Which C-HR is yours?
The 1.2-litre turbo. Sold from early 2017 with a 6-speed manual on front-wheel-drive cars or a CVT (an automatic with no fixed gears). Being a small turbo engine, it wants the right oil on time.
The second-generation hybrid. It comes as a 1.8 in GXL and Koba grades, or a 2.0 GR Sport with all-wheel drive. There's no plug-in version sold here.
If you're not sure, the rego papers or the back of the car will tell you. A C-HR with a hybrid badge on an earlier body should be treated as a hybrid, whatever a listing says.
What a C-HR service covers
Toyota's petrol hybrids run on 12-month or 15,000 km intervals, per CarExpert. For a 1.2 turbo, read the car's own Warranty and Service Book, since the interval there is the one that counts. A good mechanic will tell you what Toyota lists at your kilometres and which oil and filters go in.
On a hybrid, the routine side looks like any small SUV's. The high-voltage system adds another layer, and it's for a mechanic trained on it. A qualified independent mechanic who sticks to Toyota's schedule and specifications doesn't by itself void the new car warranty, and our guide to logbook servicing covers what records to keep.
Toyota C-HR battery questions
Every C-HR has a 12-volt battery. If the car's slow to wake, goes flat after sitting, or shows a raft of warnings at once, test that first. The hybrid's high-voltage battery is separate, and that's rarely the first thing to suspect. See how long car batteries last for the signs.
Replacing a 12-volt on a late-model car can involve more than swapping it over, so have the mechanic fit one that matches the specification and make sure settings come back. Don't guess the size from a parts site.
Toyota C-HR problems: the recall to check
CarsGuide reported in October 2023 that 14,480 C-HRs built between 2019 and 2023 were recalled for a potential fire risk, following an earlier recall. That's the one to run down first if you've bought second-hand. Check your VIN on vehiclerecalls.gov.au, and get proof it's been done.
Otherwise CarsGuide's page lists little by way of faults, so go by what your car's doing. A light, a noise or a shudder from the CVT all deserve a look. A local mechanic who specialises in your car.
Easy checks before you tell us the job
You can
- Read the badge and the service book to work out which C-HR it is.
- Check tyre pressures and washer fluid.
- Take a photo of any warning on the dash.
- Check your VIN for recalls.
Leave to the mechanic
- The logbook service and oil choice for your engine.
- Testing and replacing the 12-volt battery.
- Anything on the hybrid system, including the orange cables.
- Reading fault codes.
If it were our C-HR
We'd start with the recall check, since that's a safety matter and takes a minute. Next we'd pin down turbo or hybrid, then ask the mechanic what's listed for that car at its kilometres. On a hybrid, ask how often they work on them. Keep the stamped book and invoices together, because they carry more weight than a memory of the service.