2021 Toyota Venza: problems, recalls and reliability
2 recalls and 189 owner complaints on record; the weakest area is visibility/wiper (44% of complaints); the 2022 and 2023 model years look more trouble-free.
Data updated weekly · 3 new complaints in the last 90 days · latest recall Apr 2022
All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.
Common problems
Computed from 189 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
“The center console has cracked and has sharp corners causing an increased risk of injury. Also may cause one to jerk the wheel if placing their elbow down and not expecting the sharp corner. No accident occurred as of yet, but could if someone else were to be driving my car and place their arm down on the center console. I have to place my arm down a certain way to avoid getting poked. Just wanted to report this as I am not sure if other owners have reported similar issue with their center console developing sharp edges. Would probably be similar to NHTSA campaign number 26V368000”Owner report · Unknown Or Other · Jul 2026
“Rear passenger side window exploded (shattered) while driving on the Hardy Toll Road in [XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)”Owner report · Unknown Or Other · Jul 2026
“lowâ'beam headlights/headlight assembly issues. Moisture getting in, corrosion of prongs that connect to the headlight assembly. Dimming lights once assembly was replaced. Condensation in the headlights. Some bulbs work while others don't.”Owner report · Exterior Lighting · Jun 2026
Show 7 more owner reports
“While pulling up to a curb to park in residential community, my car suddenly accelerated. It came to a stop after 15' when I hit the brakes. Fortunately nothing or no one was in front of me. No more incidents have occurred. No warning msgs or lights. No other symptoms. Having dealer diagnose this week.”Owner report · Unknown Or Other · Mar 2026
“A large crack appeared on the windshield of my 2021 Toyota Venza. Due to this being a safety issue when driving the vehicle, so I looked into having it repaired by a local shop. When the Venza was taken to the repaired, the repair shop notified me that the issue didn't originate from a rock/chip. The issue was with the windshield or the windshield installation. After a quick Google search, it came to my attention that this is a frequent issue with this year and make. There are class action lawsuits about this issue. This needs to be addressed by Toyota.”Owner report · Visibility/Wiper · Nov 2025
“I have an issues with the door on drivers side that won't unlock as much as I press the key fob it won't open its 2021 toyota Venza. I am physically disabled and I unable to stand for long. So that means I have to use my key to unlock my doors and I can't stand for too long I can tired and fall. And toyota knows of this issues and they refuse to fix and I don't think I should pay for something that they know has a defect. It's not fair.”Owner report · Unknown Or Other · Jul 2025
“I was involved in a no fault accident when an SUV slammed into the back of my Toyota Venza at full speed and pushed me into the left guardrail of the bridge we were driving on. Neither the front airbags or the driver (left) side airbags deployed.”Owner report · Air Bags · Jun 2025
“The rear tailgate is malfunctioning. I was told by dealer it is not covered under any warranty (even extended) this is something that has been reported by others and should be fixed. As well as having to repeatedly hit the lock or unlock buttons to actually work on the car before it works.”Owner report · Unknown Or Other · Jun 2025
“The infotainment system has failed. It is the 12.5 screen-based system that enables the control of numerous features including air conditioning/heating, audio (all radio and satellite radio) and map/gps display. This system is the focus of a recall on this model car (newer versions) but the issue is the same for this year. Not having this display make navigation difficult, control of the cabin environment impossible. I wonder why this year vehicle was not included in the recall. I have ordered a replacement at a cost of $3,300. This began in May of 2025.”Owner report · Electrical System · May 2025
“Spontaneous crack in the windshield without any external mechanixal force, such as rock, hale, or any other foreign body.”Owner report · Visibility/Wiper · May 2025
When filing, owners marked a crash in 15 of these complaints and injuries in 12 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.
Recalls - 2 campaigns
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2021 Venza Hybrid vehicles. Water may enter the rear turn signal LED lights, allowing condensation to form on the circuit board, and causing a short circuit. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Remedy: Dealers will replace both rear turn signal LED bulbs and replace the rear turn signal light assembly as necessary, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters, informing owners of the safety risk, were mailed March 18, 2022. Remedy parts are expected to be available by June 30, 2022. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 22TB01/22TA01.
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."
Remedy: 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.
Specifications
Factory options offered for the 2021 model year, decoded from the NHTSA vPIC database. Individual vehicles have one of each.
How other years compare
Check your exact Venza by VIN
Recalls and equipment differ between individual vehicles. Decode your VIN to see what applies to yours.
Open VIN decoderFrequently asked questions
Is the 2021 Toyota Venza reliable?
NHTSA has 189 owner complaints and 2 recall campaigns on record for the 2021 Toyota Venza. The most complained-about area is visibility/wiper (44% of complaints).
At what mileage do 2021 Toyota Venza problems usually appear?
Half of the complaints that mention mileage were filed at 13,250 miles or less.
Does the 2021 Toyota Venza have open recalls?
2 recall campaigns have been issued, the latest concerning exterior lighting:hazard flashing warning lights. Check your specific vehicle by VIN - recall repairs are free at franchised dealers.
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints (public domain). Counts reflect reports on file and are not a defect rate.