Toyota C HR Reliability by YearBest & worst years, problems & recalls — NHTSA data
Comparing used Toyota C HR options? We analyzed 6 model years (2018–2026) using real NHTSA complaint and recall data so you can spot stronger years, avoid riskier ones, and know what to inspect before buying.
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- Accident & damage history
- Odometer rollback records
- Open recalls & title brands
Based on NHTSA complaint data, the Toyota C HR has 525 owner complaints and 6 safety recalls across model years 2018–2026. The most reported issue area is POWER TRAIN. 2018 drew the most complaints; 2021 drew the fewest.
- Make
- Toyota
- Model
- C HR
- Model years analyzed
- 2018–2026 (6 years)
- Total NHTSA complaints
- 525
- Safety recall campaigns
- 6
- Crash-related complaints
- 16
- Fire-related complaints
- 0
- Worst model year (by complaints)
- 2018 (317 complaints)
- Best model year (fewest complaints)
- 2021 (32 complaints)
- Top reported issue area
- POWER TRAIN
- Reliability signal
- Poor
By model year
Toyota C HR: which years to avoid & which to buy
Based on total NHTSA owner complaints per model year. Higher complaint counts indicate a riskier year to buy used — lower counts suggest a cleaner reliability record.
These years have the most owner complaints. Inspect carefully and always run a VIN check.
These years have the fewest owner complaints on record — lower risk starting points.
Crash test ratings
NHTSA NCAP crash test ratings
New Car Assessment ProgramNCAP crash tests measure how well a vehicle protects occupants in controlled frontal crash, side crash, and rollover scenarios. Stars are awarded per category (5 = safest). These laboratory results are independent of owner complaints and are performed by NHTSA engineers on new production vehicles.
NCAP crash test ratings for this model are not yet loaded or this vehicle was not tested in the years analyzed. NHTSA tests a subset of new vehicles each year. Check nhtsa.gov/ratings directly for the latest results.
What the complaint data suggests
PoorThe TOYOTA C HR has 525 NHTSA complaints and 6 recalls on record. 16 complaints involve crash-related incidents. This data reflects owner-reported issues submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
- 525 total complaints filed with NHTSA
- 6 federal recall campaigns
- 16 crash-related complaints on record
- Review NHTSA complaint history for the most-reported components
- Check recall completion status at nhtsa.gov/recalls
- Verify service records for frequently complained components
Consult the by-year breakdown to identify model years with elevated complaint rates.
Consult the by-year breakdown to identify model years with fewer reported issues.
- Run a VIN check on the specific vehicle you are considering
- Verify all open recalls are completed at nhtsa.gov/recalls
- Request service records for the most-reported complaint components
- Have a certified mechanic inspect the vehicle before purchase
Problems by model year (best vs. worst)
Source: NHTSA public complaints database. Updated: Sep 2026
Safety recalls
NHTSA safety recalls
6 recalls foundSafety recalls are mandatory repair campaigns ordered by NHTSA when a vehicle defect poses an unreasonable risk to safety. Manufacturers are required to fix recalled vehicles free of charge. Always verify open recalls before buying a used car.
SEAT BELTS: REAR/OTHER:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
SEAT BELTS: REAR/OTHER:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
POWER TRAIN:AXLE HUBS
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: SENSING SYSTEM: RADAR
EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS
PARKING BRAKE
Source: NHTSA Recalls Database. Data covers model years 2018–2026. Always run a VIN-specific check below for the most up-to-date open recall status.
Common problems
What goes wrong most often
The vehicle systems owners complain about most, ranked from all 525 NHTSA complaints — these are the areas to inspect first on a used car.
Owner complaints
NHTSA complaint reports
525 totalThese are consumer-submitted safety complaints filed directly with NHTSA. Each complaint describes a real owner's experience. Complaints flagged as crash-related or fire-related are highlighted.
Had to replace transmission- Internal failure.
Noise from the front end. Took vehicle to Toyota for diagnosis. Cvt transmission sneeds replacing
Transmission making winding noise, took into toyota told will need full transmission replacement. Said could just go out at anytime. 2020 with 75700 miles on car.
Transmission – Loss of Power / Jerking / Safety Hazard The vehicle is experiencing a serious issue with the K113 CVT transmission. The transmission produces abnormal noise and can jerk and lose power, creating a potentially hazardous condition, particularly when accelerating to overtake another vehicle or when merging onto a freeway. A sudden loss of power in these situations can significantly increase the risk of a collision. The vehicle has been properly maintained and driven normally. The transmission issue appears consistent with a known problem reported with this CVT/transmission design. I am concerned that the underlying manufacturing/design issue may cause premature transmission failure and create an unsafe driving condition. The vehicle currently has approximately 107,000 miles. Despite the issue, the vehicle may continue to operate and shift, making the problem difficult to identify until the transmission is under load or has been driven for some time. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate this transmission issue and determine whether a safety defect or manufacturing/design defect exists and whether additional action by the manufacturer is warranted.
CVT bearing disintegrating. Expected repair cost is $10k-$12k. Purchased about a year ago and still owe almost 20k on the loan. This is the car that was intended to be used by my daughter but cannot trust this to make the drive. There have been no warning lamps or system messages just a metal on metal grinding sound. This is a known issue with this model of vehicle and there is already a warranty enhancement for this issue on 2018 and 2019 models. Mine is a 2020 so they clearly did not fix this known issue. This started about a month ago as a slight high pitched whine and has quickly progressed to the point that we cannot use the vehicle.
The contact owns a 2020 Toyota C-HR. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine compartment. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission belt needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 81,321.
Read 14 more owner reports
While driving, my 2020 Toyota C-HR suddenly lost acceleration in the middle of the road, with the vehicle failing to respond to throttle input. This has now happened twice. There was no warning noise (no whining or grinding) beforehand, and the loss of power occurred without warning while the vehicle was in motion, creating a dangerous driving condition due to inability to maintain speed or safely merge/clear traffic.
I have a K114 CVT internal bearing defect. It is available for inspection upon request. Transmission issues are unsafe because it can cause sudden loss of acceleration, unexpected vehicle stalling in traffic, and delayed shifting or gear slippage. These sudden changes make my car behave unpredictably; risking rear-end collisions or loss of control. This puts myself, my passengers, and others at risk. I am unsure if the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center. The vehicle and/or component have not been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others. However, the vehicle received Service in December 2025 for a transmission fluid replacement for maintenance and no issues were reported at the time. There were not any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure. The issues first appeared in mid-June, around June 15, 2026, where I could hear a grinding noise when I drove. On July 1, I was driving home and experienced stalling while turning right at a stoplight. I took the car in for a diagnostic inquiry on 7/18/2026 and was notified I had a transmission issue. I took it for a second opinion, where it was confirmed it was transmission. I took it to Toyota and on 7/22/2026, they confirmed it was transmission issues requiring a full replacement with no financial assistance citing my warranty has ended and my service history is not thorough enough. Toyota has already extended the warranty for Canadian drivers due to this exact safety hazard.
Had the car brand new since 2020 just started to hear noises took it to the dealership and they said the transmission needs to be replaced
Transmission bearing is going out. I hear a whine noise while driving. And took it to a Transmission shop and was told the Transmission bearing goes out alot on these types vehicle. And i just bought this car used 1 month ago.
My 2020 Toyota C-HR is exhibiting clear, escalating symptoms of the known K114 CVT internal bearing defect, creating an active safety hazard while driving. The transmission has not failed completely yet, but it regularly experiences high-pitched whining noise, sudden hesitation during acceleration, and loud grinding-like noise which gets louder and faster as I speed up. This behavior creates a significant safety risk because the vehicle unexpectedly fails to accelerate when merging onto the highway / hesitates unpredictably at busy intersections, exposing me to the risk of a rear-end collision. The car is less than 6 years old, and a mechanic/dealership has diagnosed it as an impending internal bearing failure. Toyota Canada has already acknowledged this exact flaw by extending the CVT warranty to 10 years. However, Toyota USA refuses to act, forcing American drivers to choose between operating an increasingly unpredictable, unsafe vehicle or paying $10,000+ out of pocket to replace a component with a known manufacturing defect. I am filing this to urge the NHTSA to investigate before this transmission suffers a complete, dangerous failure at highway speeds.
I purchased my Toyota CHR 2020 LE right off the lot in 2020. In 2023, I had to replace my first transmission, THANK GOD THAT ONE WAS UNDER WARRANT. It is now 2026 and I am again, having to replace my transmission. This is a real safety concern. Just in the beginning stage of failure my car is sluggish to accelerate and I live in Houston, TX! People will run you over here if you aren't careful. No to mention the highway robbery that is being committed for having to pay half the cost of my car for a new transmission that is absolute garbage. It is absolutely ridiculous that no one has done anything about this yet. You sell a vehicle you know is having these issues without disclosing them. Shame on everyone involved.
Started hearing a whining noise shortly after buying this car and found out it is an internal bearing failure inside the CVT transmission that is widely known in these vehicles to fail but there has been no recalls to correct the problem and could cost me money I don't have to get it fixed.
Transmission failure, sounds like there is a rattle inside of the transmission.
The motor mounts broke when it hit a pothole and that snapped the wiring harness which caused the transmission to shift. Toyota dealership says it needs a new CVT transmission replacement. The engine has shifting issues. My insurance adjusters believe that the transmission failure is due to wear and tear, but the car did not have issues before the pothole. There were and are no warning lights or messages prior to and after the incident. I got the engine wiring harness and motor mounts fixed and there was still a noise and lag while accelerating and they finally said it was the transmission the second time I brought it in and that wasn’t covered by insurance. I’ve only put 11,000 miles on it and I’m the second owner. I bought it from a Lithia Nissan of Clovis.
TO: CarMax Corporate Relations Attn: Jennifer Sheppard, AVP Customer Service Excellence 12800 Tuckahoe Creek Parkway Richmond, VA 23238 [XXX] National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Office of Defects Investigation 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE Washington, DC 20590 RE: Vehicle: 2020 Toyota C-HR 4D Sport Utility VIN: [XXX] Subject: Formal Safety Complaint, Inspection Failure, and Demand for Buyback To the Representatives of CarMax Corporate and NHTSA, I am writing to formally report a severe safety incident and a gross failure of the CarMax Certified Quality Inspection process. The negligence displayed by the CarMax Orlando staff not only violated the terms of our purchase contract but actively endangered my life and the lives of others on the road. 1. Timeline of Events and Staff Negligence On 04/30/2026, I purchased the above-referenced vehicle from CarMax Orlando. Upon attempting a test drive, I was denied by sales consultant Boris Iniquez, who stated the vehicle could not be driven until it was cleaned. On 05/01/2026, I took delivery and immediately noticed the brakes were non-responsive and emitting a loud "air brake" sound. I returned to the dealership on 05/02/2026. Mr. Iniquez performed a ride-along, personally witnessed the brake malfunction, and was informed of my immediate need to drive 450 miles to Atlanta, GA, for my role as a Site Inspector. Rather than providing a safe loaner or grounded vehicle, Mr. Iniquez and the acting manager explicitly instructed me to drive the vehicle to Atlanta, asserting that the car had "passed all inspections." 2. Mechanical Safety Failure Upon reaching Atlanta, the vehicle's condition became untenable. On 05/07/2026, CarMax GA inspected the vehicle and found: - Total failure of all four brake pads. - Front rotors requiring immediate replacement. It is mathematically and mechanically impossible for a vehicle with metal-on-metal rotors and failing pads to have passed a legitimate 125+ INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Transmission bearing failure. Whining noise started about 2 months ago and continually got worse before complete transmission failure.
My transmission is whining and the mechanic shop is stating that I need a new transmission. A common issue they are seeing within vehicles with the CVT transmission
While taking off in my 2020 Toyota C-HR on the highway, the CVT transmission suddenly failed, resulting in an immediate and significant loss of propulsion power. The vehicle did not fully shut off but lost the ability to maintain normal highway speed, requiring me to rapidly reduce speed and carefully maneuver the vehicle to safety in active traffic conditions. This created a serious safety risk due to unexpected loss of acceleration and potential inability to maintain highway speed in traffic. The failure occurred at approximately 117,700 miles and shortly after purchase. The vehicle had a documented history of regular maintenance performed at Toyota dealerships approximately every 3,000 miles. I was later informed by Toyota service personnel that the vehicle had previously been documented on 2/2/26 in the manufacturer’s internal system with a CVT fault and a recommendation for transmission replacement prior to my purchase, which was not disclosed in any public vehicle history reporting system. This raises a major safety concern that the transmission failure may be part of a broader pattern of CVT reliability issues affecting this model and drivetrain family. I am submitting this complaint due to the sudden loss of propulsion at highway speed, which presents a potential safety hazard to drivers and surrounding traffic. And deceptive practices of undisclosed known safety issues by Toyota of USA.
The contact's customer owns a 2020 Toyota C-HR. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, there was a grinding and whining sounds coming from the transmission. The contact diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the CVT transmission was failing and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 76,000.
Showing 20 of 525 total NHTSA complaints. Source: NHTSA Complaints Database
Check the exact car
Before you buy, check the exact Toyota C HR
These pages show model-year patterns across 6 years. Enter a VIN to verify the exact vehicle's accident history, title brands, odometer records, and open recall status before purchase.
The basics
How to read this data
Complaints, recalls, investigations — here’s what each number actually tells you about a used Toyota C HR, in plain English.
What is an NHTSA Complaint?
An NHTSA safety complaint is a report filed directly by a vehicle owner or driver describing a safety-related issue. Anyone can submit a complaint at NHTSA.gov. The number of complaints is a signal of how common a problem is — but complaints per model-year matter more than raw totals, since popular vehicles naturally receive more reports. The Toyota C HR has 525 complaints on record across 6 model years.
What is a Safety Recall?
A safety recall is a mandatory campaign issued by NHTSA when a vehicle component poses an unreasonable risk to safety or does not comply with federal motor vehicle safety standards. Unlike complaints (which are owner-reported), recalls are formally investigated and confirmed by regulators. Manufacturers must fix recalled vehicles free of charge. The Toyota C HR has 6 recall campaigns in the NHTSA database.
What Are Crash Complaints?
Crash complaints are NHTSA filings where the owner indicates a crash occurred as part of the incident. 16 of the Toyota C HR's 525 complaints involved a crash. This metric is particularly important because it indicates how often defects resulted in actual collisions — a key safety signal beyond general reliability.
How Is the Reliability Verdict Calculated?
The reliability verdict (Poor) is generated by analyzing the vehicle's total complaints, recall history, crash complaint ratio, fire complaint ratio, and top component failures relative to class averages. This verdict gives buyers a quick interpretation before they review year-level details and VIN-level history. It should be treated as one decision input, not a substitute for a VIN-specific report.
Why Do Newer Years Have Fewer Complaints?
Newer model years appear to have fewer complaints because there has been less time for owners to file them. Complaints accumulate over years of ownership. A 2020 model year vehicle will typically show fewer complaints than a 2015 model year even if it is less reliable — simply because fewer owners have had time to report issues. Focus on complaints per year of market presence when comparing across model years.
Fleet Data vs. Individual VIN
Everything on this page reflects aggregated data across all Toyota C HR vehicles on the road — not any specific car. Two Toyota C HR vehicles of the same year can have very different histories: one may have been in three accidents and have an open recall; another may be clean. A VIN check gives you the individual car's history: accidents, title brands, odometer records, service history, and real-time recall status.
What Are NHTSA Investigations?
When NHTSA receives a pattern of related safety complaints, it opens a formal investigation. A Preliminary Evaluation (PE) is the first stage — NHTSA determines if a safety defect may exist. If evidence is strong, it escalates to an Engineering Analysis (EA), which can result in a mandatory recall. The Toyota C HR has 0 investigations on record (0 active). Investigations listed above may have already led to the recalls shown on this page.
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Toyota C HR reliability — frequently asked questions
Is the Toyota C HR reliable?
Poor. The Toyota C HR has 525 NHTSA owner complaints and 6 recall campaigns across model years. A commonly reported issue area is POWER TRAIN. Use year-level data as a pattern guide, then verify the exact car with a VIN check before purchase.
Which Toyota C HR years to avoid?
Years with the most NHTSA complaints: 2018 (317 complaints), 2019 (107 complaints), 2020 (60 complaints). Use these years as a shortlist for deeper inspection, and always run a VIN check on the exact vehicle before purchase.
What are the most common Toyota C HR problems?
Top reported issues: POWER TRAIN (328 complaints); UNKNOWN OR OTHER (89 complaints); ENGINE (54 complaints).
Does the Toyota C HR have recalls?
Yes — 6 NHTSA recall campaigns have been issued for the Toyota C HR. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls or run a VIN check to see if your specific vehicle has open recalls.