2019 Toyota C-Hr transmission problems

POWER TRAIN

Transmission won’t shift out of manual mode and car won’t move at all even when in drive or reverse. Was working completely fine then all of a sudden got drive start malfunction and won’t move. Called mechanic they came looked at it and they diagnosed it as a transmission problem. Did some research and this is a well known issue that Toyota Canada has acknowledged but Toyota USA won’t. Car is barely over 100k miles and all maintenance has been kept up on. Transmission only issue, but very expensive. There needs to be a recall on these.

NHTSA complaint #11757110 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

While driving my vehicle, it is a consistent clicking loud noise. I had the vehicle checked out twice and both places said the same thing as it is explained down below: Transmission Replacement (Automatic): SEVERE INTERNAL TRANSMISSION NOISE- NOISE LOUDER W/ SPEED. NEED TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION ASSEMBLY- DO NOT RECOMMEND DRIVING VEHICLE MAY BE CATASTROPHIC AND COME APART This statement is from the Toyota dealership.

NHTSA complaint #11754044 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

No warning lights, only noticed a new noise like a whirring sound that matches car speed, not acceleration. Had the car looked at and determined it was likely the same CVT transmission bearing failure most CHR owners are experiencing. Toyota is no help and estimates for repair are $6k to $10k from private transmission repair places. Now we have a dud of a car that we still owe money on that isn't even worth the price to repair it.

NHTSA complaint #11753623 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

Noise from front left axel began on XXX. Taken to local garage for diagnostic on XXX at approximately 149,000 miles. Was informed that it likely was the transmission. This was confirmed when taken to Toyota dealership on XXX. National recall was issued in [XXX] by Toyota for the known transmission failure that occurs in the CH-r CVT transmission. No other issues or alerts had occurred prior to the transmission failure. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA complaint #11748913 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

2019 C-HR is experiencing transmission failure due to a faulty joint. Metal shavings flow into the fluid. Am being told I will need to replace the entire transmission. Toyota is fully aware of the issue with the failures occurring between 75,000 & 120,000 miles. My vehicle is at 107,000. Perfect maintenance record, never missed a service & all work done at the dealership where it was purchased. Research shows Toyota Canada acknowledged the issue & extended the warranty to cover it's customers. Toyota USA refuses to do the same. Estimate out of pocket for this known defect is $9900.00

NHTSA complaint #11747544 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

The CVT transmission failed at approximately 60,000 miles. The vehicle was fully maintained by Toyota dealerships. The failure of the transmission bearing will cause the car to lose power and could fail while driving, creating a risk of being stranded in traffic or being unable to accelerate to avoid a collision. Toyota Canada has extended the warranty for this same transmission issue up to 119,924 Miles (193,000 KM) and 10 years on comparable Toyota C-HR vehicles, but Toyota USA has refused to provide the same coverage.” See comments at Toyota Forum [XXX] Please see below Toyota Canada announcement: [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA complaint #11746996 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

Transmission is making metallic type noise from below. Had rotors ,brakes,cv axles replaced thinking those were the culprits until reputable automotive repair informed me that noise was from Toyota cv transmission. And a repair or replacement would be around $10k I researched and found many Toyotas in the United States have same problem and Canadian residents with same issue have been granted an extended warranty to resolve this issue. I live in Texas. This is my wife’s car that is sitting in driveway with no answers or help from Toyota. Thank you for your time. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA complaint #11746732 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

Before 2024, my friend heard a noise coming from my car, he wasn’t sure what it was and I couldn’t hear it. December 2024, I took my car in to the Toyota dealership for the 100,000 mile transmission service (~107,000 miles) but I didn’t mention the sound because I didn’t hear it. The dealership didn’t find any issues. My friend could still hear the sound but we thought that the service done ruled out the transmission. 18 months and 36,000 miles later a louder noise started. I took the car in with the transmission failing. With the maintenance done, this transmission should have lasted to 200,000 miles. Since I had the maintenance done, I was confident driving it thinking that the transmission wouldn’t fail while I was driving. There was either an issue with the part or the service that was there at 107,000 miles that was not addressed that could have led to the car failing on the highway and risking the safety of myself and other drivers. The dealership has confirmed that the transmission has broken at 36,000 miles past their service. There were no warning lights that appeared, no difficulty driving, just noises.

NHTSA complaint #11745946 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

The vehicle experienced a sudden and catastrophic internal failure of its Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) at 139,000 miles. While driving, a heavy grinding noise began coming from the vehicle during acceleration. A certified technician at a Toyota dealership inspected the vehicle and officially diagnosed it with an internal center differential grind and noted that the transmission fluid was burnt and filled with metal flakes. The dealership stated the entire transmission must be replaced at a cost of over $10,000. Toyota explicitly markets and describes this CVT transmission fluid as 'lifetime' fluid with no standard required maintenance, leading consumers to believe the unit is sealed and durable. However, this internal bearing/differential disintegration is a known material manufacturing defect affecting 2018-2022 Toyota C-HR models. This is a severe safety hazard as a sudden internal transmission failure can cause an immediate loss of vehicle propulsion while driving at high speeds in traffic, increasing the risk of a crash. This should not be happening at all at this mileage

NHTSA complaint #11743556 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

The vehicle's CVT transmission has failed, confirmed by Dublin Toyota (Dublin, CA) on June 9, 2026. The dealership has quoted $12,477 to replace the transmission, bringing the total repair estimate to over $15,000 — exceeding the vehicle's current market value. The dealership documented the following diagnostic trouble codes: P075B, P0741, and P2757. These codes are listed together in Toyota's own C-HR service manual as indicators of Torque Converter Clutch Circuit failure within the CVT system, confirming internal mechanical failure of the transmission. These are not minor or maintenance-related codes — they indicate a fundamental failure of the CVT's internal components. This is a known, widespread defect affecting 2018–2020 Toyota C-HR vehicles. Hundreds of owners have reported identical CVT bearing failures, often with no warning lights or prior symptoms, at mileages ranging from 38,000 to 140,000 miles. Toyota has acknowledged CVT issues on this model previously — issuing a software service campaign (Special Service Campaign J0D) for CVT programming defects — yet has refused to issue a recall or extended warranty for the underlying mechanical bearing failures now presenting across the fleet. Notably, Toyota Canada has extended warranty coverage for identical CVT failures on the same model years, while Toyota USA has declined to offer comparable relief to American owners facing the same defect. This defect represents a significant safety hazard, as CVT failure can result in sudden loss of propulsion while driving at highway speeds. Requested Action: Formal NHTSA investigation into CVT transmission bearing failures in 2018–2020 Toyota C-HR vehicles, and consideration of a recall or extended warranty campaign consistent with what Toyota Canada has already provided.

NHTSA complaint #11743345 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

Transmission Failure

NHTSA complaint #11741886 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

The component or system failed is the CVT transmission. The safety of the vehicle is very risky because when you drive it; it gets ready to cut off. The transmission has been confirmed that it is the problem by the independent service center. Yes, the vehicle has been inspected by a transmission company. There were no warning signs or symptoms of the problem.

NHTSA complaint #11740258 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

No warnings lights given. My car has been serviced three times in the past year of owning it. Yesterday I was informed my entire transmission needs to be replaced as it failed its inspection. My car was last seen by Toyota in September and I paid a little under 2k each visit to keep my car running perfectly. This visit I was quoted over 9k to replace the transmission. I have never had preexisting issues with it. This CVT transmission is known to fail prematurely and there needs to be a recall and compensation made for those who have faced the same issues. My car is only at 125k miles and I have spent about 20k purchasing and servicing this vehicle in the last year alone. I travel out of state frequently with my children to visit my relative who is in active chemotherapy. If my transmission were to die in the middle of Donners Pass I would be left stranded with my two young children. This is my daily driver and I can’t imagine what would happen if my car completely shut down in the middle of traffic or out of state as I was given certainty that my car ran perfectly until this just recently happened. I no longer have an operable vehicle regardless of the care and money put into it unless I spent another 10k on full transmission replacement.

NHTSA complaint #11738274 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

While traveling South on [XXX] toward [XXX] , the vehicle suffered a sudden and catastrophic internal failure of the CVT transmission. This resulted in an immediate and dangerous loss of motive power while in motion on a busy roadway. My husband (who was driving at the time) was forced to manually push the vehicle off the road with the assistance of a police officer to avoid a collision. A subsequent diagnosis at a local shop (Hot Rod Scott's LLC) who removed the transmission fluid in order to refill it and found the transmission had fallen apart. He did not return the old fluid and returned the plate of the transmission with all the pieces in the bottom and an authorized Toyota dealership in Chippewa Falls confirmed the transmission failed internally. This is a widely documented manufacturing defect in 2018–2022 C-HR models (K114 CVT). Toyota has acknowledged a bearing defect in other markets, such as Canada, by extending the warranty to 10 years/193,000 km, yet US consumers are being denied similar protection for the same defective part. This failure presents an unreasonable safety risk due to the unpredictable loss of propulsion in traffic. I am requesting a formal investigation into this systemic defect. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA complaint #11734953 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

The contact owns a 2019 Toyota C-HR. The contact stated that while driving at faster speeds, the vehicle hesitated while accelerating, with an abnormal sound coming from underneath the vehicle. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 87,000.

NHTSA complaint #11734547 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

The contact owns a 2019 Toyota C-HR. The contact stated that while driving at 40 MPH, there was an abnormal grinding sound coming from the vehicle. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who determined that the failure was associated with the transmission. The contact was informed that the transmission might lock and that the vehicle was not safe to drive. The local dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and informed that the VIN was not under recall. The failure mileage was approximately 130,001.

NHTSA complaint #11733318 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

Transmission failure, parking brake won’t release, most if not all driver assist features don’t work. Car is undriveable at 110,000 miles.

NHTSA complaint #11726236 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

The contact owns a 2019 Toyota C-HR. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed, and there was an abnormal sound coming from the transmission. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed, and it was determined that the bearings were damaged and that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The dealer advised the contact to stop driving the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the residence and had not been driven since. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000.

NHTSA complaint #11723099 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

Noticed a humming noise and took my vehicle in to Toyota lacrosse. They told me the transmission needs to be replaced at a cost of 10,000 dollars . No warning lights . No current safety issues .

NHTSA complaint #11722275 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

CVT transmission bearing noise

NHTSA complaint #11719281 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

Car started making high pitch noise when moving, it is the CVT transmission failing at 125k miles. Toyota describe the CVT fluid as lifetime and no recommended maintenance required.

NHTSA complaint #11718396 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

A victim of the fault cvt transmissions. Known and recorded faulty transmissions but into these models and these year Toyotas. Dealership wants $12000 to change whole trans with no support.

NHTSA complaint #11717645 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

The transmission went out of my 2019 Toyota CHR due to bearing failure

NHTSA complaint #11711451 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

Rubbing, grinding sound coming from Transmission

NHTSA complaint #11710389 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

I've completed all factory recommended changes/flushes, but at 140k miles, my transmission is failing. No indicator lights or signs have indicated an issue, but a transmission sound was the only indicator that something is wrong. The transmission issue was confirmed by an independent service center. This is a well known issue for the 2019 Toyota CHRs, but there is no recall for this. This car should have many more miles to go, but it's failing because of a known faulty build. Toyota has fixed the transmission issue in later models of the engine, but refuse to be held accountable for this failure.

NHTSA complaint #11708324 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

At 125,000 miles it has been discovered that my CVT transmission is failing due to a transmission bearing issue. Quoted repair cost for $14,000 despite CVT transmission failure is common on my model. Toyota has only offered extended warranties to Canadian residence $14,000 is something I don’t have and face repossession for the failed transmission.

NHTSA complaint #11706398 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

Transmission CVT failure of the 2019 Toyota CHR at 107,000 miles, was not inspected until there was an undeniable sound coming from the transmission and specific request was made for the source of the sound. There were no dashboard lights or warnings prior or even now that I’ve been told the transmission needs replaced and is in failure. Transmission failure has been inspected and confirmed by Toyota Dealership. As a consumer I was not forewarned transmission will require specialty maintenance in order to keep the vehicle in service especially at just 100k miles, no formal requirements were ever made concerning the transmission to maintain the functionality of this particular vehicle. The sound began emitting from the transmission about 2 to 3 weeks prior and due to the government shutdown as a federal employee I took my car to get serviced for the issue when it was feasible to do so. There is a Toyota CHR forum and multiple media outlets discussing the faulty CVT transmissions in the Toyota CHR costing upwards of $9000 -$14000 in replacement with no warnings but solely based on driver intellect that something is functionally wrong with the vehicle. In my observations and experience the transmission issue simply equates to replacement rather than a repair issue.

NHTSA complaint #11699091 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

Car was under warranty until 100k miles. At 110k miles, transmission blew up. $12k minimum to replace, even with a used transmission. This needs to be a country-wide notification and Toyota needs to be held accountable. My transmission blew up at a stop light. If this had been on a major highway, the driver, passenger and outside drivers could have been seriously injured. Toyota should be replacing these free of charge and providing rentals. Canada already has a program in place to resolve this safety issue. Why don’t we have this in the states?

NHTSA complaint #11698489 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

The transmission on my 2019 vehicle began making loud grinding and whining noises and then started hesitating during acceleration. A Toyota dealership inspected the vehicle and confirmed a failing transmission bearing and advised that the entire transmission must be replaced. The repair was quoted at approximately $12,000. The vehicle has been regularly maintained and serviced. Despite proper maintenance, the transmission failure occurred unexpectedly and prematurely. Because of this issue, the vehicle became unsafe to drive and has now been undrivable for nearly a year. The failure creates a safety risk due to hesitation, loss of acceleration, and unpredictable shifting while merging into traffic or maintaining highway speed. The issue has been reproduced by the dealer and fully documented. There were no warning lights or error messages prior to the failure; the first signs included grinding noises and difficulty shifting. Publicly available reports indicate that Toyota extended warranty coverage in Canada for similar CVT transmission concerns affecting comparable model years, suggesting manufacturer awareness of premature internal component defects. My vehicle’s symptoms match those issues. This defect poses a significant safety hazard, especially given the possibility of sudden power loss. I am filing this complaint because this is clearly a premature CVT failure that has left the vehicle unusable.

NHTSA complaint #11697984 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

The car started making weird noises and shaking. Took it to the dealership and the car has a bearing that’s bad on the Transmission. It is a known problem according to the technician who took a look at it. Multiple cars during the 2017-2019 che cars all have the same issues.

NHTSA complaint #11697724 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.