2018 Toyota C-HR Power Train

Same Problem as almost all 2018 chr has. Bad transmission

I have a 2018 Toyota CHR with of course a CVT transmission. I am around 105k miles with normal maintenance and have had small issues but nothing crazy until now. I have been noticing a strange noise coming from my car and after replacing pretty much every moving part on the car (besides the transmission), the issue is a bearing coming from within the transmission. After doing further research through the NHTSA and other websites it seems like this is an inevitable problem with all models from this make within the year 2017-2022. This is extremely disappointing coming from a lifelong Toyota customer. There seems to be a recall for these units in other parts of North America but not the United States. I would not recommend this car or this company to anyone. Failures in this part exceed the value of the car as of 2026 and it is completely ridiculous that Toyota has not done anything. As a loyal Toyota customer you have lost my business and every time I see someone in this model CHR I can only feel bad for them knowing their car is most likely not going to make it 5 years or even to 100k miles. This is a great little car on the interior and exterior but is unfortunate that Toyota made the wrong decision mass producing and rushing the import of them into the United States with a Turkish made transmission. Not the Toyota quality that anyone expected.

The contact owns a 2018 Toyota CH-R. The contact stated that while driving in ECO Mode, there was a humming sound coming from the transmission. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who diagnosed that the transmission and torque converter were faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The contact was informed that the vehicle was not covered under a manufacturer’s Extended Warranty Coverage for the failure. The contact stated that a recall for the failure had been issued for certain vehicles manufactured in Canada. The failure mileage was 35,100.

The component that failed is the CVT transmission. Toyota dealership in kansas city replaced transmission and the faulty transmission is no longer available for inspection. The faulty transmission could have placed me at risk by failing without notice and causing a loss of control while driving. the componenet has been inspected by a toyota dealership named Molle toyota in kansas city and they have deemed that the transmission needed to be replaced as well as the torque converter. there were no warning lamps or messages, a faint whining noise was the only symptom.

When I was heading to work I started to hear a grinding sound. After my shift I drove my car to pickup my kids from school and the sound I was hearing was louder. It sounded like something was cracking as I was driving . I was worried that we were going to be stranded in the middle of the road. I drove as slow as possible till we made it home. So, the very next morning I took it to a mechanic shop. I did not have any warning symbols or messages to alert of any issue. I was told their was and internal failure within my transmission. They also mentioned it was a sealed transmission and the only solution was to replace it. They quoted me 11k to replace and program new transmission. My vehicle has 125k miles and was purchased when they first released in 2017. I purchased a Toyota because they have a reputable name so I thought. Now I see many people have been having trouble with this CVT transmission around the same mileage or earlier. My registration is due this month and cant renew it do my vehicle being undrivable. I'm stuck without a car and I'm not able to afford to repair or purchase another vehicle. Something has to be done with these CVT transmissions. My wife's Highlander has the same type of transmission and I'm worried that it potentially will have the same issue down the line.

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

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 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.

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.

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.

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

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

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

Yes, Toyota has extended the warranty for the Continuous Variable Transmission (CVT) on certain C-HR models (specifically 2018-2019) in Canada and potentially the US due to widespread reports of a defective bearing, covering failures up to 10 years or 193,000 km (around 120,000 miles) and offering refunds for past repairs, a move prompted by consumer advocacy, though US action often lags Canada's. Details of the Extension (Canada-focused, but relevant for US): Models Affected: Primarily 2018 and 2019 Toyota C-HRs, with investigations extending to 2018-2022 models. The Problem: A faulty bearing inside the CVT can fail, leading to very expensive ($10,000-$15,000) transmission replacements, notes the Automobile Protection Association (APA). New Coverage: Up to 10 years or 193,000 km (about 120,000 miles) from the original purchase date, with some reports mentioning no mileage cap until September 2026. Reimbursement: The program also provides refunds for owners who paid out-of-pocket for repairs before the extension was announced.

I noticed a humming sound coming from my car about a month ago. After getting it looked at it is a transmission issue. The same issue many people are having with this model of car. It is drivable for now but for how long I don’t know.

The issue I’m having with my vehicle is my transmission. When I drive it doesn’t want to shift smoothly, grinds and whines when accelerating and braking. The safety on my 17 MONTH OLD daughter is the main one that I transport around and this definitely puts her safety at risk as we could be driving down that posts higher speeds or up hill and loose momentum to go and could be struck by another vehicle. As we hope people pay attention accident death rates rising shows otherwise. The vehicle has been loosed at and diagnosed it’s my transmission and now CNA warranty is bending over backwards to NOT replace it when it is a known issue. There have been ZERO indication that an issue was happening and that puts me and my family at greater risk of injury or death due to negligence of Toyota not making a recall on the transmissions or being transparent about the issue.

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.