2018 Toyota C-HR Power Train

My transmission went in my 2018 Toyota car and the dealer wants to charge me more than the cars worth. It only lasted until 83000 miles. Many others had the same complaint online and Toyota will not do anything about it. Took it in to the dealer when I was supposed to for maintenance. So frustrating that now I will have to get another car and can't afford it.

The CTV transmission failed with a check engine light and multiple error codes including front end collision warning failure and Electronic brakes failure. The car had supposedly passed a 125 pt inspection less than 5000 miles before this. In addition, the fluid had been replaced as recommended at about 60,000 miles.

The eCVT transmission failed causing the vehicle to stop at highway speed. No warnings. Only warning was a whining sound that could have been mistaken for highway noise. When taken to a dealer this was beyond repair. Since this was a "sealed" transmission, no maintenance was required or recommended by the dealer. I have only had this vehicle maintained by the dealer. Other Toyota C-HR owners have had the same problem.

I am reporting a defective CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission) in my Toyota vehicle that completely failed at approximately 85,000 miles under normal driving conditions. The transmission did not exhibit abusive use or unusual load beyond everyday driving — just standard highway and city miles. At ~85,000 miles, the transmission began to exhibit significant performance degradation and mechanical failure, including (describe what happened — e.g., whining, slipping, failure to engage, loss of drive). Eventually it failed outright, leaving the vehicle inoperable and requiring a replacement transmission at substantial cost. Toyota has used this CVT design across multiple models, and there are numerous owner complaints and documented powertrain failures tied to Toyota’s CVT, including reports of failures well below 100,000 miles. Independent sources and consumer complaint databases show this is not isolated — many owners report early transmission failures and extremely high replacement costs when out of warranty. CarComplaints +1 I believe this is a safety and reliability defect because a transmission giving out at moderate mileage can cause loss of propulsion, unexpected behavior while driving, and potentially hazardous situations if it fails while the vehicle is in motion. This issue should be investigated for potential recall or formal safety action, as the frequency and severity of failures impose undue financial hardship and risk to consumers. I am submitting this complaint to alert NHTSA to the pattern of CVT failures in Toyota vehicles and to ensure that this problem receives appropriate investigation

The transmission had to be replaced before 100k miles. If I didn't notice it in time, I could have caused an accident if the transmission stopped working. The dealership I got it fixed at said there were other cars, same make and model, that had to have full transmission replacements. I saw online that a bunch of other people had the same problem as me. It has not been inspected by the manufacturer, police, or insurance representatives. It was inspected by the mechanics at my dealership. There were no warning lamps or messages. I just began to hear odd loud noises while I was driving.

The contact owns a 2018 Toyota C-HR. The contact stated that while driving at 45 MPH, the vehicle made an abnormal whining sound that became louder during acceleration. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the bearings in the transmission had failed, causing the transmission failure. The dealer determined that the transmission needed to be replaced and provided an estimate for the repair. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The contact stated that the vehicle had been recalled in Canada due to the same failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 82,960.

Faulty CVT transmission

Transmission internally failed. This has been confirmed through multiple sources. Dealership, mechanic. No warning lights, grinding noise. My safety is put at risk because A failing transmission creates multiple safety hazards while driving. The vehicle may lose power unexpectedly, hesitate, or fail to accelerate when needed, especially during turns, intersections, or highway merging. It can also shift unpredictably or refuse to shift, causing sudden jerking, surging, or deceleration that increases the risk of losing control. Transmission failure can lead to total loss of propulsion in traffic, leaving the vehicle stalled in dangerous locations. Additionally, fluid leaks and overheating pose fire risks. Overall, the unpredictable operation of a failing transmission significantly increases the likelihood of collisions and unsafe driving situations.

The contact owns a 2018 Toyota C-HR. The contact stated that there was an abnormal thumping sound coming from the vehicle while driving at undisclosed speeds. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who confirmed that the transmission was faulty. The vehicle was taken to another unknown dealer, who informed the contact that the transmission was failing. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who confirmed the failure was due to the transmission. The manufacturer was contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 42,000.

I can hear a whirling sound coming from under the car. I took it to the mechanic and was told the transmission is failing and need replacement. I was told by At a Toyota dealership there is no maintenance on this transmission. It doesn’t even have a dipstick to check levels. The whole design is to replace rather than maintain. My car had 80k miles when it started

At approx 110K miles, I noticed the CVT transmission whining during acceleration - w/ the whining noise increasing/decreasing as I accelerated/decelerated. As the whining increased over the ensuing miles, during my 120K service, I asked the dealer to evaluate its cause - and was advised that my transmission is failing and that I need a new one. Estimated cost: $12K. Yes, trans is available for inspection upon request. Obviously, should the trans fail while the vehicle's being operated, it could leave the driver (me) stranded or worse. Trans has only been evaluated by the dealer's service tech(s). No warning lamps or other indicia that trans is failing has appeared. In addition, I've noticed no performance issues/differences - w/ the only symptom to this point being the loud whining as I accelerate.

Car making a whining noise Took it to the mechanic and they diagnosed it as a transmission issue Looked online and noticed that this is a common issue that multiple people with this model are experiencing

2018 TOYOTA CH-R DEAD TRANSMISSION OVER ONE YEAR AGO -139,000 MILES DEALERSHIP REPAIR BIDS $12,000 AND $9,930. NO REPAIR ATTEMPTED CANDA APA Toyota has extended the warranty on the 2018 and 2019 C-HR coupe to cover CVT transmission failures up to 10 years or 193,000 km. A defective bearing inside the transmission can fail over time, resulting in a very expensive repair. Consumers reported spending $10,500 to $15,000 at a Toyota dealership to replace the entire CVT transmission. The warranty extension carries no mileage limitation [XXX] OP • 4mo ago Definitely Toyota manufacturing in Canada has already began to work with their national highway association to pressure for extended warranties. I would contact the Canadian Toyota manufacturer wait for the customer satisfaction advocacy option. It’s one of the last on the menu so just be patient and then they’ll lead you in the right direction from there. [XXX] [XXX] • 2mo ago I called corporate told them my situation said that I came on Reddit and I went on the web and I did research and found out that this is a common problem of transmission failure failure at low mileage. I had 60,000 miles on my 2018 told them that there are going to be class action lawsuits against them coming up. They called me the next day and said they would repair mine for free. I have a year warranty. I got my car back in three days. I was totally blown away. Toyota actually really came through. [XXX] • 1mo ago Omg!! I'm gonna have to try this. My transmission also just went out this week 120k miles and 2019. I'm so upset and don't know what to do!! I love my CHR so much INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

There are multiple reports across North America and Canada about 2018 Toyota C-HR Transmission making noise because of the bearing failing. Canada already issues a Warranty Enhancement Program (WEP) to offer owners of this vehicle at no cost to help them get a repair and replacement of the transmission because this is a high value repair cost at around $5,000-$10,000. I hope you can do something about this and help us get this similar program at least here in the US. I am including the link for the Warranty Enhancement program for this issue. Thank you! [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

CVT transmission failure after owning this vehicle for two years. I bought this vehicle in feb 2023 for my daughter in college and she has put only around 35k miles since the purchase. She took the car to the Toyota dealer oct 2025 reporting a whining noise and they stated the car now needs a complete replacement transmission costing $11,000. I am a single father and and still owe over $11000 on this car. Please consider a national recall on this transmission. I do not have financial resources to fix this car or purchase a new car for my daughter.

I am reporting repeated transmission failures and unsafe driving behavior in my 2018 Toyota C-HR. The transmission was first replaced at approximately 89,000 miles under an extended warranty due to whining noises and slipping. Since then, I have returned to the dealership three separate times with the same symptoms. The dealer acknowledges the issue but has not performed any corrective repairs. The vehicle now exhibits the same failure symptoms again at 124,000 miles. These include whining noises when accelerating, hesitation to engage, and intermittent loss of power. This creates unsafe driving conditions, especially when merging or crossing intersections. Details and Pattern: Toyota Canada has publicly acknowledged a faulty bearing inside the CVT transmission for the 2018–2019 Toyota C-HR and extended the warranty to 10 years / 193,000 km. My vehicle has the same CVT transmission (K114) and was built in the same factory (Turkey). Toyota USA has not offered any comparable warranty extension or recall, despite identical vehicles experiencing the same failures. Numerous other U.S. owners have reported similar CVT failures to NHTSA and CarComplaints.com. This appears to be a widespread safety defect related to the transmission’s internal bearing or CVT assembly, which can cause loss of power and control while driving. Requested Action: I request that NHTSA investigate the 2018 Toyota C-HR CVT transmission for design or manufacturing defects, including bearing failure, and determine whether a U.S. recall or extended warranty campaign should be issued as Toyota Canada has already done.

My vehicles CVT transmission went out after only 77k miles. Im reading online that this is a common problem and the costs to repair are 10k plus.

My 2018 Toyota CHR started making a whining noise which I initially thought was a wheel bearing but was later confirmed to be a transmission problem. The mileage was 62, 871, but as I stated earlier it could have been earlier because I thought the initial noise was a wheel bearing. I took the Toyota CHR to the Toyota dealership on 10/14/25 at which time they determine the transmission was bad and had a cost of $12,369.64 to replace. The car did not have any indication or any warning lamps of the problem.

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.

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 that while driving at 30 MPH, there was an abnormal grinding sound coming from the transmission. No warning light was illuminated. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed, and determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and denied a claim from the owner. The approximate failure mileage was 75,000.

I have a 2018 Toyota C-HR. I fully paid it off several years ago. I’ve noticed a low whirring noise a few times and after maintenance checks they’ve gone away. It started probably around 45/50k miles but around 80k the noise gradually got louder. At my 90k inspection Toyota told me that the noise what coming from my transmission and they didn’t want to complete the transmission flush due to the issue. They said I needed to replace the transmission and it would cost roughly $10k. The service provider said he could refer me to an auto body shop down the street but it would still be between $6-8k for a used transmission. He also told me my car is still drivable but he recommended I get it replaced as soon as possible. I paid the car off fully trusting Toyota’s reliability. I’m not even at 100k miles and the car is failing me.

At 85,000 miles the car began making a loud humming sound. When inspected by Toyota dealership they said I need a new transmission for $13,000. Upon researching the issues I came across numerous other people with the same make and model car with the same issues and outcomes.

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.

Transmission is making a humming sound while taking off then you can’t hear it anymore until you slow down was told by a transmission shop that it’s the bearing that goes inside the transmission and it’s a very costly fix up to $15,000 dollars transmission and labor