2010 Toyota Venza Seats

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.

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.

DRIVER'S SEAT HEATING ELEMENT FAILED DUE TO WIRE BREAKAGE OR SHORT-CIRCUIT; BURNING ODOR DETECTED. DEALER REQUIRED THE HEATING ELEMENT BE REPLACED. COST TO REPLACE WAS CHARGED TO ME, $631.35. *TR

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.