NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2018 Toyota C-HR. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026
The contact owns a 2018 Toyota C-HR. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, she heard an abnormal sound coming from the engine compartment. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the transmission. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 50,000.
Just rolled over 100K miles and the Toyota service center just diagnosed it saying we need a new transmission. Upon further researching, it turns out the noise that started at 80k miles was actually the transmission failing. After doing a quick google search, it turns out to be a very common issue for this make and model. Toyota needs to be held accountable for this, because $10,588.85 to replace the defective transmission for a “lifetime fluid vehicle” is highway robbery.
2018 Toyota C-HR with a CVT started making a high pitched whine around 75,000KM had the CVT oil flushed at 85,000KM. Toyota dealer said the transmission needs to be replaced. From reading forums this appears to be a very common issue with these cars.
General Defect with Transmission causing gear slippage at low RPMs from day one. Car can soft stutter to hard stutter going from idling position to soft press of accelerator. Hard transmission failure starting at 80K mi even with preventative maintenance. additional engine stalls randomly in middle of driving starting to appear with no error codes.
The final drive bearing within the continuously variable transmission is causing a whining noise. Diagnoses from the dealer is that the entire transmission needs to be replaced. This component transmits all engine torque to the wheels, and if failure occurs, it could cause overheating, slippage, jerking, or stalling putting the driver, passengers and all other persons on the road at risk. No indication of the failure was communicated by the vehicle via a light or message. I had to hear the noise, know it was a problem and bring it in to the dealership for diagnoses.
My car started making a whining noise from the engine. I took it into my Toyota dealer, and was told there was an internal bearing failure in the transmission. The transmission would have to be replaced. This is not right for a car only 4 1/2 years old. I contacted Toyota Brand Engagement Center Headquarters. They were of little help. I have researched other cases on the Toyota forum with exact same problems in the transmission. How can this not be a recall?
Mi guagua tiene problemas con la transmisión. El fallo se manifiesta con un sonido extraño y fuerte que aparece al conducir. La transmisión defectuosa sigue instalada y está disponible para inspección si se solicita. Esta situación pone en riesgo mi seguridad y la de otros, ya que el daño podría empeorar y dejarme sin control del vehículo o inmovilizarlo por completo. Se ha evaluado la guagua y las indicaciones son problemas en la transmisión, los síntomas son constantes y fáciles de reproducir. No hubo luces de advertencia ni mensajes antes de que apareciera el fallo; el único síntoma previo fue un ligero ruido que con el tiempo se volvió más fuerte. La causa exacta es desconocida, pero sospecho que puede ser problemas en la transmisión.
The transmission and torque converter both failed one morning. As soon as I️ realized I️ had a problem I️ took it to the mechanic. My car is available for inspection. I️ was lucky is happened while not driving. The issue has been confirmed by the mechanic as the problem and the NHTSA comments from others show it is a reoccurring problem with 2018 CHR Toyotas. The car has not been inspected by police or insurance representative. My car had a oil change a month prior at same mechanic and no lights or issues.
Currently has a whine and grinding noise from transmission. Toyota dealers would not replace transmission and Toyota USA was contatacted. Transmission, but not the torque converter was replaced at ~53,000 miles. Noises returned ~10,000 miles after replacment and was advised sound is normal. Noises got increasingly worse over time, despite regular service. Vehicle is drivable, but is no longer driven to prevent total failure. Current mileage is ~123,000 miles. Transmission fluid changed every ~25,000 miles using Toyota genuine fluid. Vehicle was used for commuting, mostly highway, with no towing (no tow hitch installed).
Transmission failure. We got it replaced for $11,000. Two years later, it failed again. This should be a civil law suit against selling faulty parts. Especially when it's cost thousands of dollars.
Informed today that the vehicle has an “internal transmission failure” with less than 90,000 miles.
The component that has been failing is the transmission is the CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission) is plagued by loud noises which can eventually lead to expensive gearbox failures. The safety risk is that the transmission will start Whining, humming or buzzing noise Rattling noises Slipping first gear or reverse. I have been told by a representative of Toyota that they have had many reports of problems with this years transmission. I first started noticing it around 55,000 miles and thought it was a bearing until did research online and this seems to be a problem that most owners are dealing with.
Transmission is failing despite appropriate service through Toyota Care.
The contact owns a 2018 Toyota C-HR. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact noticed a grinding sound when the accelerator pedal was depressed. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The contact was advised that the service manager would go to the residence and the vehicle would be driven to the dealer by the service manager. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a failed transmission and that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and agreed to assist with the cost of the repair. In addition, the contact was advised to report the failure to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 55,000.
Bought the car brand new in 2018, my car is only 90k miles and the transmission is bad. Apparently there’s thousands of owners requesting a recall on the transactions of these cars, not reliable at all… Please help, it’s outside warranty already and they refused to help me out with this problem that ITS NOT MY FAULT
Transmission is failing. Apparently it’s a very common problem amongst this car. Bunch of people are complaining about it on here and just a regular google search on any CHR form. This issue needs to be investigated as it may have faulty parts.
The contact owns a 2018 Toyota C-HR. The contact stated that while parking the vehicle in the driveway after the vehicle had been serviced at the dealer, he heard an abnormal sound coming from the front driver’s side door. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the impact intrusion prevention bar had fractured and fell inside the door. The dealer informed the contact to take the vehicle to an autobody shop to have the part re-welded. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact he would need to repair the vehicle at his own expense because the warranty had expired. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.
Transmission and/or Torque converter failure. Attempt to accelerate onto major Highway and vehicle shakes dramatically and will not gain speed, requiring a pull onto the shoulder of the road safety concern. 3 times. Had towed to local shop. They diagnosed faulty transmission and torque converter.
The transmission began to make noise and though the vehicle into park while sitting at a light. The vehicle has 80k miles. The dealership stated it was $10k to replace the transmission. This incident has happened twice and left me stranded. Reading the other complaints it sounds exactly the same.
On 2/13/2023, an object hit my windshield & it cracked. I filed a claim with my insurance & took it to Safelite. Safelite replaced my windshield on 2/27/2023, however, they were not able to recalibrate the sensors within the windshield. This means 3 safety components in my car no longer work, which are; lane departure, cruise control, & pre-collision. I now have a flashing warning in my dash constantly because the sensors embedded in the windshield aren’t calibrated, which is a hazard. I filed complaint #11448934 on 1/26/2022 with NHTSA explaining how my pre-collision system was giving me problems. Safelite is going to try a different glass and then try to recalibrate on 3/4/2023. My car is available upon request. My & others safety are put at risk because Toyota opted to put important safety features in one of the most exposed & vulnerable places on a car, that I quite frankly wasn’t aware of until it cracked. I have not had it evaluated by the manufacturer, independent dealer/service center and it has not been inspected. There haven’t been any accidents.. yet. I will upload a picture of the Safelite work order. You will see it says, “Recal failed”
At my most recent service visit (Oct 2022), I requested information about an issue my C-HR is having ("broken" image on the sideview mirror puddle lights) and was told that the issue was not covered under warranty even though the car was in Toyota’s care for months before I purchased it in 2020 and the issue was a known issue by Toyota. Unfortunately, it did not appear on my vehicle until recently. However, I have found a Toyota Customer Support Program Bulletin (No. POL19-05) on the NHTSA website that says that Toyota would cover the issue under Secondary Coverage for 5 years from the vehicle’s first date of use or 60,000 whichever occurs first. My car is definitely in this time range. I would like to have this issue fixed by Toyota as it appears to qualify as a known defect.
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? CVT Transmission. Yes, it is available for inspection. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? After doing research on the safety of driving on a failing transmission, this is what I found: "If you want to risk transmission locked up while driving then yes, but if you want to be safe, you should avoid it at all costs. Even when there is a transmission fail-safe, it is not completely safe to drive." The car could fail to accelerate, and if on the highway, this could pose a significant risk to myself, my family and other people and their families. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Confirmed by Toyota of Olympia in Tumwater, Wa. as well as Advanced Automotive in Shelton, Wa. Reproduced: Over 100 cases on CHR Forum. Messaged with one particular Toyota Family owner in Texas who was able to get Toyota to replace his transmission for about 1500 after a lot of persistence (his estimate was a little less than 10K; my estimate was almost 12K) Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? NO Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No warning lights. Noises began about 2 months ago. I haven't driven it for the last month ...fearful of causing harm to myself or others). At 65,000 miles transmission began whirring at speeds above 45mph, progressing louder as speed increases. Toyota Dealership refused to contact manufacturer for issues even though the same CVT transmission is being repaired as needed for free in the 2019 Toyota Corolla. The CHR isn't advertised. I contacted Toyota National and thought I was making progress. However, when they contacted the dealer to work a deal, they ceased communication 5 days past when they said I should hear back. Love my car
Transmission grinding no warning.
The electric parking brake system on my vehicle has malfunctioned and is stuck in the engaged position, preventing my rear brake pads and rotors from being changed. The component is still in my possession and available for inspection upon request. Safety Risk: This issue directly impacts vehicle safety, as I am unable to service or replace the rear brakes, which are a critical safety component. Additionally, the malfunction may cause the brake to engage or fail to disengage unexpectedly, creating a risk while driving or parking. Confirmed by a Professional: Yes, the problem has been confirmed by an independent service center, which attempted to service the brakes but could not proceed due to the failure of the electric parking brake actuator/module. Inspection by Authorities or Manufacturer: As of now, the vehicle has not been inspected by the manufacturer, police, or insurance, but I am seeking further diagnostic help from a dealer. Warning Signs Prior to Failure: Yes, prior to the failure, I noticed warning messages on the dashboard related to the parking brake system, including a “Parking Brake Malfunction” alert.
on December 21, my car would not accelerate while pulling out onto a 50pmh road. I took it to dealer where diagnostics were ran and nothing was found. 4 hours later after they worked on my brakes they said that my transmission was totally shot and needed total replacement for $10,000. The specifically said 4 hours prior that nothing transmission related came up on diagnostics and they could not replicate my acceleration issue when I first brought it in. How, all of the sudden 4 hours later, is there a complete replacement needed? and how does a transmission fail on a 4 year old car like that all of sudden. What if i was on the freeway? I could have been killed or injured. Google searches show many others are experiencing the same thing with the same vehicle yet no recall. Toyota is aware and will not acknowledge. Now I'm stuck with a $10,000 repair bill and a worry if my car is safe.
EPB Malfunction visit dealer lit up on dash. Dealer does not have this as a recall for my vehicle, but there is a recall for certain 2018 CHRs. If I have this issue, just like other CHR owners, my vehicle should be included in the recall as well.
The contact owns a 2018 Toyota C-HR. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, an abnormal high-pitched whining sound emitted from the vehicle without warning. The contact was able to drive the vehicle to the dealer where a diagnostic test was performed. The contact was later notified that the transmission had failed and needed to be replaced. The contact was then given an estimate for the repair. The manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 67,000.
There is usually a consistently loud humming, as if the vehicle is trying to switch gears, but its not happening. Transmission not changing might eventually lead to vehicle suddenly stopping, which might cause a pile up on a highway over time. Also at a complete stop, the engine revs up
Bought a brand new 2018 Toyota CHR in 2018. Went to the dealer for every checkup. Whistling sound while driving that progressed louder as miles went up on it. Nothing else seemed wrong. No lights, no shifting issues, no warnings at all! Finally took it to the dealership at 72,000 for the answer to the whistling. Transmission failure! Contacted BBB with complaint. Toyota is not taking any responsibility due to the 60,000 mile warranty. To pay $26,000 for a vehicle that won’t even last 80,000 miles is a defect, plain and simple!
This specific vehicle has a major issue with the transmission system that has not been addressed and ignored by dealer/seller. No warning lamps appeared notifying driver of issue.
Transmission went bad after 90K but the buzzing sound has been coming from transmission since 50-60k
Unknown cause, went to turn on car and battery had died. Recent inspection shows battery power was great. No lights turned on when car was off. Found forums of other drivers describing the same issue stating their dealerships were unable to address the problem. Dash showed "EPB not available", "Abnormal Voltage" and "Power Steering Low" while driving. Difficult to turn the steerwhing wheel and radio was going in and out. https://www.toyotachrforum.com/threads/abnormal-voltage-steering-power-low-message.6191/ https://www.chrforums.uk/threads/abnormal-voltage-stearing-power-low.2308/ https://m.carcomplaints.com/Toyota/C-HR/2018/steering/steering.shtml
The transmission failed at 84,500 miles.
Transmission Failure prematurely. Less than 100k, serviced @ Toyota at 5k internals and dead before 100k
Per my mechanic my car has a CVT transmission issues hearing a whining noise coming from the front end sounds like its going to fall apart, I just bought this car only 7 months ago . The warranty is non exisitent the first month I had this car the battery died and I had to lose a day at work becuase of that and paid $400.00 for that .No warning lights for this issue I will filing a civil law suit, I'm a middle age woman trying to work and pay my bills and when something like this happens to a car I just bought it's so unfair. I dont have $8000 to spend on these repairs . This is my only means of transportation.
Just got the information that my 2018 Toyota CH-R needs a new transmission. Upon hearing a whining noise in the front end, took it in to get looked at. With unknown knowledge of the problem, this could cause serious damage and failure to shift and engine failure while driving. Upon looking to see if this is a common problem, I quickly found out that it is very common. It apparently is a known problem with Toyota and definitely should be addressed with other Toyota owners.
Powertrain transmission breakdown and failure. From my investigating it is clearly evident this is a common recurring safety malfunction. pertaining to 2018 Toyota Chr. I have read over 100 cases in online forums describing exactly what is now happening to my vehicle. Starts with a loud front end humming or whistling noise when the car is accelerating over 5mph. In a short time the problem worsen to shuttering, and ultimate transmission failure. Almost all the cases I have read the occurrence happens between 60,000 - 90,000 miles. Once brought in for diagnosis the outcome is the same for all vehicles the Transmission and torque converter are at fault and needs to be replaced. What I have further discovered is Toyota did a recall on the one vehicle that is identical to the 2018 Toyota Chr: Toyota recalls Corolla Hatchbacks The torque converter in the Continuously Variable Transmission could fail Read less Toyota is recalling about 3,400 model year 2019 Corolla Hatchbacks. The torque converter in the Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) could fail, resulting in a loss of motive power increasing the risk of crash. What to do Toyota is currently obtaining parts to replace the Direct Shift-CVT with a new one containing a new torque converter not affected by this issue at no cost to customers. Owners of all recalled vehicles will will be notified by first-class mail. The recall is expected to begin in mid-February. Owners may contact Toyota at (800) 331-4331 Toyota is recalling about 3,400 model year 2019 Corolla Hatchbacks.The torque converter in the Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) could fail, resulting in injury From what I read this was not a Government or Safety mandated recall and Toyota did this recall silently, letting the problem vehicles come to them first. Please see that something is done for this clear and present safety issue.
A noise occurs when driving. had it checked by two sources one being the Toyota dealer, the other independent. Both concluded the transmission was at fault. The dealer quotes me a price to replace(no repair option) of $13,000. There was no engine warning lights or such to alert me to the problem- just the noise. I think the safety issue is obvious. If I continue to drive the vehicle and the transmission fails especially on a highway at higher speeds than street driving- who knows what bad outcome that might be! This seems to be a very wide problem with these transmissions. There is a lot of complaints posted for this model in particular but also across years of cars- 2018-202. It seems to be a known problem by Toyota but no recalls, TSBs or efforts to resolve.
EPB brake warning is showing on my display. I see there is a recall for this exacy item for the 2018 CH-R vehicles but it says that my car isnt involved. Is it just a coincidence?
The electronic parking brake isn't operating properly, causing the parking brake to not disengage after it’s applied and as it stays engaged onto the brakes, its wearing out the brake pads and it eventually started to wear out causing loud screeching noise due to contact between rotors and brake pads metal. i swapped out the rotors and the brake pads twice already and its not stopping atall. i believe its something to do with emergency braking system where it sometimes does affect the functionality of the brakes and caliper and could cause a fatal incident if not addressed.
My transmission started failing 4 years after I bout it. And now it’s worse than ever
The contact owns a 2018 Toyota C-HR. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was making grinding sounds. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed as a user error. The failure recurred and the vehicle was then taken to Charlie's Toyota (451 Western Ave, Augusta, ME 04330) where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but informed the contact that the warranty had expired. The failure mileage was approximately 102,000. The contact has stated that after paying to get the vehicle fixed, they sold it.
CVT transmission went out at about 101,000, and is currently sitting in my yard.
The contact owns a 2018 Toyota C-HR. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, several unknown messages were displayed with several unknown warning lights illuminated. The contact also stated that there was an abnormal odor coming from the vehicle. Out of precaution, the contact had the vehicle towed to his residence and replaced the battery; however, the failure persisted. The contact notified the dealer of the failure however, the dealer offered no assistance. The manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 39,000.
I am currently at 57,110 miles and I noticed a whining noise coming from the front of my car while driving with the window down on June 5, 2022. It’s as if it’s coming from the wheel bearing or front axle. I also noticed today that my car had a kick to it, like a horse galloping. This seems to be very mysterious as I just took my car to a Toyota dealership at the end of April and they reported absolutely no issues. I’m afraid that my power train/transmission may be going bad, which would be very very awful as my car hasn’t even reached 60,000 miles yet.
Just driving hearing noise from passenger side wheels took to toyata 15000 for repair Transmission bad
Transmission issues: Car makes noises. This was a concern because the car could just stop in the middle of the road. An independent mechanic and the dealer confirmed that it is the transmission. Although the car is only four years old, the transmission is out of warranty due to have exceeded 60,000 miles. I heard that other chrs had the same issue as well.
The pre-collision system malfunction warning appeared on my dash. It turned off the pre-collision warning, cruise control and lane assist alerts. I took it to the dealer for diagnostics and they told me it was mice on the wiring harness. The picture they provided did not show any bite marks.
My CHR has had a growl coming from the front end thinking wheel bearings or transmission as it gets louder at higher speeds. I have taken it to the dealer and they said rear wheel bearings and not the transmission. Had another service center check the rear bearings and they were fine. Now several months later, it is at the dealer again for the same problem. From what I read on CHR Forums, this is a common problem for CHR's and is indicative of transmission failures. Most happen under warranty miles, but since it is a common problem, toyota needs to fix the issue for its customers. I see quotes for $9000.00 to replace transmission and torque converters for a known problem and should be a manufacturer fix not the customers.
EPB Malfunction visit dealer Pre-Collision System Malfunction visit dealer vehicle has a rough drive, does not have the same shifting power on road.