2021 Toyota C-HR: problems, recalls and reliability
1 recall and 32 owner complaints on record; the weakest area is power train (50% of complaints).
Data updated weekly · 1 new complaint in the last 90 days · latest recall Feb 2022
All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.
Common problems
Computed from 32 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
“The transmission has failed. Started making a whirring noise at 60000 and got worse from there. Toyota wants to charge 13k to fix issue.”Owner report · Power Train · Apr 2026
“My transmission went out on my 2021 C-HR. The problem is, Toyota continued making and selling the car after they knew there was an issue. The 2018 and 19 models had transmission recalls, but they failed to fix the issue and continued to let others purchase a vehicle that was going to fail.”Owner report · Power Train · Feb 2026
“I was told that the bearing was going out in the transmission. Toyota is charging $11,000 to replace it. Seems to be a common occurrence amongst these vehicles.”Owner report · Power Train · Jan 2026
Show 7 more owner reports
“The transmission all of a sudden started making a whistling noise. Took it to the shop for them to tell me the transmission is bad and needs replaced.”Owner report · Power Train · Jan 2026
“Our family vehicle is barely 5 years old with a little over 100k miles driven and is already in need of a transmission. We invested in a Toyota because they are known for being reliable and efficient cars but now are expected to either pay 8-10k or use the C-HR as a paltry down payment of $2k for another car we would once again start paying down. This is not the product or experience we expect especially since the car was properly maintained at every step.”Owner report · Unknown Or Other · Jan 2026
“Electrical failure of the transmission. No inciting incident. Confirmed by the dealership who has done all maintenance on the vehicle. Vehicle suddenly cannot go above 25mph and will not shift gears. Vehicle has approx 60k miles on it.”Owner report · Power Train · Dec 2025
“My 2021 CHR, that I purchased in March 2021 with 11 miles on it, started making a noise when driving in December 2025 so I took it in to Street Toyota in Amarillo, TX on 12-27-2025. It was confirmed that the automatic transaxle needed to be replaced and it would cost $15,653.58 to replace. The cost of my car brand new was $21,000.”Owner report · Engine · Dec 2025
“Bought car December 2024 with 54,557 miles and had it inspected at time of purchase; inspection was fine. Car started making odd noise last week, so I took it in for an oil change and they ran diagnostics and determined it needs the transmission replaced, having 67,764 miles. Mechanic told me this is a "known issue" that Toyota is aware of this and won't recall the affected cars. It's going to cost me $12k to fix. Toyota Canada has already acknowledged there is a problem with the cars.”Owner report · Power Train · Oct 2025
“Transmission went out at 40 thousand miles.this car has been serviced and maintaned as directed. No rough use what so every.”Owner report · Power Train · Sep 2025
“Original owner. Vehicle has internal failure of transaxle at exactly 60,000 miles. All routine services for the life of the car has been completed by a Toyota dealer.”Owner report · Power Train · Sep 2025
When filing, owners marked a crash in 3 of these complaints and injuries in 3 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.
Recalls - 1 campaign
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2021 C-HR vehicles. The radar sensor may not have been activated during production, making the pre-collision system (PCS) inoperative.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and activate the radar sensor as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 22, 2022. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 22TA02.
Specifications
Factory options offered for the 2021 model year, decoded from the NHTSA vPIC database. Individual vehicles have one of each.
How other years compare
Check your exact C-HR by VIN
Recalls and equipment differ between individual vehicles. Decode your VIN to see what applies to yours.
Open VIN decoderFrequently asked questions
Is the 2021 Toyota C-HR reliable?
NHTSA has 32 owner complaints and 1 recall campaign on record for the 2021 Toyota C-HR. The most complained-about area is power train (50% of complaints).
At what mileage do 2021 Toyota C-HR problems usually appear?
Half of the complaints that mention mileage were filed at 28,765 miles or less.
Does the 2021 Toyota C-HR have open recalls?
1 recall campaign has been issued, the latest concerning forward collision avoidance: sensing system: radar. Check your specific vehicle by VIN - recall repairs are free at franchised dealers.
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints (public domain). Counts reflect reports on file and are not a defect rate.