2009 Toyota Venza

WHEN THE DRIVERS VISOR WAS PUSHED UP OUT OF THE WAY SOMETHING SNAPPED AND THE VISOR WOULD NOT STAY UP. IT WOULD ONLY HANG DOWN OBSTRUCTING MY LINE OF VISION. I ENDED UP DRIVING FROM UTAH TO AZ HOLDING THE VISOR UP SO I COULD SEE. I SPENT OVER $125 TO INSTALL IT MYSELF. TWO YEARS LATER THE SAME EXACT THING HAS HAPPENED TO THE PASSENGERS VISOR MAKING IT NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE TRAFFIC COMING FROM MY RIGHT. I CALLED POWER TOYOTA TO GET THE PART AND WAS INFORMED THE FOLLOWING DAY IT IS ON A NATIONAL BACK ORDER WITH NO RELEASE DATE. WHEN I CONTACTED TOYOTA REGARDING THIS SAFETY ISSUE I WAS INFORMED THAT VISORS ARE ONLY COVERED FOR 3 YEARS AND OFFERED NO SUGGESTIONS OR REASONS AS TO WHY THE VISORS ARE UNAVAILABLE. I HOPE MY UPCOMING TRIP TO TUCSON IS NOT NEGATIVELY AFFECTED BY TOYOTA'S FAULTY VISORS.

DRIVER'S SIDE SUN VISOR WILL NOT STAY IN THE UP POSITION, OR IN THE VISOR POSITION, BUT DROPS INTO AN UNSAFE, VISIBILITY HAMPERING AND DISTRACTING LOCATION. TOUCHING/FEELING THE PLASTIC ASSEMBLY WHERE THE VISOR CONNECTS TO THE SUPPORT BAR REVEALS THAT THE ASSEMBLY HAS FAILED. I FIND IT INTERESTING THAT TOYOTA HAS ISSUED AN ADVISORY AND WILL PAY FOR THIS REPAIR FOR CAMRY'S BUT NOT VENZA'S. I HAVE A 2010 CAMRY THAT I PURCHASED ON THE SAME DAY AS THE VENZA: JULY 31, 2009 AND IT'S DRIVER'S SIDE VISOR FAILED ON JULY 31, 215 JUST ONE DAY AFTER THE VENZA'S (BUT WITH TWICE THE MILEAGE)! HOPING THAT NHTSA CAN CONVINCE TOYOTA TO FIX THE MUCH SMALLER QUANTITY (COMPARED TO CAMRY) OF VENZA'S AS WELL. I WOULD REPLACE IT MYSELF IF THE PART WASN'T SO TERRIBLY OVERPRICED ($179 !!!). I WILL BE SEEKING GOODWILL FROM THE DEALER I PURCHASED FROM, BUT FROM TRAFFIC ON THE INTERNET, I SEE THIS IS A PERVASIVE PROBLEM FOR WHICH TOYOTA IS NOT TAKING THE CORRECT ACTION

WHILE UNLOADING ITEMS FROM THE REAR OF THE VENZA, THE LEFT SIDE LIFT MECHANISM OF THE TAIL GATE WHICH WAS UP IN THE AUTOMATIC LIFT TOP POSITION BROKE OFF AND THE DOOR FELL ON MY HEAD INJURING MY SKULL. TERRIBLE HEADACHE AFTERWARDS. THE AUTOMATIC FUNCTION OF THE LIFT UP OR DOWN NO LONGER WORKS. UPDATED 10/9/15 *LN UPDATED 11/29/2017*CN

AS WITH CERTAIN 2009 VENZAS MANUFACTURED IN THE SOUTHEASTERN USA, I HAVE ONE I WAS TOLD WAS MANUFACTURED IN THE GULF STATES, WHERE THE DRIVER'S SEAT HEATER WIRING HAS ALSO BEEN DAMAGED. UNLIKE SOUTHEAST TOYOTA DISTRIBUTORS, LLC (SET), THERE HAS BEEN NO OTHER RECALL BY GULF STATES TOYOTA DISTRIBUTORS (GST), AND IT'S QUITE CONCERNING. I'M FINDING SEVERAL PEOPLE OWNING VENZA'S WHO ARE HAVING A SIMILAR ISSUE. "THE AFFECTED VEHICLES MAY EXPERIENCE COMPRESSION OF THE SEAT CUSHION WHICH MAY DAMAGE THE SEAT HEATER WIRING. CONSEQUENCE: 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."

TOYOTA 2009 VENZA SYSTEMIC SPEED SENSOR FAILURES: RIGHT REAR SPEED SENSOR 1/17/2015: LEFT REAR SPEED SENSOR MAY 2013: LEFT FRONT SPEED SENSOR APRIL 2012 IN EACH CASE, THE ANTILOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (ABS) AND THE VEHICLE STABILITY CONTROL (VSC) SYSTEMS WERE DISABLED, CREATING HAZARDOUS VEHICLE OPERATION, ESPECIALLY IN SNOW/ICE. RESEARCHING, I DETERMINED THAT NO RECALL HAD BEEN ISSUED, BUT THAT KNOWLEDGE OF THE DEFECTIVE SPEED SENSORS AND THAT THEIR FAILURE DISABLED THE ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEMS WERE COMMON KNOWLEDGE. I NOTIFIED TOYOTA CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER OF MY CONCERN, ON JANUARY 22, 2015 (TOYOTA CASE # [XXX]), AND MADE FORMAL REQUEST FOR FULL REIMBURSEMENT OF THE CHARGES FOR THE THIRD REPAIR ON THE BASIS THAT VENZA SPEED SENSOR FAILURES ARE A SYSTEMIC, RECOGNIZED ISSUE CAUSING HAZARDOUS DRIVING CONDITIONS, AND CLEARLY SHOULD HAVE BEEN THE SUBJECT OF A RECALL LONG PAST. I NOTIFIED TOYOTA THAT THE CRITERIA FOR NOTIFICATION OF THE ISSUE TO THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION (NHTSA) WERE CLEARLY MET. PER UNITED STATES CODE FOR MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY (TITLE 49, CHAPTER 301), MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY IS DEFINED AS 'THE PERFORMANCE OF A MOTOR VEHICLE OR MOTOR VEHICLE EQUIPMENT IN A WAY THAT PROTECTS THE PUBLIC AGAINST UNREASONABLE RISK OF ACCIDENTS OCCURRING BECAUSE OF THE DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION, OR PERFORMANCE OF A MOTOR VEHICLE, AND AGAINST UNREASONABLE RISK OF DEATH OR INJURY IN AN ACCIDENT, AND INCLUDES NONOPERATIONAL SAFETY OF A MOTOR VEHICLE.' TOYOTA REJECTED MY REQUEST 3/10/15 ON THE BASIS THAT IT DID NOT MEET THE CRITERIA OF THEIR NEW VEHICLE LIMITED WARRANTY, COMPLETELY DISREGARDING THE STATED CONCERN. GIVEN THAT TOYOTA HAS WILLFULLY CHOSEN TO NOT ADDRESS THE RECALL AND HAZARD ISSUES RAISED, THIS COMPLAINT IS SUBMITTED. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

OUR 2009 VENZA HAS HAD 3 SPEED SENSOR FAILURES IN THE LAST YEAR. GOOD THING WE HAD AN EXTENDED WARRANTY, BUT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THAT EXPIRES IN ABOUT 10,000 MILES? WHEN I ASKED TOYOTA THIS QUESTION, THEY SAID TO CALL BACK WHEN ANOTHER WHEN BROKE. I'M SURE THAT WON'T BE LONG. IN MY OPINION, TOYOTA HAS SOLD A PRODUCT WITH A DEFECTIVE PART AND DOESN'T REALLY CARE. THIS WAS OUR FIRST TOYOTA AND LAST TOYOTA PURCHASE. *JS

THE HEATED LEATHER FACTORY INSTALLED SEATS IN OUR 2009 TOYOTA VENZA START TO SMELL LIKE ELECTRIC WIRES MELTING AFTER ABOUT 10 MINUTES AFTER TURNING THEM ON. I HAVE CALLED MY TOYOTA DEALER AND TOYOTA CORPORATION AND THEY SAID THERE IS NO RECALL ON MY MODEL AND VIN. I HAVE 140,000 MILES ONLY CAR AND THEY ARE TELLING ME TO TAKE IT TO MY DEALER TO GET A DIAGNOSIS WHICH I WILL HAVE TO PAY FOR SINCE I AM OUT OF THE WARRANTY PERIODS THERE IS A RECALL ON AFTER MARKET COMPONENTS WITH THIS SAME ISSUE BUT MINE IS FACTORY INSTALL. HOW DO I GET THIS PLACED ON A RECALL LIST. I AM AFRAID MY SEATS WILL CATCH ON FIRE IF THIS IS NOT REPAIRED. *TR