Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government
holds on this vehicle.
Owners have filed 322 safety complaints
about the 2018 Toyota C-HR with the US government. Of those, 9 describe a crash, 7 people were injured and no death is recorded. One recall campaign is open against it, covering the parking brake.
The most complained-about system is the power train,
named in 214 complaints, 66% of the total.
The typical failure was reported at 42,000 miles,
the median across the 61
complaints that gave
an odometer reading.
Compiled from NHTSA's complaint, recall and investigation files
· Covers August 2017 to September 2026 · How this is counted
What is on file
322 complaints on file
322
Complaints
9
Describe a crash
0
Mention fire
7
People injured
0
Deaths
A complaint is an unverified account by the person who filed it, not a
finding of fault. One complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts
them.
Complaints more than doubled year on year: 134 in the twelve months to 2026-Q2, against 32 in the twelve before.
A recall is the manufacturer conceding a defect, and the repair is free.
Whether one covers your particular car is a question only its VIN can
answer, because a campaign covers a production range rather than a
model year.
Which system owners named
Complaints naming each system
POWER TRAIN 214 · 66%
214 66%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 43 · 13%
43 13%
ENGINE 38 · 12%
38 12%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 29 · 9%
29 9%
SERVICE BRAKES 20 · 6%
20 6%
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 18 · 6%
18 6%
AIR BAGS 5 · 2%
5 2%
LANE DEPARTURE 4 · 1%
4 1%
PARKING BRAKE 4 · 1%
4 1%
STEERING 4 · 1%
4 1%
STRUCTURE 4 · 1%
4 1%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING 3 · 1%
3 1%
088177
Red marks a system with a recall campaign against it.
One complaint can name several systems, so these add up to more than 322.
When the complaints arrived
By the year NHTSA received them
By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures
happened. They peaked in 2026 at 105.
This is the year the complaint was filed, not the year the failure
happened. The range runs from 2017 to 2026, the last of them a part year, which is why its column is drawn faint.
Crash test ratings
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program
NHTSA crashes a car into a barrier and a pole and measures what
happens to the dummies inside. This is what it awarded the 2018 Toyota C-HR, and it is a separate
question from what owners report going wrong later.
Test
5 HB FWD
Overall
Frontal crash
Frontal, driver
Frontal, passenger
Side crash
Side barrier
Side pole
Rollover
Chance of rollover
14.2%
Stability control standard Forward collision warning standard Lane departure warning standard
A dash means NHTSA did not rate that test for this vehicle.
Recall campaigns
1 on file
PARKING BRAKE
17V717000 · November 15, 2017
The defect
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."
The 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."
The 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.
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing · up to 28,764 vehicles across all model years covered
In owners’ own words
Quoted from the complaint file
Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the
people who filed them, not findings of fault.
AIR BAGS
2 injured · crash · towed · 19,000 miles
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2018 TOYOTA C-HR. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE DID NOT YIELD THE RIGHT OF WAY TO THE CONTACT. AS A RESULT, BOTH VEHICLES CRASHED INTO EACH OTHER; THE FRONT OF THE CONTACT VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A FRACTURED SHOULDER, LEFT WRIST, AND INJURIES TO THE LEFT ANKLE. THE OTHER DRIVER SUSTAINED A BROKEN NOSE. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A CONCUSSION AND WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL WHERE SHE RECEIVED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE POLICE TOWED THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE CONTACT'S HOME WHERE THE CONTACT'S INSURANCE COMPANY ADJUSTER DEEMED THE VEHICLE A TOTAL LOSS. THE FRONT END FRAME OF THE CONTACT'S …
NHTSA complaint 11282665, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
AIR BAGS
1 injured · crash · towed · 372 miles
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 TOYOTA C-HR. WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH AND MAKING A LEFT TURN, ANOTHER VEHICLE DROVE THROUGH A RED LIGHT AND STRUCK THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE. THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE SPUN AROUND. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT WAS INJURED AND TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL; HOWEVER, THE OTHER DRIVER WAS NOT INJURED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER (GREEN'S TOYOTA OF LEXINGTON, 630 E NEW CIRCLE RD, LEXINGTON, KY 40505, (859) 254-5751) WHERE IT WAS AWAITING DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AND REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 372.
NHTSA complaint 11118956. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
AIR BAGS
1 injured · crash · 18,800 miles
HIT FROM REAR; OTHER DRIVER HIT AT 40 MPH, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.
NHTSA complaint 11277563. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
PARKING BRAKE
1 injured · crash · 28,280 miles
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 TOYOTA C-HR. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V717000 (PARKING BRAKE) THREE TIMES, HOWEVER THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN A STAND STILL IN PARK, THE VEHICLE REVERSED ON IT'S OWN CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO HIT THE CONTACT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT NO AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE CONTACT STATED NO WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. A POLICE WAS REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT DID SUSTAIN LEFT LEG AND RIGHT FOOT INJURIES MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS REQUIRED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED AS OF YET. THE CONTACT STATED A LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE …
NHTSA complaint 11352334, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
POWER TRAIN
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 …
NHTSA complaint 11768200, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
POWER TRAIN
towed · 105,000 miles
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.
NHTSA complaint 11766749. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
POWER TRAIN
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 …
NHTSA complaint 11766291, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
POWER TRAIN
The cvt transmission completely failed making the car undriveable
NHTSA complaint 11762975. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
POWER TRAIN
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, …
NHTSA complaint 11763153, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
POWER TRAIN
The car suddenly started shaking and making a weird noise and it turns out the transmission went out. I know I’m not the only one with this issue.
NHTSA complaint 11761882. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's
lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. How
many repair attempts it takes, and how long you have to file, is set by
the state you bought in and by nothing on this page.
Complaints: NHTSA's ODI
complaint file, published October 2, 2026. One
complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.
Recalls: NHTSA's recall
campaign API, newest campaign on this vehicle filed November 15, 2017.
Investigations: NHTSA's ODI
investigation file, published October 2, 2026.
A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by
us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that
sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.
G
Compiled and maintained by guarledes Independent developer and analyst