Problems · NHTSA complaints

2021 Toyota C-HR problems

Owners filed 36 complaints about the 2021 Toyota C-HR with NHTSA between Mar 2021 and Oct 2026. The most-cited component is power train (17).

Complaints
36
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
3
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
3
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Power train17
  2. Electrical system5
  3. Forward collision avoidance4
  4. Seat belts3
  5. Lane departure2
  6. Engine2
  7. Air bags2
  8. Service brakes2
  9. Fuel/propulsion system2
  10. Steering1
  11. Seats1
  12. Visibility1
  13. Vehicle speed control1
  14. Back over prevention1

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 6, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20215
20223
20236
20241
20257
202614

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Power train

17 reports
“I have a very loud whine coming from the front of my 2021 Toyota CHR with 93,000 miles. At first I thought it was a wheel bearing so I replaced it but the noise did not change. Over the last few days it has become louder and louder. Now every once in a while the car feels like it almost slips then catches traction. The noise has been confirmed by an independent shop, who said there is a new TSB (T-SB-0048-26) for the transmission which they said matches everything they noticed with my vehicle but it was only for 2018-2019. No warning lights or anything has appeared.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 21, 2026Power trainODI 11772759

Electrical system

5 reports
“The contact owns a 2021 Toyota C-HR. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, several unknown warning lights were illuminated. Additionally, the message "Service Vehicle Now" was displayed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 82,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 24, 2025Electrical system, EngineODI 11638283

Forward collision avoidance

4 reports1 crash1 related recall
“On May 26, 2026 I was driving on the highway at around 50mph and the vehicle swerved to the right on its own causing me to swerve back and forth between two lanes for about 10 seconds. The wheel moved on its own causing me to use force to try to get the car back in control. Thankfully no one was next to me but if that had not been the case, it would have a caused a serious and life threatening accident. Had I been going any faster or on the regular streets, I am certain the vehicle would have flipped or ran off the road. It was EXTREMELY scary, especially as I am a mother and my baby is frequently in the car. I have contacted two separate Toyota dealerships neither one of them giving any concern to my safety or well-being and are charging me $100+ to run a diagnostics. I no longer feel safe driving this vehicle, I no longer believe that Toyota cares about their clients and will no longer be recommending Toyota for their lack of concern of their drivers safety. There were no warning messages or notifications before, during, or after the incident.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 27, 2026Steering, Lane departure, Forward collision avoidanceODI 11740356

Seat belts

3 reports1 crash
“The contact owns a 2021 Toyota C-HR. The contact stated while driving 35 mph, while depressing the brake pedal the failed to stop and the vehicle and crashed into a brick mailbox. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. No air bags deployed, and the front driver side seat belt failed to retract. The contact sustained injuries on his neck and back and sought medical attention at a nearby hospital. A police report was filed. The vehicle was not drivable. The vehicle was towed impound lot. The contact was informed by the impound lot, that the cause of the brake failure was due to the bolt being loose on the A-frame. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing the front passenger air bag wire harness and the Anti-lock braking systems (ABS) to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 32,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 29, 2023Air bags, Seat belts, Service brakesCrash reportedODI 11541450

Lane departure

2 reports
“I purchased the car in April of 2021 and by the end of the month it was in the shop because it was consuming way to much fuel I’ve been back to the dealer since for this matter many times as well as many time for other safety defects like the lane keeping assist taking over and forcing me into opposite lanes of traffic and my finance manager noticed that the vehicle was mile jumping. I have been back for the above mentioned issues and safety concerns and the only response I have gotten so far is that the vehicle is operating as designed and final do not come back you are causing unnecessary problems and issues”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 12, 2021Electrical system, Fuel/propulsion system, Lane departureODI 11420688

Engine

2 reports
“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 complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 29, 2025EngineODI 11707465
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 6, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.