AI Damage2009 Toyota Venza: common problems
Owners of the 2009 Toyota Venza filed 173 complaints with NHTSA, most often about vehicle speed control and service brakes. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 173
- involving a crash
- 18
What fails most often
- 1 Vehicle speed control 21% of all complaints
- 2 Service brakes 16% of all complaints
- 3 Visibility 13% of all complaints
- 4 Electrical system 12% of all complaints
- 5 Seats 12% of all complaints
- 6 Powertrain 11% of all complaints
- 7 Air bags 8% of all complaints
- 8 Steering 8% of all complaints
- Vehicle speed control: 36 complaints (21% of all), 9 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Service brakes: 27 complaints (16% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Visibility: 23 complaints (13% of all).
- Electrical system: 20 complaints (12% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Seats: 20 complaints (12% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 2.7 L · petrol · 4 cyl
- 3.5 L · petrol · 6 cyl
- automatic, 6-speed
Drive: FWD, AWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 173 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle speed control | 36 | 9 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 27 | 2 | 0 |
| Visibility | 23 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 20 | 1 | 0 |
| Seats | 20 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 19 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 14 | 6 | 0 |
| Steering | 13 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Electronic stability control | 3 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
While driving 50 mph and depressing the brake pedal, the brakes failed to function properly. As a result, the contact crashed into the rear of another vehicle. The air bags deployed. The vehicle was destroyed and towed. A police report was filed.
I was sitting in the drive thru line of a fast food restaurant when the car took a sudden surge forward. I steered hard to keep from hitting the vehicle in front of me and manage to hit the bumper on right side doing over 1500 dollars in damage and swerved into another parked car doing damage to it also.
I was pulling up to a drive thru window at a fast food restaurant when the vehicle just surged forward I tried to engage the brakes . I hit and damaged two cars in the parking lot before I could bring it to a stop. This was the second time the car had done this but the other time no other cars was involved .
In addition, the front passenger's seat belt buckle would not release open. A police report was filed of the incident. The vehicle was destroyed and towed to a salvage facility. The manufacturer was not notified of the problem. The approximate failure mileage was 85,000.
Also, driver seat belt wasn't function it right. It didn't pull the driver tight enough. Chest hit into the steering wheel with serious injury. Two safety device in this car fail to protect the driver.
The airbags did not deploy. The dealer did not offer any assistance; yet, they advised the contact to notify the manufacturer. The manufacturer stated that they would advise him of the diagnosis after they retrieve the vehicle and inspect it. The failure and current mileages were 230. Update 12/14/09 updated 12/16/09
I just bought this car and discovered that the steering system is actually unsafe; the vehicle makes noises and vibrates at the steering column.
5) 6/27/23 warning light, 'check ABS', sensor unplugged by mechanic. Once master cylinder replaced, sensor reconnected. 6) I just called Toyota Corporate, was told they couldn't help, I'd have to pay to have it looked at again.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 2,327 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 6% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Venza has 57 complaints (8 years in the data). This year has 173, above average.
What to check before buying
- Vehicle speed control. Accelerator pedal, cruise control, throttle codes.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Visibility. Wipers, mirrors, defrosters, cracked glass.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2009 Toyota Venza?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: vehicle speed control, service brakes, visibility. Total complaints: 173. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: warning lights, check engine (10%), smoke, burning smell, fire (8%), A/C or heater (6%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2009 Toyota Venza?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2009 Toyota Venza from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2009 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.