2018 Toyota C-HR complaints

I noticed a whining sound coming from the vehicle. It would get louder as I accelerated. Took it into a mechanic he drove it, put it on the lift and said the noise was coming from the transmission. I took it to another shop and they quoted me $9,000. For a replacement. This is a problem that Toyota and other manufacturers know about. The CVT is unserviceable.

UNKNOWN. Car has been making a humming noise for the last 4 years. I have taken it to multiple shops, and repair companies for inspection. Wheel bearings have been repaired 2x, ball joints, as well as sway bars. Tires have been replaced, breaks and rotors have been replaced. Noise still persisted. Noise has recently become louder, creating question when driving the car. Mechanic has determined that the noise is coming from inside the transmission. Upon inspection, the Internal Bearing has been failing. Due to Toyota's negligence, there is no official recall or plan to help car owners fix the problem.

A bearing has gone bad in the CVT transmission with only 128000 miles on the vehicle. The repair cost over 10,000 dollars because the design of the transmission does not allow for the bearing to be replaced.

There was a complete failure of the CVT transmission. It left my daughter completely stranded in a parking lot. The car was inspected at the local Toyota dealership and that is where the transmission failure was confirmed. There were no lamps or messages until my daughter tried to start the car again and every light on the dashboard lit up. Before that, there had been a slight whining sound but we were not sure what was causing it.

Started making a clicking noise after crossing a railroad track and then all of a sudden jerked and stopped going forward. I’ve only had the car for a year and never been in an accident.

Transmission bearing which caused entire transmission to fail.

Car only had 80,000 miles and started humming or whining. Mechanic said these cars are bad about the cvt bearing going out but have to change whole transmission.

The vehicle developed a loud whining noise coming from the transmission/final drive area while driving. The noise became progressively worse over time. A dealership/service center diagnosed the issue and confirmed that the transmission needs to be replaced due to failure in the final drive portion of the transmission. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request.. The transmission issue creates a potential safety concern because worsening transmission failure could affect the vehicle’s ability to accelerate, maintain speed, or continue operating safely while driving. This car is only a 2018 model and has less than 85k miles. The abnormal whining noise was present prior to diagnosis and continued to worsen. The issue has been confirmed by a professional service center during a multi-point inspection and diagnostic evaluation. No crash or injury has occurred at this time.

Car has started whining while driving. Mechanic says the whole transmission will need replaced due to cvt bearing failure. It only has 94392 miles on it.

Have a bad bearing in the transmission, which makes a whining noise when driving. Was notified that the transmission will go out at some point. The problem has been confirmed by a dealer. No warning lights have been triggered for the problem.

I bought my 2018 Toyota CHR back in November from a Mitsubishi dealership. When I first test drove it, it was making a weird whining noise, I was told it was the bearing and that they will fix it before I pick the vehicle up. They kept the car for several days to repair it and inspect it. A few days after picking the car up I started to hear a very low noise. I couldn’t describe the sound because it wasn’t a rattling and it wasn’t the same kind of sound from the first time. When I brought it back in we did a test driver but the GM couldn’t hear it. I did a recording of the noise and sent it to him, they told me to wait until my warranty was active before they can do anything. As time went on the noise got louder and now sounds like a motorcycle when I accelerate. And makes a whining down noise when I’m slowing down. When I accelerate it doesn’t feel like the car is moving but it sounds like it is. I have not been put in any danger yet but I don’t feel safe driving it. I’ve reached it online and found out what I am experiencing is common failure and there is currently a class action happening in Canada for a transmission bearing failure. From what have been reported, if I continue to drive it the transmission can fail.

Transmission

When I drive the car it just cuts off I took it to the dealer ship many times they claim that didn’t know want the issue was but said something about replacing fuse so I replace the fuse the car drives maybe 5 to 10 miles then cuts off and the fuse is blown again. I constantly have to change fuses dealer can’t help. It’s an electrical or wire problem. I have two people that had. 2018 Toyota chr that does the same thing

The transmission has a failing bearing which requires replacement. This is a lawsuit already and recall in Canada plus three other countries internationally. Do the right thing and force Toyota to fix a faulty issue that's happening in almost 35% of the this year's vehicle.

The contact owns a 2018 Toyota C-HR. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, there was an abnormal sound coming from underneath the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with transmission bearing failure. The mechanic recommended that the transmission be rebuilt or replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. While investigating the failure online, the contact became aware that a recall was issued in Canada for similar vehicles. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 89,000.

My transmission failed after only having my vehicle for 4 months. My safety and the safety of my passengers was put at high risk because of this issue due to stalling in traffic and loss of acceleration. My problem was confirmed by 2 separate mechanics and my local Toyota dealership. I also was able to confirm in this process that this is a common issue with this specific year of the CH-R and it needs to be addressed by Toyota. This issue came without warning.

When you give the car gas the car starts to rumble. Sounds like gears slipping or grinding. Brought car to Price LeBlanc Toyota in Baton Rouge, LA where car was purchased and service department stated nothing was wrong and that noise had stopped. When driving car home noise was worst than when brought to service department stated.

Whirring noise, something loose in transmission - many cases of this but no recall or recourse to fix a defect

Transmission issue per car dealer

Transmission completely gave up. Took it to be looked at and the people who service my car regularly were incredibly confused. No service light. No warnings. Nothing other than a rattling sound when I accelerated was the indicator. I searched online and this model has recalls outside the U.S. for the SAME reason but recalls are not available here in the U.S. so many customers are suffering because of this car. I too cannot afford to replace it & I barely had it for 4 years so it wasn’t even completely paid off once it died. I have a commute on the interstate of 30 minutes to and from work every day. I’m so relieved I took it to be checked before I put myself in danger on the road. It had absolutely NO warning to let me know that it was having transmission issues. Not even a check engine service light or error. My service area didn’t even notice anything wrong when I had my oil changed 2 months before I made them check the noise. It has been inspected by 2 local repair businesses. The only symptom I had was a very light rattling noise. I thought it was the plastic cover underneath my vehicle. If I didn’t go for that reason, I don’t know what would’ve happened to me. They had to bring in a seasoned repair man to find out the culprit in the end & I received the bad news before they closed up shop

It’s the transmission failure, most owners have complained about the same issues and Toyota ain’t doing nothing about it

The transmission in this specific car model for not only me, but others as well always have problems and go out at any time. Dealership won’t help with me having my warranty go out even tho it’s a notorious problem. Typically costs over 10k in in repairs of replacing the transmission that will eventually go out again.

On 3/31/2026, SUDDEN Power train failure occurred with 122k miles.

Bearing in transmission failed. Need to replace the whole transmission. Car is 8 years old and has 59,000 miles

Complete transmission failure.

The CVT transmission failed on my 2018 Toyota C-HR, which I purchased in 2022. The vehicle stalled in the middle of traffic on a day with elevated temperatures while my special needs child was a passenger, creating an immediately life-threatening situation. The car showed no signs of any issue prior to this failure. I attempted to have the vehicle inspected multiple times before the failure occurred, but this defect is not detectable without a deep diagnostic inspection and by the time that level of inspection is needed, the transmission is already in the process of failing. There are no warning lights or symptoms until complete failure occurs. When I contacted Toyota, the representative acted as though this was an isolated issue and not a known defect. This is false. This is a viral, widespread problem that the vast majority of 2018 Toyota C-HR owners are experiencing and actively reporting across forums, consumer complaint sites, and to NHTSA itself. Toyota is fully aware of this defect. Upon seeking an independent inspection, the mechanic showed me the same transmission from another vehicle of the same make and compared it to mine, explaining that the C-HR uses a larger CVT transmission, making a used replacement approximately $6,000 alone and advised that given the repair cost relative to the car’s value, purchasing a new vehicle may be the only realistic option. I am now completely without transportation due to what is clearly a premature manufacturing defect on a 7-year

The wheel bearings inside of the transmission of the 2018 CHR and newer models commonly fail and seize up causing the vehicle to lock up and create a dangerous situation while driving. In Canada the highway safety has recalled the Transmissions and had them repaired unlike in the United States. The wheel bearings in my 2018 CHR CVT transmission or seizing up and causing damage to the engine which could result in severe safety risks while driving possibly leading to accident or loss of life. Out of fear of safety after I was told by Toyota that this was the issue that was reported Nationwide and that the country of Canada recalled the transmission out of safety concerns for the public I decided to park the vehicle and not drive it anymore for fear of safety for my family.

The transmission has failed at 135K miles. The dealer has confirmed. Cost to repair around $10,000. The vehicle periodically loses power/acceleration without warning - no lamps/lights/messages. Seems to be a common issue with this make and model.

The 2018 Toyota C-HR has a known continuously variable transmission (CVT) defect. Toyota should extend its powertrain warranty to cover failures of the continuously variable transmission (CVT) on the model.

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).

My car has been making high pitched whining sound from front end for the last 20,000 miles. I am currently at 101,500 mi and have been advised it is the transmission. I have done some research on the 2018 Toyota CHR's and found that Canada has extended the warranty of the CVT transmission to 193,000 miles [XXX] ). When I reached out to Toyota USA they acted as if they were unaware and could not assist now that my warranty has expired. Toyota's are known for their reliability and good quality. Now I am left with a car that isn't even paid off yet and relatively low on miles especially considering the issue started at about 90,000 miles. I want to bring this to your attention in hopes that if other countries recognize this as an issue and have made it right maybe something can be done here to rectify the situation. I also located class a class action lawsuit that has begun for Toyota on this issue [XXX] ). I am a single mother and can't afford to replace a transmission. Please help! INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

CVT is making a Whining noise when driving. Cold it when it's heard the most but always there. Seeing posts that the CVT has and is having a bearing issue.

TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT ONLY 74,000 MILES. VERY DISAPPOINTED TO FIND OUT THAT THEY ONLY HAVE A SPECIAL COVERAGE AVAILABLE IN CANADA FOR THIS ISSUE AND NOT THE UNITED STATES.

The contact owns a 2018 Toyota C-HR. While at a stop, the vehicle vibrated abnormally without warning. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, but no cause for the issue was found. While operating the vehicle, there was an abnormal whining sound coming from the vehicle, with the message "Service Engine Soon" displayed. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where a diagnostic test revealed a failure with the ball bearings inside the CVT. The contact was informed that the transmission and the torque converter needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was contacted and offered to cover half of the cost of the repair. The transmission and torque converter were replaced, and the vehicle was repaired. The contact was provided with a case number from the manufacturer. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.

Internal Bearing in transmission has a grinding sound, no shop is willing to fix it.

On February 6, 2026 the transmission in my 2018 Toyota CHR began to malfunction while on interstate 90. IF the transmission had completely failed on a major highway it could have impacted my safety as well as anyone travelling in proximity to me. When I was able to get off the thru-way there was considerable screaming and clunking from the front end. Two auto repair businesses confirmed that it was the tranmission. The vehicle is available for inspection. No indication prior to the event. I had taken the vehicle to a local dealer in December to have the transmission serviced and was told by their service department that it was not necessary unless there were warning lights on or if the car was not operating in a normal manner.

My transmission broke down, There have been multiple reports of CVT transmission failures. Toyota experimented with a new transmission in the 2017-2020 CH-r models. No disclosures were attached. Replacements are the only option for this repair. Toyota is charging between $10,000-$14,000 for parts and labor.

Transmission creating a very load whining sound and feels wrong. It sounds like it’s going to blow up. Mechanic said it’s a known issue that can’t be repaired and no recall has been issued. The car is necessary for college and I’m concerned about the safety of driving it with the potential of total transmission failure.

The CVVT broke. The dealership said a part broke and agreed that it was a "known issue" with this vehicle. Toyota was contacted (Engagement Center) and insisted that it is not a known issue.

Purchased my car, kept up with regular maintenance. Toyota and another mechanic confirm that I need to replace my transmission at 130k miles. It will cost me 12k. This is a known issue from Toyota because of a defective bearing. Yet I as the consumer must foot the bill. This needs to be recalled as it’s a common failure among over 4 years of this cars model. Toyota of Canada has recalled and issued a warranty extension on all 2018 and 2019 models which replaced this issue FREE OF CHARGE. Toyota US is charging me 12 thousand dollars. Needs a recall

The car's transmission starts making noise at 81600 miles on odometer. I turned my car to Toyota certified repair shop to inspecting, Toyota technician told me that the car transmission has fail and needs to be replaced. Toyota is not responsible for replacement. It cost $14000 for the parts plus labors. I had this car for little more than 7 years, The car' transmission has not even reached 100000 miles it fails. Toyota usually making reliable car but this one fail miserably

I left my apartment on my way to school when my vehicle suddenly stopped in the middle of the road. I was on a three lane, one way street and I was stuck in the middle. My vehicle could not move forward or backward despite the engine still running and being gear. It was a really busy time of day and I sat there for about 3 hours, still in the middle of the street, waiting for a tow. A police officer had to sit behind me with his lights on and cones out to prevent other drivers from colliding with me. No warning lights came up on my dash prior to or during the incident. The repair shop diagnosed it to need a new transmission and torque converter costing roughly $16k to fix. My vehicle is under 100k miles and I have seen others complain about the same issue. Toyota Canada has issued an extended warranty on these same vehicles because this is a known issue however, the same cannot be said for the US. My car is currently still in the shop as I am still trying to figure out how I’m going to get it repaired.

CVT Transmission making Whining noise and shifting hard while driving. After extensive research I have discovered this is a common problem with the 2018 CH-R. Extended warranty of 10 years or 150,000 mi available for Canada, but not US. I have been a loyal Toyota owner for over 20 years, owning 5 different Toyotas, and even encouraged my kids to purchase Toyota due to longevity, reliability, and durability of the products. Our family has owned over 15 Toyota vehicles. Due to Toyotas refusal to take responsibility we will no longer give our business to this company and will tell everyone we know to NEVER purchase a Toyota

I am having issues with the transmission bearings the vehicle is right at 80k miles and the transmission is giving an awful noise

Transmission failing, I’ve read this is extremely common on these cars. In Canada they have issued a recall on these vehicles. It’s been making noise for quite a while, it recently started getting. Loud grinding squeaky sounds.

Vehicle has a cvt transmission and has faulty bearings. Started making a dragging rough noise. Needs a whole new transmission.

Transmission bearings

Transmission failure due to CVT bearing failure

Transaxle assembly, consistent with a possible differential bearing fault no transmission fault I have been quoted of price range $5,000 to $11,000 and have read that for 2018-2019 there have been issues but why is my vehicle not included. I was told by Toyota my vehicle not included in the extended warranty

A barring in the CVT transmission went out and I was told by the dealer I need to replace the transmission. This is a common failure with this vehicle