2021 Toyota Venza Hybrid

The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Venza. The contact stated while attempting to start the vehicle, several unknown warning lights illuminated. A dealer was contacted. The contact stated that during the first failure, the vehicle was towed to the dealer to be diagnosed, however the diagnosis was unknown. The contact stated that during the second failure, the steering wheel warning light illuminated, the steering wheel became difficult to turn, and the accelerator and brake pedals seized. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle, and thirty seconds later, the vehicle operated as intended. The contact stated that during the third failure, the contact became aware that the fuel gauge was not operating properly. After refueling the vehicle, the fuel gauge warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer to be diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the battery needed to be replaced. The battery was replaced, and the vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that the buttons on her steering wheel and the infotainment system also failed to function as designed. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 57,346.

Forward collision avoidance; automatic emergency braking; adaptive cruise control; I pulled into a straight-ahead handicapped parking slot to park, going about 1-3mph . There was a handicapped sign in front of me on a newly installed steel pole. I pulled in within inches of the pole. When I tried to engage the brakes, the braking system failed to engage the brakes and slow down the car. The car instead accelerated and would have broken through a store front had the pole not stopped it. I also pushed on the brakes, but nothing happened, the car did not seem to slow down at all, like I had no brakes. It's like the brakes did not work and the automatic braking did not work either. There was a complete system brake failure. Also, the air bags did not deploy, which I'm surprised with so much front end damage to my car. So, in a panic to stop the forward acceleration, I put the car in reverse; after which the vehicle accelerated in reverse out of my control and crashed into a 3-foot concrete wall and another vehicle next to the wall. This crash stopped the vehicle. I had no control over speed of the acceleration, steering of the vehicle, or stopping. I am concerned about a defect in the brakes and the PKBS braking system. I could have been killed or backed into another person or car killing someone else. The car has been repaired. I did receive a msg about the raider cruise system being on days prior; I didn't know what it meant; it went away and I did not pursue why cruise control was on because I didn't engage it. I am seeking inspection by Toyota and my AAA Insurance rep.

It was raining, I was driving in the far left lane next to the center divider. I noticed the car in front of me drive through a significant collection of water that was the width of the entire lane. I was unable to switch lanes, so I slowed down and went through the water as well. As soon as my Venza came to the collection of water, my steering wheel locked up. I was unable to direct the car in the opposite direction of the pull. I was not able to move the steering wheel at all. The car continued to go in it’s own direction, despite me pumping the brakes. The Venza spun out, hit another car before it crashed into the concrete center divider. As a result I smashed my head on the driver’s side window. My driver’s side air bags NEVER deployed. No air bags in the entire car deployed. After hitting the center divider my car ended up in the car right lane. My car was towed from the scene of the accident, it was not drivable. The insurance adjuster originally totaled the car, then they changed their minds and said the car can be fixed. It’s been 3 months and my car is still in the shop. There were no warning lights, it was a brand new car, I had it less than 6 months. I could have died, other people could have died. If the steering wheel didn’t lock up I could have easily maneuvered through the water, like the car did I front of me and like I have done many times in the past with my previous vehicles. If the driver’s side air bag deployed I wouldn’t have suffered such a bad concussion requiring medical attention, neurologist, loss of work and loss of pay.

2021 Toyota Venza Steering assist feature creates a safety hazard. The steering assist works with the cruise control and lane departure. When on, it appears that the steering assist picks up its position or centers the vehicle in the lane from the nearest white line on the right side. It positions the vehicle approximately 12 to 18 inches from the right line position thus positioning the vehicle slightly right of the center of the lane. One is forced to fight the pull of the wheel to maintain a center lane position. This Steering Assist function creates the following problems: 1.Off-center to the right can make it too close for vehicles traveling to the vehicles right. Also, it does not adjust for vehicles traveling too close or possibly swerve on your right side. It will maintain its position regardless of events alongside of you. It receives its bearings from only the white line. This condition is more severe when traveling in a left lane on a multiple lane road with a dotted line. 2.Because the steering assist picks up its orientation from a right-side line; when the line is out of position or not available, the car will automatically move right until it finds something to coordinate the cars position. Without something fixed like a line or curb it will take the car off of the road. When approaching an off-ramp, the right solid road barrier line, usually veers right off the highway and will follow the direction of the off-ramp. Under this condition I have discovered that the steering assist feature will actually take me off of the highway onto the off-ramp and alongside the right-most solid line wherever it goes. I feel that NHTSA still should examine any issue on a car that could make its operation unsafe. Furthermore, it appears that NHTSA has not performed any crash-worthiness testing including weight and roll-over. Why has safety testing and crash worthiness not been performed on this vehicle? Lastly; why doesn’t it have a standard NHTSA door label?