YearToAvoid

2011 Toyota Venza Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Caution

Complaint Index

50/100

#4 most-complained of 7 Venza years

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

The 2011 Toyota Venza has 59 owner complaints and 6 safety recalls on file with NHTSA. Its Complaint Index is 50 out of 100 — #4 highest of 7 Venza model years (verdict: Caution). The most reported problem area is electrical system (17 complaints, 29% of the total). Complaints report 5 crashes, 2 fires, and 7 injuries.

Complaints
59
Recalls
6
Crashes / fires
5 / 2
Injuries / deaths
7 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
4 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
21.5
19.5 city / 25.5 hwy

Top 2011 Toyota Venza problems

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

  1. Electrical System17 (29%)
  2. Structure & Body14 (24%)
  3. Brakes13 (22%)
  4. Other11 (19%)
  5. Visibility & Wipers7 (12%)
  6. Engine6 (10%)
  7. Airbags5 (8%)
  8. Suspension, Wheels & Tires5 (8%)
  9. Steering4 (7%)
  10. Fuel System3 (5%)
2011 Toyota Venza complaints: complaints filed per quarter72011 Q32013 Q22015 Q22016 Q32018 Q12019 Q42023 Q4
85 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2011 Q3 to 2025 Q3; peak 2017 Q3 (7).

2011 Toyota Venza recalls

6 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 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.

  3. NHTSA 13V123000Apr 9, 2013Other7,525 vehicles

    Equipment:other:labels

    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.

    Remedy: 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.

See all 6 recalls for the 2011 Toyota Venza →

2011 Toyota Venza fuel economy and fuel cost

City
19.5 MPG
Highway
25.5 MPG
Combined
21.5 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$3,025
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.

2011 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
2012Best1725421.5
2013Caution6759421.5

All Toyota Venza years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2011 Toyota Venza a reliable year?
Judged by NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2011 Toyota Venza ranks #4 of 7 among Venza model years (Complaint Index 50/100, verdict: Caution). It has 59 complaints and 6 recalls on file. This reflects reported safety-related problems, not an overall reliability rating.
What are the most common problems with the 2011 Toyota Venza?
The most reported problem areas are electrical system (17 complaints), structure & body (14 complaints), and brakes (13 complaints). The median mileage at the time of failure in complaints that report it is 45,300 miles.
Does the 2011 Toyota Venza have any recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for the 2011 Toyota Venza, most recently reported 2021, covering airbags, structure & body, other, and electrical system.
What is the fuel economy of the 2011 Toyota Venza?
EPA rates the 2011 Toyota Venza at 21.5 MPG combined (19.5 city / 25.5 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,025. 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.