Most common 2012 Toyota Venza problems
Share of the 25 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Toyota Venza complaints by model year
Best Venza years: 2012, 2015, 2014. Years to avoid: 2009, 2010. Compare all years →
2012 Toyota Venza recalls (4)
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.
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.
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.
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.
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…
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.
Seats
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…
Remedy: 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.
What 2012 Toyota Venza owners say
Air bags
The contact owned a 2012 TOYOTA VENZA. The contact stated while her husband was driving at 15 MPH, the vehicle traveling in front of them came to an abrupt stop. In an effort to avoid the vehicle, the contact's husband jumped a curb and hit a light post. The front driver and passenger airbags deployed upon impact; however, the side curtain airbags failed to deploy. The authorities arrived at the scene and a police report was filed. Both the contact and her husband were transported to the hospital by ambulance. The contact's husband was treated for soreness and bruising to his chest and back. The contact had trouble breathing upon arrival and was given oxygen. She was then transferred to another hospital where she was treated for a broken sternum, a fractured back, chest contusions, and swelling to her chest area. …
The contact owns a 2012 Toyota Venza. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the airbags warning light illuminated. The contact continued to drive the vehicle. The contact received a recall notification for NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V257000 (Air Bags) and the vehicle was taken to the dealer for the recall repair. The dealer advised the contact that the recalls repair had been completed; however, upon picking up the vehicle, the contact noticed that the airbags warning light remained illuminated. The dealer was notified of the failure. The dealer advised the contact that they would need to remove the driver's and passenger's side front door panels, and the carpet to repair the vehicle. The contact was also informed that the repair would be completed at her expense. The contact declined. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. …
Windows, wipers & sunroof
The driver side sun visor flops down into the view of the driver. It will not stay out of the line of sight while the vehicle is moving. This problem was reported for Toyota camrys and Toyota issued a warranty extension to repair the problem. Nothing has been done to address the same problem for Toyota venzas.
Sun visors, (driver and passenger sides) have broken and will not hold the visors in place.they both fall at random causing distractions. The visors have not been abused in any way and seems to be a common problem for the owners of these vehicles.
Body & structure
Air bags did not deploy when I was in an accident. I was hiy at a high speed on drivers dide front wheel. I was in moyion whil a truck hit me going at a high speed and was dragged when wheels got stuck
Tl* the contact owns a 2012 Toyota Venza. While the vehicle was parked, the hatchback failed to close when using the remote access. The contact stated that the hatchback needed to be manually closed. Initially, there was an issue with the hatchback failing to open using the remote access. The contact stated that the failure occurred without warning and a grinding sound could be heard coming from the rear driver side of the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was approximately 30,000.
2012 Toyota Venza engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.7L 4-cyl | 6-speed automatic | FWD | 21 / 27 / 23 |
| 2.7L 4-cyl | 6-speed automatic | AWD | 20 / 25 / 22 |
| 3.5L 6-cyl | 6-speed automatic | FWD | 19 / 26 / 21 |
| 3.5L 6-cyl | 6-speed automatic | AWD | 18 / 25 / 21 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2012 Toyota Venza a good car?
Based on 25 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2012 Venza rates better than average: 55% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Venza at the same age. It is one of the best Venza years by this measure. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2012 Toyota Venza?
The air bags — 9 complaints, 36% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the windows, wipers & sunroof (7) and body & structure (5).
How many recalls does the 2012 Toyota Venza have?
There are 4 recalls for the 2012 Toyota Venza, the most recent from April 13, 2021 (curtain). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Toyota Venza?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2012, 2015 and 2014. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2009 and 2010. See the full Toyota Venza years comparison.
At what mileage do 2012 Toyota Venza problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 47,000 miles; 53% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.