2019 Toyota C-HR: whining or grinding noise

Filed Nov 1, 2026 · Transmission · TX

The CVT had castrophic failure on the highway. Yes you may inspect it. Thankfully myself and my daughter were not injured, but it stalled out going 70 mph on the freeway and cars were speeding around us to avoid impaling us from behind. I was able to get it off the road and tow it home. There were no warning lights or indications that the transmission was failing it simply made a low whining noise that grew louder over time and then quiter at higher speeds. On the freeway it was imperceptable. It began making the noise in July and the CVT failed in August. I took it to a transmission shop as the dealership is outrageously over priced and I couldn't get it all the way to the dealership anyway. The transmission shop sent me photos of the pan dropped with huge pieces of metal debris inside it along with small glitter sized pieces filling the entire pan. Toyota issued customer support program 26TE06 in July 2026 but they capped the VINs included in September 2019 my CHR was made in the 3 months after September 2019 so it is not included in their program which replaces the CVT awknowledging the internal bearing failure leading to premature transmission failure and exhibiting the exact symptoms my car gave as it is the exact model of CVT (K114) that is in my CHR. Nothing else would have caused total breakdown of the internal bearings and belt as the car has never even been in a small accident and I have had it for over 5 years. Toyota still refuses to take responsibility however they put my life and my daughters at risk putting us on the road in a brand new car that had a faulty transmission when we purchased it, we could have been hit by another car on the highway and died. I bought a brand new toyota expecting to drive safely in a good car and that the car would last for at least 300,000 miles.

Filed Oct 18, 2026 · Transmission · CA

Subject: Formal Vehicle Safety Complaint — Premature CVT Transmission Failure in 2019 Toyota C-HR Limited Vehicle: 2019 Toyota C-HR Limited Component: Power Train — Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) Mileage at Diagnosis: Approximately 105,000 miles Diagnosing Dealership: Lodi Toyota, California Reported Symptom: Abnormal whining noise from the transmission I am submitting this formal vehicle safety complaint to the federal safety agency concerning a suspected premature failure of the continuously variable transmission (CVT) installed in my 2019 Toyota C-HR Limited. At approximately 105,000 miles, my vehicle was experiencing an abnormal whining noise originating from the transmission. I took the vehicle to Lodi Toyota in California for a professional diagnosis. The dealership confirmed a transmission-related problem and determined that the transmission assembly required replacement. This diagnosis raises serious concerns regarding the durability and potential safety implications of the CVT transmission installed in certain 2018–2019 Toyota C-HR vehicles. After receiving the dealership's diagnosis, I became aware of Toyota Customer Support Program 26TE06, which addresses certain abnormal CVT whining-noise conditions in eligible Toyota C-HR vehicles. Despite my vehicle exhibiting a similar symptom, Toyota informed me that my vehicle identification number (VIN) was excluded from the program. I contacted Toyota Corporate repeatedly to request an explanation and reconsideration of its decision. Toyota declined to provide assistance and ultimately informed me that my case had been reviewed, its position would remain unchanged, and no additional department was available for further escalation. My concern extends beyond Toyota's refusal to provide financial assistance. I believe the premature transmission failure diagnosed in my vehicle warrants examination alongside similar complaints involving Toyota C-HR CVT transmissions.

Filed Sep 23, 2026 · Transmission · GA

Driving home from work on the freeway, the loud droning and whining sound was already present. Same issue that I thought had been previously resolved by replacing the transmission from the dealership it was purchased from. Though this time it was accompanied by a horrible grinding sound coming from the bearings in the transmission. After much research into this issue, iI found that it is a very common issue wtih this particular vehicle. Specifically the K1114 transmissions used in them. Toyota has since used different transmissions in newer models, but has not issued a recall for the ones that are so commonly breaking and keep replacing but not fixing the issue.

Filed Sep 21, 2026 · Transmission · CA

While driving my 2019 Toyota C-HR normally on [XXX] in [XXX] at approximately 8:00 PM, traffic began slowing due to congestion. When traffic began moving again, the vehicle accelerated very slowly and did not respond normally to the accelerator. Shortly afterward, the dashboard displayed a “Pull Over Safely” warning. The vehicle then completely lost its ability to move under its own power. It would not move normally in either Drive or Reverse and had to be towed off the freeway. Condition of the car when we check it ourselves: Vehicle goes into Drive/Reverse Engine revs Vehicle doesn't move Vehicle rolls in Neutral Vehicle stops in Park EPB-related warnings occurred The vehicle was subsequently taken to a mechanic and then to Toyota of [XXX] for diagnosis. Toyota has issued Customer Support Program 26TE06 and T-SB-0048-26 concerning premature CVT wear and abnormal whining/grinding conditions on certain 2018–2019 Toyota C-HR vehicles. I subsequently learned that Toyota corporate denied the dealer's request for assistance with my vehicle because the vehicle is no longer operable and the dealership cannot perform the road test/video required to reproduce the whining noise described in the TSB. The vehicle's inability to produce the specified whining noise during a road test is because the CVT has progressed to a complete loss of propulsion. The vehicle currently remains at Toyota of [XXX]. I am reporting this because the vehicle experienced a complete loss of propulsion while being driven on a major freeway, creating a potentially serious safety situation. I was fortunate that the vehicle could be safely moved off the freeway and that no collision or injury occurred. I am requesting that the federal safety agency document and review this incident as a potential safety-related CVT/transmission failure and consider whether similar failures are occurring in 2018–2019 Toyota C-HR vehicles. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Nov 6, 2025 · Transmission · FL

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.

Filed Sep 16, 2025 · Engine, Fuel system · IL

This vechicle started getting noise since 2020 when it was below 60 thousand miles. It was reported to the dealer and the tech did not document well( as I know now). Car was in California from2021 to 2024 and same issues were reported and it was not documented or no action took. Car came to Illinois in 2025. Oil changes and other maintenance issues were done by Toyota and fire stone. I took the car for oil change to the dealer in June 2025 and again repoted the whining noise from engine area.dealer diagnosed with transmission issues and replacement recommended. Called Toyota and because the miles are 71000, they refused , although this was reported from2020. Dealer said that 2021 to 2025, car was not maintained in the Toyota facility , they do not know what went wrong, when I look at cars of this type from 2017 onwards, has transmission issues and no recalls done. There are cases Toyota repaired individually. Because , it is not documented by the tech in the facility, I have to pay 9 to 12 thousand dollars to replace the transmission. These types of cars have transmission issues and nothing is done on it or recalled. Needs help,

Filed Jun 17, 2025 · Transmission · WI

Transmission system failing. Car is available for inspection. Daily commute to work in busy traffic, whining noise getting worse, car can breakdown and cause an accident. Confirmed by an independent service center and called 3 other independent service centers and no mechanic will touch the job. Said faulty transmission already. Inspected by service mechanic. Absolutely no Warning lights showing up on the car dashboard screen of the issue! Paperwork available upon request. Thank you

Filed Apr 1, 2025 · Transmission · CA

2019 Toyota CHR was inspected on 03/26/2025 at the dealership it was originally purchased at and was determined to have a failed CVT transmission at around 77,000 miles. Due to the cost of a total transmission replacement, the extended warranty agency Assurant, sent a third party inspector to the dealership 48 hours later to independently inspect and they came to the same determination. Warning Signs: The only warning sign was a whining noise from the car that only happened as speeds increased to 30+ mph. There were no other warning signs, symptoms or lamps/lights indicating there was a transmission failure. Safety: This puts the safety of myself and other's at risk because if the transmission would have failed while I was driving, I would have lost the ability to drive my vehicle, potentially in the middle of high traffic, putting myself and other's at risk of crash and/or injury. Additionally, a basic search of the internet can tell you that the general public and presumably Toyota is well aware of this issue and yet there is no recall issue, nor have they issued an extended warranty.

Filed Mar 31, 2025 · Transmission · TX

Whining noise, i took the car to dealer and they said i have replace my transmission 12,000$

Filed Feb 12, 2025 · Transmission · OR

At around 75K miles, the CVT transmission started to give an issue. At highway speeds, a whining sound is noticeable inside the cabin. I took the CHR to a local shop for a diagnostic. They identified the CVT as the cause of the noise. At this point, the noise is the only indicator of CVT failure.

Filed Jun 17, 2021 · Transmission · 115,000 miles · MD

The contact owns a 2019 Toyota C-HR. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, an abnormal whining sound was coming from the rear axle hubs. The contact had taken the vehicle to a dealer where they informed him that they could not offer any assistance due to the vehicle being out of warranty. The manufacturer was also notified of the failure and a case number was provided. The contact was informed that a representative would call back however, the contact had not received a response. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 115,000.