2010 Toyota Venza

On or around March 10, 2023, as my wife and daughter were driving the driver's side heated seat started burning/smoking. Immediately, my wife turned off the seat and returned home. I found there was an existing recall for this issue but only for the Southeast Toyota Distributors, I purchased my car in Missouri. I took the vehicle to the local dealership in Clarksville, Tennessee. Not only would they not honor the recall, but charged me $115.88 to confirm the burning of the seat. I contacted Toyota 7 times thus far and they are refusing to help because the recall only affected the Southeast Distributor group. I find this ludicrous as all the vehicles were made at the Georgetown, Kentucky plant. I simply want the remedy that Southeast Toyota Distributors gave their customers: Removal of bad heating unit, return of $115.88 charge of confirmation, and a return of the accessory charge I paid in December 2009. Thank you, [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

The heated seat on the driver side is creating a burning smell. I have read about numerous other issues with this model that have had recalls but not mine. This seat is still in tact and available for full inspection upon request. This is a major safety issue that is known about but not addressed. Major fire risk putting anyone inside vehicle in danger. I have a 2 year old daughter and if I didn’t have a lot of electrical and vehicle knowledge I could have easily left the heated seat on not knowing and caused a major risk for my entire family. Toyota needs to add the rest of the vehicles that have these issues into the recall. I have not taken into dealer yet just informed my wife not to use heated seat. I plan to take in soon to dealer but with a known issue it should be covered by a recall and not out of pocket. No police, insurance or manufacture have inspected yet. No warning lights on at all.

The contact owns a 2010 Toyota Venza. The contact stated while driving 50-60 MPH, she became aware of a burning odor coming from the driver’s and passenger’s heated seats. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact drove the vehicle to an independent mechanic however, the vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 159,638

PASSENGER SIDE SEAT HEATER STOPPED WORKING. WENT TO ATLANTA TOYOTA ON 12/9/15 AND HAD SEAT INSPECTED, REPORT STATED HEATING ASSEMBLY FAILED AND WAS QUOTED $555 FOR REPAIR. AN ASSOCIATE INFORMED ME OF A RECALL OFF THE HEATING ELEMENTS FOR THE SEATS, BUT I HAD TO WAIT FOR MY VEHICLE TO BE INCLUDED. IT IS 6/11/2018 AND MY VIN IS STILL EXCLUDED FROM THE RECALLS FOR THIS SAFETY ISSUE. I CONTACTED TOYOTA DIRECTLY TODAY AND THEY STATED THERE ARE NO RECALLS AND HAVE NEVER BEEN ANY RECALLS ON MY VEHICLE. THEU ONLY STATED THEY WOULD DOCUMENT MY ISSUE (WHICH HAS BEEN REPORTED BEFORE). I REQUESTED A CASE NUMBER FOR MY COMPLAINT #1806110811. THE RECALLS FOR THIS FIRE HAZARD ON THE 2009-2010 TOYOTA VENZA ARE 14V74300 11/19/14 AND 16V39600 6/2/16. I AM REQUESTING THAT ALL TOYOTA VENZAS BE INCLUDED IN THIS SAFETY RECALL.

DISTINCT SMELL OF OZONE / BURNING ELECTRICAL COMPONENT WAS NOTICED IN THE CABIN WHILE DRIVING ON A COLD DAY. PULLED OFF THE ROAD TO SAFETY AND INVESTIGATED FURTHER. AFTER CYCLING POWER SEVERAL TIMES, THE BURNING SMELL WAS VERIFIED TO BE COMING FROM THE DRIVER'S SEAT HEATER. SEAT HEATER TURNED OFF TO PREVENT POSSIBLE FIRE AND WILL BE EXAMINED BY A LOCAL BODY SHOP IN A FEW DAYS TO PINPOINT THE FAULT. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 TOYOTA VENZA. WHEN THE HEATING SYSTEM ON THE FRONT DRIVER SEAT WAS ACTIVATED, THE CONTACT NOTICED A BURNING ODOR. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE HEATING ELEMENT HAD A SHORT, WHICH CAUSED THE HEATING SYSTEM TO FAIL. THE SEAT HEATER ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 94,014.

FOR MY DRIVER'S SEAT IN MY 2010 TOYOTA VENZA TECHNICIANS AT THE DEALERSHIP FOUND THE HARNESS MELTED AT THE MODULE WHICH MELTED THE WIRING IN THE SEAT. THEY HAD TO REMOVE THE MODULE BECAUSE I WAS TOLD BY STAFF AT TOYOTA (601 EAST ROCHAMBEAU DR., WILLIAMSBURG, VA 23188) - 757.259.1000 THAT IT WAS A FIRE HAZARD IF THEY DID NOT TAKE IT OUT. THIS APPEARS TO MIRROR A SIMILAR RECALL THAT TOYOTA HAS REGARDING ELECTRICAL WIRING. I WAS TOLD THAT THIS WAS NOT THE SAME ISSUE AND NOT COVERED UNDER THE RECALL. I SPOKE WITH PETER FROM THE REGIONAL OFFICE AND HE STATED THAT RECALL WAS RELATED TO AN AFTERMARKET PART AND THEY THEREFORE WOULD NOT PROVIDE ME ANY ASSISTANCE ON RESOLVING THE ISSUE AND RESTORING THE FUNCTIONALITY OF MY SEAT. HOWEVER, IT APPEARS THAT THE EQUIPMENT IS DEFECTIVE AND AS STATED BY TOYOTA STAFF A FIRE COULD HAVE OCCURRED IN MY CAR IF THEY WOULD HAVE NOT REMOVED THE ELEMENT WHICH IS VERY CONCERNING. I'M VERY CONCERNED THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE, AND JUST REMOVING THE MODULE DOES NOT RESTORE THE FUNCTIONALITY OF MY SEAT; HOWEVER, EVEN WORSE, THOSE WHO MAY HAVE THIS VEHICLE MAY NOT CATCH THE ISSUE THIS TIME RESULTING IN A FIRE OR OTHER HAZARDOUS CIRCUMSTANCE.

THE HEAD REST ON MY VEHICLE PUSHES MY NECK FORWARD INTO AN EXTREMELY UNCOMFORTABLE POSITION. THIS CANNOT BE ADJUSTED. AS A 5'4" FEMALE, I WAS HAVING TO SEEK MEDICAL TREATMENT FOR NECK AND SHOULDER PAIN FOLLOWING LONG TRIPS. I HAVE REVERSED THE HEAD REST SO THAT I CAN CONTINUE TO DRIVE MY CAR. I AM NOW CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THIS IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT (WHIPLASH), BUT FEEL LIKE I HAVE NO CHOICE (SEVERE NECK PAIN WAS INTERFERING WITH ABILITY TO TURN MY HEAD WHILE DRIVING). I ALSO HAD THIS PROBLEM ON MY PREVIOUS CAR, A 2007 AUDI Q7. I ALSO REVERSED THE HEAD REST ON THAT CAR. RESEARCHING THIS ON-LINE, THIS IS AN EXTREMELY COMMON PROBLEM (AND SOLUTION). CAR MANUFACTURERS SHOULD ME MADE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND QUESTIONABLE SOLUTION SO THAT THEY CAN CORRECT THIS.