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2018 Toyota C-HR problems

The most common problem on the 2018 Toyota C-HR is transmission and drivetrain, typically around 80,000 miles. It has 5.0 times the complaints of a typical C-HR model year.

Year to avoid5.0x the typical complaints
Year score
17/100
Owner complaints
328
Recalls
1
Service bulletins
1626 warranty
Worst area
Transmission
Fuel economy
29mpg
Typical repair
$11,000

The worst 2018 Toyota C-HR problems

Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.

Problems by type

Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.

Specific symptoms reported on the 2018 Toyota C-HR

Transmission failure 106CVT failure 78Whining noise 62Grinding brakes 20Loss of power 12Check engine light 10Stalling 9Slipping 8Adaptive cruise 7Collision warning 7Jerking 6No deployment 5Hesitation 5

Recalls 1

Parking brakeReported November 15, 2017 · 28,764 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2018 Toyota CH-R vehicles. The electronic parking brake (EPB) may not operate properly, possibly causing the parking brake not to disengage after it is applied or prevent it from being applied. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard FMVSS number 135, "Light Vehicle Brake Systems."
Risk
If the EPB cannot be applied, there is an increased risk of a vehicle rollaway if the vehicle is parked on a hill without being placed into "Park."
Remedy
Toyota has notified owners, and dealers will update the programming of the skid control ECU as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on November 30, 2017. Owners may contact Toyota at 1‑800‑331‑4331. Toyota's number for this recall is H0W.

Recall number 17V717000 · Recall details

See all 1 recalls for the 2018 Toyota C-HR

Technical service bulletins for the 2018 Toyota C-HR 162

Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.

See all 162 bulletins for the 2018 Toyota C-HR

2018 Toyota C-HR fuel economy

Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.

EngineDriveCityHighwayCombined
2.0L 4‑cylFWD273129

What 2018 Toyota C-HR owners say

Most recent owner complaints, unedited.

Filed Oct 22, 2026 · OH

I owned a 2018 toyota CHR just this year. I only had it for 9 months and the bearing in the transmission went bad. When it happened it wasn't covered under warrenty because this was a worldwide problem with these vehicle's. Well I didn't know what to do so I went ahead and traded in my vehicle and only got back 2750.00 in trade in. Mind you I soent almost 17,000.00 on the vehicle. A month later I get a letter in the mail saying I can bring in the vehicle that there is a warrenty on it. So now I am stuck in 400.00 payments every month. I have lost money over this and I would like to be reimebursed for what I have lost.(I have more documentation it wouldn't let me add all of it)

Filed Oct 22, 2026 · Transmission · 147,000 miles · AL

The contact owns a 2018 Toyota C-HR. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 45 MPH, the vehicle experienced transmission failure. The contact stated that the transmission was previously replaced in 2023 at 93,000 miles. Before the failure, there was a high-pitched whining sound while driving at approximately 30 MPH, and the transmission was shifting hard. The transmission became inoperable while driving. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, and it was confirmed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was contacted by phone, and a case was opened; however, no further assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 147,000.

Filed Oct 20, 2026 · Transmission · AL

My first transmission went out at 54,000 miles now my second transmission went out at 148,000 miles. First one was whinnning between 20-40 mph would not shift correctly then second one is doing the same thing.

Filed Oct 13, 2026 · Engine · TX

Transmission bearing defect

Filed Oct 13, 2026 · Transmission · CA

am filing this complaint regarding a transmission failure in my 2018 Toyota C-HR that left me stranded on the freeway and created a serious safety hazard. The vehicle experienced a transmission-related failure that caused it to lose its ability to operate properly while I was driving. As a result, I was left stranded on the freeway, exposed to passing traffic and at risk of being involved in a collision. A vehicle losing its ability to maintain normal operation on a busy freeway can create a dangerous situation for both the driver and other motorists. I am concerned that this transmission failure may represent a safety-related defect that could affect other owners of 2018 Toyota C-HR vehicles. A transmission should not fail in a manner that leaves a driver unexpectedly stranded in an active traffic environment. I request that the federal safety agency investigate whether transmission or continuously variable transmission (CVT) defects in the 2018 Toyota C-HR could cause sudden loss of power, loss of drive, or other dangerous failures while the vehicle is being operated. I believe this incident deserves attention because of the potential for serious injury or a collision. I am submitting this complaint so the incident can be documented and considered as part of any investigation into similar complaints involving this vehicle. I respectfully request that the federal safety agency review this incident and determine whether further investigation or corrective action is warranted. Thank you for your attention to this vehicle safety concern.

Filed Oct 5, 2026 · Brakes · FL

Warning light comes on frequently saying EPB need service. This is a known recall for this car but for some reason my vin # is not on recall list.

Filed Sep 30, 2026 · Transmission · PA

Unknown, ​I recently received a Customer Support Program notice from Toyota regarding a known transmission noise affecting certain 2018 Toyota C-HR vehicles. My vehicle exhibits the exact symptoms described in the bulletin—specifically, a small plane-like engine sound when driving between 20 and 40 mph. ​On XXX, I brought my vehicle to Toyota of [XXX] for diagnosis and service under this program. However, the dealership returned the vehicle without performing any repairs, claiming that it is outside the program's coverage. Given that my vehicle's symptoms directly match the documented defect covered by Toyota's customer support initiative, I am requesting a re-evaluation of my vehicle's eligibility and a resolution to this transmission issue. P.S. I escalated this to Toyota Headquarters and I received same denial response. I replied As many owners on public forums and social media have noted, CVT reliability concerns are a well-documented challenge for this model. Given Toyota’s strong reputation for long-lasting vehicles, I was surprised to find that my specific serial number is currently excluded from your service program. Could you please clarify if Toyota will reimburse the costs if I have this repair performed by a private mechanic, as indicated at the bottom of your recent letter? I am currently documenting all related records for my files. My response was ignored. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Sep 24, 2026 · Transmission · 105,000 miles · SC

The contact owns a 2018 Toyota C-HR. The contact stated that while driving 40 MPH, the transmission bearing failed, causing the vehicle to coast to a stop on a main road. The vehicle was towed from the scene. The contact associated the failure with Customer Support Program: 26TE06 that provided a free transmission replacement for certain 2018-2019 Toyota C-HR vehicles experiencing continuously variable transmission failures. The dealer was contacted and stated that the transmission serial number on the vehicle was not included in the Customer Support Program. The manufacturer was contacted by phone and made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 105,000.

Filed Sep 23, 2026 · Transmission · IN

Car began making a grinding sound while driving on an expressway. From that point on, could no longer reach a speed above 30 MPH. Independent Mechanic diagnosed an issue with CVT. Car was inoperable and sat in my driveway for 8+ months as we tried getting Toyota to respond to calls and email. Received a CUSTOMER SUPPORT PROGRAM 26TE06 letter from Toyota on 12Sep2026 explaining that they would provide coverage for the repair. Had the car towed to O'Brien Toyota in Indianapolis. Dealer said that the car would not be covered because they had received a REVISED letter from Toyota that only covered a specific range of CVT serial numbers and while the CVT malfunction, model and year of my car qualified.....my car did not have a CVT serial number in that range and NO REPAIRS WOULD BE MADE! Called the Toyota Brand engagement number and they confirmed that Toyota would not cover the CVT in that range and provided me with a case#: 260922002588.

Filed Sep 9, 2026 · Transmission · WA

Purchased vehicle in Costa Mesa, CA. Mileage on vehicle when taken to auto repair shop: 70,037. Request for transmission fluid replacement and diagnostic on front end noise. Notes from Auto Repair Shop: Performed transmission service with cvt service kit. Technician test drove customer vehicle and confirmed there's a rotational groaning from the front of the car. Unable to determine cause at this time, requesting further diagnostic time Performed nvh diagnostic for front end rotational noise concern. Isolated noise to transaxle internal.Technician determined transmission failure (torque converter) and recommended replacement. Afterwards, while driving home and waiting at a red light, vehicle did not accelerate when light turned green. I put the car into park, then back into drive. No movement. Switched to manual mode, no movement. Went back to automatic and car started to go. Felt that the transmission was slipping. I was afraid that it was going to stall out again, so I ran the next light to get onto to the freeway to get my vehicle home ASAP. I will never drive another vehicle with a CVT transmission. If I would have known about any issues with CVT’s, I would NOT have purchased this vehicle.

Used buying checklistWhat to check on a 2018 Toyota C-HR before you buy

Compare the 2018 Toyota C-HR

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Other model years

201820192020202120222026

Questions about the 2018 Toyota C-HR

Is the 2018 Toyota C-HR reliable?

Owners have filed 328 complaints about the 2018 Toyota C-HR, 5.0 times a typical C-HR model year. It is one of the years we flag to avoid.

What is the 2018 Toyota C-HR year score?

The 2018 Toyota C-HR scores 17 out of 100 (poor). The score compares it with the other model years of the Toyota C-HR: 75 is a typical year, 50 means twice the usual complaints, and serious complaints and recalls lower it.

What is the most common problem with the 2018 Toyota C-HR?

Transmission and drivetrain, with 217 complaints, typically around 80,000 miles. Next is engine (39).

How many recalls does the 2018 Toyota C-HR have?

1 recall, covering parking brake.

What year does the Toyota C-HR have bad transmission?

The Toyota C-HR model years with the most transmission complaints are 2018 (217 complaints), 2019 (67 complaints) and 2020 (51 complaints).

What gas mileage does the 2018 Toyota C-HR get?

Official estimates for the 2018 Toyota C-HR range from 29 mpg combined. The most efficient version (2.0L 4-cyl, FWD) gets 27 city and 31 highway.

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