the 2009 Toyota Venza have any recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 8 recall campaigns for the 2009 Toyota Venza, most recently reported 2021, covering airbags, structure & body, electrical system, and other.
What is the fuel economy of the 2009 Toyota Venza?
EPA rates the 2009 Toyota Venza at 22.5 MPG combined (19.5 city / 27 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,875. Where several configurations exist, the median is shown.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.