Selling a broken or worn-out Toyota C-HR

Two very different cars under one name

The first C-HR came to the US for 2018 with a 2.0-liter four, 144 hp, a CVT and front-wheel drive only. Cars from the 2018-2020 model years were imported from Sakarya, Turkey. The 2019 made Apple CarPlay standard, and the 2020 got new exterior styling. NHTSA's files hold no 2023, 2024 or 2025 C-HR.

The name came back for 2026 on a battery-electric SUV. It shares Toyota's e-TNGA platform with the bZ models, carries a 74.7-kWh battery, makes 338 hp and drives all four wheels. Toyota says the 2027 is unchanged.

What owners report on the gas C-HR

Power train, 330 complaints. That's the category NHTSA uses for the transmission and driveline, and it holds 61% of all C-HR complaints. It is the top area on every gas model year: 206 on the 2018, 57 on the 2019, 49 on the 2020, 15 on the 2021 and all 3 on the 2022. We did not tally what the write-ups say, so we won't tell you a cause. Engine complaints are far fewer, 33 in all.

Parking brake, 2018. Recall 17V717 covers 28,764 2018 cars. The electronic parking brake may not release once applied, or may not apply at all, and a car left out of Park can then roll away on a slope. Dealers reprogram the skid control computer. All 18 of the model's service brake complaints are on the 2018.

Rear hub bolts, 2019. Recall 18V710 named 681 cars whose rear axle hub bearing bolts may not have been tightened enough. A loose bolt can damage the rear brakes. Dealers check the bolts and replace the hub bearing and axle carrier if one is loose or missing.

Rear seat belts, 2019-2020. Recall 19V877 is for rear belts with a dual-mode locking mechanism that may not lock. Dealers check each belt assembly's production date and replace it if needed. Its 9,468 vehicles include 2020 Corolla and Corolla Hybrid models.

Pre-collision radar, 2021. Recall 22V107 covers 36,558 cars whose radar sensor may never have been switched on at the factory. The pre-collision system then does nothing, and no warning light says so. Dealers activate the sensor.

A sixth campaign, 19V244, came from Gulf States Toyota: load capacity labels whose text may become illegible, on 3,634 vehicles of many Toyota models. Dealers hand out corrected labels.

The electric C-HR's first recall

Recall 26V570 covers 8,521 2026 C-HRs. A software error can let the drive battery overcharge in some driving conditions, which shuts the electric drive system down. Dealers update the software at no cost. Owner letters are expected to be mailed October 18, 2026, so yours may not have arrived yet. Of the 8 complaints on the 2026, 5 are filed under the electrical system.

C-HR complaints and recalls by year

Snapshot date: October 10, 2026. The 19V877 seat belt recall reaches both 2019 and 2020.

Crashes in all those reports: 16. Injuries: 15. NHTSA lists no fires and no deaths.

Worth fixing?

Start with the quote. When a transmission or another big job runs close to the price of a running C-HR of that year, letting it go unrepaired usually wins.

1. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls for the parking brake, hub bolt, seat belt or radar work.
2. Transmission gone on a 2018-2022? No recall covers it, so the quote decides. Our CVT failure guide covers the symptoms, coverage checks and the fix-or-sell math.
3. Electric 2026 or 2027 that won't drive? Call a Toyota dealer before anything else. Toyota's warranty page says its “EV Drive components are supported by an 8-year/100,000-mile limited warranty coverage, whichever comes first,” and that this “Includes traction battery remaining below 70% of original capacity.”

We publish no C-HR repair figures because we have none from a source we trust.

How to sell your C-HR whole

1. Start a list: VIN, odometer reading, the faults you know about, and whether it drives at all.
2. Ask for an offer online, or call (877) 421-6008.
3. Describe the spot: a driveway, a parking garage, a shop's lot. Mention a stuck parking brake or a flat, so the driver brings the right gear.
4. Leave every part on. If a part was pulled earlier, list it, because the offer depends on what's there.
5. Hand over the title, a photo ID and any keys at pickup. Plates stay or go by state law, covered in after you sell.

Other small Toyotas: the Corolla Cross, RAV4 and bZ4X, or what a junk car is worth.