The 2010 Toyota Venza Is the Worst Model Because of an Annoying Issue
The 2010 Toyota Venza is an attractive midsize SUV. It has an appealing cabin, an impressive list of standard features, and a generous amount of space for cargo. It may not have been a match for its peers in 2010 when it came to off-roading or towing, but many consider it a worthy Toyota vehicle.
But if you’re interested in a good used midsize SUV, the 2010 model Toyota Venza has some problems that you should know about before you buy. While the 2009 models actually drew more complaints on consumer site CarComplaints.com, there was one issue the 2010 models experienced that was reported more than any other across all models.
The 2010 Toyota Venza had bad rotors
The biggest complaint against the 2010 Toyota Venza according to Car Complaints was bad rotors. The problem would start with noise when applying the brakes. Upon closer inspection, they’d find that the rotors were warped or worn.
The issue showed up, on average, at around 33,600 miles, and the repair involved resurfacing the rotors or replacing them for an average cost of $220. On Car Complaints’ problem severity scale, it earned a 7.6, or “pretty bad.”
One Pennsylvania owner experienced a good deal of frustration with their 2010 Toyota Venza because of the rotor issue. They bought their SUV in 2012 with 17,000 miles. By June 2013, rotor problems emerged, so they had the rotors resurfaced. By August of the same year, they had to have the rotors replaced along with the front and rear brake pads. By October 2015, they had to have the front and rear rotors resurfaced.
By August 2016, the brakes were again experiencing problems. After expressing their frustration with the ongoing problems, the front and rear rotors were replaced for free by the dealership. By that point, the owner had solidly sworn never to buy another Toyota vehicle.
Malfunctioning brakes
Maybe not so surprisingly, given the troubles with the rotors, are brake problems in the 2010 Toyota Venza. They varied in nature and showed up, on average, around 72,350 miles. The repairs involved and the cost depended on the nature of the problem. On Car Complaints’ severity scale, it earned an 8.5, or “pretty bad.”
One Illinois owner reported that the brakes would work when initially applied. After a few seconds, they would release and the car would move. The owner had to repeatedly brake to bring the vehicle to a complete stop which posed a safety issue. Eventually, their brakes went out completely before any alert deployed.
After their Venza was in the shop for repairs for two weeks, the technicians replaced various braking system parts. They declared the vehicle repaired. The brakes failed again within 20 minutes.
Other owners reported trouble getting their brakes fixed to the point that they were unable to drive the vehicle.
Miscellaneous engine issues in the Toyota Venza
Annoying engine issues have been reported in the 2010 Toyota Venza. The problems, on average, showed up around 48,500 miles and cost as much as $800 to repair. On the severity scale, it earned a 6.0, or “fairly significant.”
One Canadian owner had to take their SUV to their dealer twice to properly diagnose and repair the issue, resulting in replacing the engine oil valve.
Another Venza owner in Wisconsin spent extra money paying for a warranty in the hopes that any issues they encountered would be covered. When the check engine lights indicated a problem, the owner took their Venza to the dealership.
They learned it was a defective charcoal canister pump. The dealer explained that the issue wasn’t covered by the warranty despite the extra expense for additional coverage.
The owner felt that for something so specific, the dealer had to have known that the issue was a possibility. They would have known that it wasn’t covered by the extra warranty. The owner felt they should have been told and are proceeding with legal action.
If you’re in the market for a used midsize SUV, and you really want the Toyota Venza, research the model you’re considering so you know of any potential problems before you buy. Otherwise, you may want to consider a Ford Edge or the Nissan Murano.
