2019 Toyota C-HR Problems
Compared with other Toyota C-HR years
Typical for this model
57/100 1.2× a typical year · 50 = typical
- Complaint rate is 1.2× that of a typical Toyota C-HR year, weighted for crashes, fires, injuries, recalls and mileage, and allowing for the era and for how long each year has had to collect complaints.
- 12 of its 114 complaints were filed by the end of 2021.
- Most reported problem: CVT whine, humming or grinding; bearing failure (58 complaints, median 110,000 mi).
- 3 recall campaigns on record. A VIN search at nhtsa.gov/recalls shows open recalls for a specific vehicle.
Nearby years with a typical complaint level and no open NHTSA investigation: 2020, 2021
Based only on NHTSA complaints, recalls and investigations. Not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, and not a reliability rating. How this is calculated
- Complaints
- 114filed with NHTSA
- Median mileage
- 49,000miles, 15 complaints with mileage
- Recalls
- 3campaigns on record
- Trend
- RisingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% higher than in the 3 years before.
- NHTSA crash rating
- 5 / 5stars overall
- EPA fuel economy
- 29 mpgcombined, 2.0L 4-cyl FWD · 27 city / 31 hwy
Sources: NHTSA records for the 2019 Toyota C-HR (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error
What owners report
Most complaints about the 2019 C-HR come from the continuously variable transmission: owners describe a whining, humming or grinding noise that develops as the car accumulates miles and is frequently diagnosed as a failing internal bearing, with dealers usually quoting a full transmission replacement rather than a component repair. Many of these reports involve vehicles between roughly 60,000 and 140,000 miles with regular maintenance, and several note that no dashboard warning appears before diagnosis. A smaller set of complaints covers starting and electrical faults, fuel-pump related stalling, cracked windshields and a few brake and tire concerns.
- Transmission and drivetrain
CVT whine, humming or grinding; bearing failure
- 58 complaints (51%)
- median 110,000 mi at 7.5 yrs old (3 state mileage, few)
- owner-quoted repair $10,800 (median of 12 quotes)
- filed 2023–2026
Owners describe a whining, humming or grinding noise that grows louder with speed and is often first noticed at highway speeds or during acceleration from a stop. In many complaints an independent shop or dealer identifies a failed bearing or internal damage inside the CVT, and owners say they were told the unit cannot be repaired piecemeal, only replaced. Quoted replacement costs in the complaints run from several thousand to over ten thousand dollars, and owners commonly note that no warning light appeared before diagnosis. Several complaints mention a Toyota service program or bulletin covering the condition and say their vehicle was excluded by serial number or VIN. Mostly reported between about 60,000 and 140,000 miles, on vehicles with regular service records.
What to check: Listen for whine or grind on a test drive at 15 to 30 mph and again at highway speed, and ask for the transmission service history. Ask the dealer whether the vehicle is covered by any Toyota customer support program or extended transmission coverage and get the answer in writing.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“My 2019 Toyota CH-R started making a whoop whoop sound while in gear. i took it to the dealership about a week after the noise started, and they stated my transmission was broken/breaking. It only has 107,000 miles on it. I am looking online, and this is a common problem with the K114 transmission.”
NHTSA complaint #11683326, filed 2025-08“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. …”
NHTSA complaint #11738274, filed 2026-05 - Electrical system
No-start, rough running and battery or wiring faults
- 9 complaints (8%)
- median 31,000 mi at 3.3 yrs old (3 state mileage, few)
- filed 2020–2026
Owners describe vehicles that fail to start or stall, sometimes with rough idling afterwards, and one report notes the parking brake staying engaged after a jump start. Other complaints list multiple dashboard warnings together, including check engine, lane assist and forward collision messages, with dealers unable to reproduce the fault on a first visit. One owner reports a no-start traced to rodent damage to wiring, which the dealer treated as non-warranty. Reported from about 20,000 to 40,000 miles, with some at higher mileage.
What to check: Start the car from cold more than once and watch for warning lights that stay on after startup; ask whether battery and charging system checks were done recently.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“Started my car and the check engine light came on car said to bring to dealer. When I was bringing my car to the dealer suddenly my whole dash lit up and my car started to drive strange. The dealer thought it was my gas cap, but I made them check my car and it was rodent damage to the wires. They said this is common since changing to soy based wiring since it seems to attract animals, but it is not a warranty item or recall. …”
NHTSA complaint #11375388, filed 2020-11, 19,950 miles“Vehicle only has 40K miles and it has been giving me battery issues along with an engine spurring sound. The vehicle stopped running suddenly and provided me with a check engine light as well as EPB malfunction. Contacted a mechanic and he believes it may be a manufacturer issues along with possible vehicle recalls. I have kept up with maintenance and there is no reason for so many issues.”
NHTSA complaint #11507448, filed 2023-02
Buying note. Have any 2019 C-HR inspected by a shop familiar with these CVTs, with a road test at the speeds where noise typically shows up, and confirm in writing whether any transmission service program applies to that VIN. Also verify that the open recalls for the rear seat belt buckle and rear axle hub bolts were completed.
Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.
NHTSA recorded 114 consumer complaints for the 2019 Toyota C-HR. 15 of the complaints include a mileage, and 53% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 49,000 miles. Of all complaints, 3 involved a crash, 3 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns and 129 technical service bulletins for this model year. Compared with the other 3 Toyota C-HR model years that have at least 25 complaints and are old enough to compare, this one scores 57 out of 100, where 50 is a typical year for the model (typical for this model). The comparison allows for the era and for how long each year has had to collect complaints, but not for how many vehicles were sold.
Which parts are reported most
Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.
- Other or unknown33 29%
- Engine9 7.9%
- Electrical system7 6.1%
- Brakes4 3.5%
- Vehicle speed control4 3.5%
- Fuel system3 2.6%
- Body and structure2 1.8%
Also reported: Air bags (1), Exterior lighting (1), Suspension (1), Tires (1), Wheels (1).
Example complaints
Transmission and drivetrain: “1- occassion #1 I made a slow right turn into a parking space at walgreens. I pressed the brake, the pedal went to the floor, the vehicle continued forward, jumped the curb and was stopped by a fence about 4 feet in front of the curb. No harm done. 2- I made a slow right turn into a parking space at sonic, the pedal went to the floor, the car jumped the curb, continued forward and started downward into a retention pond (empty, no water) I was able to stop the car after I took my foot off the pedal and it began to work normally. …”
NHTSA complaint #11388826, filed 2021-01, 49,000 milesOther or unknown: “I have been told the transmission is going out. After researching, I have seen this is a common problem with this year make and model of the vehicle.This should not be happening in a car that is a 2019. It is a safety hazard and frankly, it should be recalled in America as I have seen it was recalled in Canada for the same issues. I have already done 2 transmission flushes on the vehicle, but now nothing seems to help.”
NHTSA complaint #11666606, filed 2025-06Engine: “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. …”
NHTSA complaint #11687697, filed 2025-09Electrical system: “There is so many customers that is having the same problem with the replacement of transmission at only at 38,000 miles there has to be an issues with the Toyota CHR my car now is make the same humming noise it started out low and now it’s very loud only for find it need a new transmission. It needs to be recalled by Toyota my car needs work right now!!!!!! I paid 162.00 thinking the transmission need to be changed and it still made the same noise when done.”
NHTSA complaint #11543883, filed 2023-09Mileage when problems were reported
53% of the 15 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 19,950 and 87,000 miles.
Complaints by year filed
Trend: rising. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% higher than in the 3 years before.
Crash test ratings
NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2019 Toyota C-HR. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
| Version | Overall | Frontal | Side | Side pole | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C-HR · hatchback FWD | ★★★★★ | 5 / 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 · 14.3% risk |
Driver aids listed by NHTSA for the 2019 model year: forward collision warning standard, lane departure warning standard, automatic emergency braking standard.
Neighbouring years: 2018: same overall rating; 2020: same overall rating. A redesign between years can change both the car and the test.
Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.
Fuel economy and running cost
EPA ratings for each 2019 Toyota C-HR version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).
| Version | Engine | Transmission | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C-HR FWD | 2.0L 4-cyl | CVT | 27 | 31 | 29 | $2,300 |
Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.
Recalls and investigations
- 19V877000Dec 11, 2019Seat belts › Rear/other › Buckle assemblyCovers: Toyota C-HR 2019–2020, Corolla 2020, Corolla Hybrid 2020
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2019-2020 C-HR and 2020 Corolla and Corolla Hybrid vehicles equipped with rear seat belt assemblies with a dual-mode locking mechanism. The seat belt webbing sensor locking mechanism may…
- 19V244000Mar 27, 2019Equipment › Other › LabelsCovers: Toyota C-HR 2019, Camry 2019, Highlander 2019 +14 more
Gulf States Toyota (GST) is recalling certain 2019 C-HR, 4Runner, Avalon, Avalon Hybrid, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Highlander, Land Cruiser, Prius, RAV4, Sequoia, Tacoma, Sienna, Tundra and Yaris vehicles. The text on the load capacity label may become illegible…
- 18V710000Oct 11, 2018Power train › Axle hubsCovers: Toyota C-HR 2019
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2019 Toyota C-HR vehicles. The rear axle hub bearing bolts may have been insufficiently tightened, causing the bolts to loosen and damage the rear brake components or cause a rear wheel…
Recall details for the 2019 Toyota C-HR → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls
Technical service bulletins
TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 129 on record; the latest 10 are shown.
- 11038386Sep 22, 2026Transmission and drivetrain. Although the Continuously Variable Transmissions (CVT) is covered by Toyota’s New Vehicle Limited Warranty for 5 years or 60,000 miles (whichever comes first), we at Toyota care about the customers’…
- 11038382Sep 16, 2026Transmission and drivetrain. Although the Continuously Variable Transmissions (CVT) is covered by Toyota’s New Vehicle Limited Warranty for 5 years or 60,000 miles (whichever comes first), we at Toyota care about the customers’…
- 11038381Sep 15, 2026Transmission and drivetrain. Although the Continuously Variable Transmissions (CVT) is covered by Toyota’s New Vehicle Limited Warranty for 5 years or 60,000 miles (whichever comes first), we at Toyota care about the customers’…
- 11038369Sep 4, 2026Transmission and drivetrain. Some 2018 – 2019 model year C-HR vehicles may exhibit a grinding and/or whining noise from the transaxle while accelerating from 15 – 30 mph and/or decelerating from 30 – 15 mph. An updated…
- 11037194Aug 13, 2026Transmission and drivetrain. Some 2018 – 2019 model year C-HR vehicles may exhibit a grinding and/or whining noise from the transaxle while accelerating from 15 – 30 mph and/or decelerating from 30 – 15 mph. An updated…
- 11037192Aug 13, 2026Transmission and drivetrain. Although the Continuously Variable Transmissions (CVT) is covered by Toyota’s New Vehicle Limited Warranty for 5 years or 60,000 miles (whichever comes first), we at Toyota care about the customers’…
- 11036133Jul 31, 2026Engine. Although the Continuously Variable Transmissions (CVT) is covered by Toyota’s New Vehicle Limited Warranty for 5 years or 60,000 miles (whichever comes first), we at Toyota care about the customers’…
- 11028726Jan 30, 2026Electrical system. OBSOLETE NOTICE January 30, 2026: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see T-SB-0001-26.
- 11028722Jan 28, 2026Electrical system. Some 2018 – 2024 model year Toyota vehicles equipped with a Premium Audio with Dynamic Navigation System require a Special Service Tool (SST) USB flash drive to update the map, points of interest…
- 11028712Jan 7, 2026Other or unknown. Some 2005 – 2026 Toyota vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a musty odor is present. Follow the procedures in this bulletin to remediate the odor and…
Other model years of the Toyota C-HR
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | Crash ★ | MPG | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 8 | — | 1 | — | 117 MPGe | — | Too new |
| 2021 | 36 | 28,764 | 1 | 4–5 | 29 | 40 · Typical | Rising |
| 2020 | 66 | 20,000 | 1 | 5 | 29 | 42 · Typical | Rising |
| 2019 | 114 | 49,000 | 3 | 5 | 29 | 57 · Typical | Rising |
| 2018 | 328 | 46,000 | 1 | 5 | 29 | 80 · More | Rising |
All Toyota C-HR model years · Best and worst years by complaints
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2019 Toyota C-HR?
Most complaints about the 2019 C-HR come from the continuously variable transmission: owners describe a whining, humming or grinding noise that develops as the car accumulates miles and is frequently diagnosed as a failing internal bearing, with dealers usually quoting a full transmission replacement rather than a component repair. The issues reported most often: CVT whine, humming or grinding; bearing failure; No-start, rough running and battery or wiring faults.
How many NHTSA complaints does the 2019 Toyota C-HR have?
NHTSA recorded 114 consumer complaints for the 2019 Toyota C-HR as of Oct 30, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
What part of the 2019 Toyota C-HR is reported most often?
Transmission and drivetrain is named most often, in 65 complaints (57% of the total), followed by other or unknown with 33.
Has the 2019 Toyota C-HR been recalled?
NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
How did the 2019 Toyota C-HR do in NHTSA crash tests?
NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings give the 2019 Toyota C-HR 5 out of 5 stars overall. Ratings from different model years are only comparable when the vehicle was not redesigned in between.
What gas mileage does the 2019 Toyota C-HR get?
The EPA rates the 2019 Toyota C-HR (C-HR, 2.0L 4-cyl) at 29 mpg combined, 27 city and 31 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,300 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.
At what mileage are problems with the 2019 Toyota C-HR reported?
Among the 15 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 49,000 miles and the middle half falls between 19,950 and 87,000 miles; 53% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 30, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).
Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.