2020 Toyota C-HR: CVT failure

Filed Oct 7, 2026 · Transmission · NC

Fred Anderson Toyota dealership said a bearing which is internal is going bad The manufacturer does not sell the kit as my transmission is called a CVT and it’s a sealed transmission. I will need to replace the entire transmission. Also my vehicle is also discontinued.

Filed Sep 25, 2026 · Transmission · NC

The vehicle is exhibiting symptoms of the widely documented internal differential/output bearing failure associated with the Toyota K114 CVT transmission. When coasting—even with the engine completely turned off—and during mechanical rotation of the front wheels, there is abnormal metallic clicking, clacking, and mechanical play apparently emanating directly from the center of the transaxle housing. This internal component degradation poses a potential safety hazard. A catastrophic failure of this bearing could lead to severe metallic debris entering the sealed CVT system, potentially resulting in drivetrain lock-up or an instantaneous loss of motive power at highway speeds, creating a serious risk of a high-speed collision. This is a documented recurring failure in the K114-equipped C-HR. Toyota Canada has acknowledged this mechanical failure in 2018–2019 C-HR vehicles by issuing a 10-year/193,000 km Warranty Enhancement Program covering CVT failures associated with internal bearing failure. Similar failures have also been documented in U.S. C-HR vehicles, including 2020 model-year vehicles, although no equivalent U.S. warranty enhancement has been extended to those vehicles. Despite the vehicle having approximately 136,000 miles, this component would reasonably be expected to provide substantially greater service life. The vehicle has been maintained appropriately. Its premature failure is therefore potentially indicative of a systemic defect affecting the K114 transmission and warrants investigation by the federal safety agency and consideration of whether a safety-related defect investigation or appropriate corrective action is warranted.

Filed Sep 9, 2026 · Transmission · NY

CVT failing, causing extreme bearing noise. Toyota insisted lifetime fluids with no transmission service or fluid changes. At 147000 miles it is noisy with no warning lights and no recommended service.

Filed Aug 28, 2026 · Transmission · TX

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 the federal safety agency investigate this transmission issue and determine whether a safety defect or manufacturing/design defect exists and whether additional action by the manufacturer is warranted.

Filed Aug 17, 2026 · Transmission · TX

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.

Filed Jul 23, 2026 · Transmission · CA

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.

Filed Jun 26, 2026 · Transmission · FL

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 federal safety agency to investigate before this transmission suffers a complete, dangerous failure at highway speeds.

Filed Jun 10, 2026 · Transmission · IN

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.

Filed May 18, 2026 · Electrical, Engine · CA

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.

Filed Apr 28, 2026 · MD

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

Filed Apr 23, 2026 · Acceleration, Engine · FL · 1 injury

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.

Filed Apr 13, 2026 · Transmission · 76,000 miles · OK

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.