YearToAvoid

2013 Toyota Venza Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls

Caution The 2013 Toyota Venza has 59 NHTSA complaints and a complaint index of 67, ranking third-worst out of 7 model years and earning a Caution verdict. Top problem areas are Structure & Body, Airbags, Brakes, and Engine, each accounting for a large share of complaints, plus 4 recalls.

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

YearToAvoid Scorecard

Complaint Index
67/100
#3 of 7 Venza years
Verdict
Caution
vs. other years of this model
Complaints
59
unique NHTSA reports
Recalls
4
distinct NHTSA campaigns
Crashes
13
reported in complaints
Fires
1
Injuries
13
Top issue
Structure & Body
Best nearby year
2014
rated Best
NHTSA overall rating
5 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
21.5
19.5 city / 26 hwy
Injuries / deaths
13 / 0

Top 2013 Toyota Venza problems

Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Structure & Body13 (22%)
  2. Airbags12 (20%)
  3. Brakes12 (20%)
  4. Engine12 (20%)
  5. Electrical System10 (17%)
  6. Other10 (17%)
  7. Steering6 (10%)
  8. Fuel System4 (7%)
  9. Visibility & Wipers2 (3%)
  10. Collision Avoidance & Cameras1 (2%)

A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.

What owners report

  • Owners describe unexpected forward lunging or acceleration while coming to a stop, sometimes resulting in a crash into a fixed object.
  • Some drivers report the brake pedal failing to respond when depressed, causing the vehicle to strike curbs, fences, or other vehicles.
  • Others describe brakes making loud clicking noises before locking up unexpectedly at low speed.
  • Several complaints describe airbags failing to deploy during moderate-speed collisions, resulting in injuries.
  • One owner reported a wiring fire at the driver-side mirror courtesy light while approaching the parked vehicle.
  • A steering complaint describes loss of ABS and traction control followed by the vehicle shifting into neutral during a highway stop.
2013 Toyota Venza complaints: complaints filed per month4Jan 2013Feb 2014Jan 2015Mar 2016Jan 2018Dec 2019Jul 2021Nov 2023
59 complaints filed with NHTSA from Jan 2013 to Apr 2026; peak May 2014 (4).

2013 Toyota Venza recalls

4 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 13V442000Oct 17, 2013Other802,769 vehicles

    Equipment:appliance:air conditioner

    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.

    Remedy: 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.

  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 4 recalls for the 2013 Toyota Venza →

2013 Toyota Venza fuel economy and fuel cost

City
19.5 MPG
Highway
26 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.

2013 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
2011Caution5059621.5
2012Best1725421.5
2013Caution6759421.5
2014Best031121.5
2015Good3327121.5

All Toyota Venza years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2013 Toyota Venza reliable?
NHTSA data shows 59 complaints for the 2013 Venza with a complaint index of 67, ranking it third-worst among the 7 model years covered, so it carries a Caution verdict relative to other Venza years.
What problems does the 2013 Toyota Venza have?
The top problem areas are Structure & Body, Airbags, Brakes, and Engine, each making up a significant share of the 59 complaints filed with NHTSA. Median mileage at failure across all complaints is 36,895.
Does the 2013 Toyota Venza have any recalls?
Yes, NHTSA lists 4 recalls affecting the 2013 Venza, covering airbag wiring, an air conditioning condenser drain issue, a label correction, and occupant detection sensor recalibration.
What year Toyota Venza should I avoid?
Among Venza years with data, 2009 and 2010 have the worst complaint indexes (100 and 83) and Avoid verdicts, while 2012 and 2014 score best with Best verdicts.
How many airbag-related complaints does the 2013 Venza have?
NHTSA lists 12 Airbags complaints for the 2013 Venza, making up 20% of all complaints for that model year.

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.