Toyota C-HR cvt failure problems

Filed Nov 5, 2026 · Transmission · OK

CVT transmission. It cost more than the cost of the car for the tiny little transmission that fails so much. Toyota should get their fingers cut off for continuing to do this and intentionally abusing their customers. They must pay for this. At 100,000 mi a dealer quote for $13,000, is asinine and obnoxious for a manufacturer to intentionally knowingly abuse people this way. Horrible corporation. I hope you crash and the earth opens up and swallows you.

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 Oct 15, 2026 · TX

My vehicle began making a grinding noise. I immediately called the issue in to Toyota of Dallas. I scheduled to have all my tires replaced and to inspect the noise. I was informed that my CVT needed to be replaced. The dealership is unwilling to replace the CVT despite prior recalls on CVTs in 2018 and 2019 for Toyota CHR. My 2021 vehicle is paid off, has little to no wear and tear (I only drive locally), and has been taken to the dealership consistently when service is needed. I should not have a bad transmission. This vehicle is not safe for the road and I don't feel safe with myself nor my family to travel in this vehicle. I have to drive at very low speed to get to work, get the kids to school, etc and this is the only vehicle I possess. I cannot think of any reason of what would cause the CVT to go bad other than the dealership not properly maintaining the transmission OR simply a faulty transmission.

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 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 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 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 24, 2026 · Transmission · AL

84400 miles on car. About 2 weeks ago started hearing growl when driving. No warning lights or alarms, just noise. Fearing a failure of something could put my family at risk we stopped driving the car and immediately took it to an Independent car mechanic who confirmed the transmission is failing. He called around to transmission shops and they stated they do even try to work on the Toyota CVT transmissions and only the dealer will fix them by replacement for $11k. We have satisfactorily owned Toyotas over the years and they have a great reputation but this transmission is a failed design. There is no way a transmission should fail in this short of time with this few miles. Apparently ours is not the only one and there is a class action lawsuit being considered for this very problem.

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.