GOING DOWN ROAD AT 70MPH AND VEHICLE SLOWS DOWN TO 40MPH ON ITS OWN AND I ALMOST WAS REAR ENDED BY THE CAR BEHIND ME. THIS HAPPENED ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY.
2012 Chevrolet Captiva
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2012 Chevrolet Captiva do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 65.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Captiva years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
53 reports with mileage · 12 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Electrical System. Review the 43 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine. Review the 16 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electronic Stability Control (esc). Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Engine complaints
16 reportsTL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET CAPTIVA. WHILE STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE KEY FAILED TO RELEASE FROM THE IGNITION SWITCH AND THE TURN SIGNAL LIGHTS FAILED TO MAKE A CLICKING NOISE WHEN ACTIVATED. ADDITIONALLY, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START OCCASIONALLY AND THE SERVICE VEHICLE AND BRAKE WARNING INDICATORS WERE ILLUMINATED. TH…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET CAPTIVA. WHILE STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE KEY FAILED TO RELEASE FROM THE IGNITION SWITCH AND THE TURN SIGNAL LIGHTS FAILED TO MAKE A CLICKING NOISE WHEN ACTIVATED. ADDITIONALLY, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START OCCASIONALLY AND THE SERVICE VEHICLE AND BRAKE WARNING INDICATORS WERE ILLUMINATED. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 84,000. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN.
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CONTINUES TO COME ON. HAD IT TESTED AND I NEEDED TO REPLACE THE CAMSHAFT AND THE CRANKSHAFT SENSORS. DID THAT DROVE IT FOR A WEEK OR TWO AND THE LIGHT CAME BACK ON TESTED IT AGAIN AND GOT THE SAME READING CONCERNING BANK 1 CAMSHAFT AND CRANKSHAFT SENSOR. WAS TOLD IT COULD BE THE TIMING CHAIN CAUSING THIS PR…
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CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CONTINUES TO COME ON. HAD IT TESTED AND I NEEDED TO REPLACE THE CAMSHAFT AND THE CRANKSHAFT SENSORS. DID THAT DROVE IT FOR A WEEK OR TWO AND THE LIGHT CAME BACK ON TESTED IT AGAIN AND GOT THE SAME READING CONCERNING BANK 1 CAMSHAFT AND CRANKSHAFT SENSOR. WAS TOLD IT COULD BE THE TIMING CHAIN CAUSING THIS PROBLEM AND THAT THIS VEHICLE IS KNOWN FOR THE TIMING CHAIN ISSUE. WAS TOLD THAT THERE MAY BE MORE THAN ONE CAMSHAFT BUT THE READING STILL COMES UP THE SAME IN BANK 1. IS THIS NORMAL FOR THIS VEHICLE AND IS IT UNDER SOME KIND OF WARRANTY. HAVE ONLY 104200 MILES ON THIS VEHICLE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET CAPTIVA. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE MADE AN ABNORMAL SOUND. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THREE QUARTS OF OIL WERE ADDED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE WAS CONSUMING AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF OIL AND IT NEEDED TO B…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET CAPTIVA. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE MADE AN ABNORMAL SOUND. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THREE QUARTS OF OIL WERE ADDED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE WAS CONSUMING AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF OIL AND IT NEEDED TO BE CHANGED BEFORE EVERY 1,000 MILES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE CONTACT CALLED HEALEY CHEVROLET BUICK (LOCATED AT 5216 NY-17M, NEW HAMPTON, NY 10958, (845) 360-9821) AND AN APPOINTMENT WAS SCHEDULED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000.
ON 1/2/19, I LEFT WORK AND TRAVELED APPROXIMATELY 2 MILES WHEN I BEGAN HEARING ENGINE NOISE. UPON PULLING INTO CONVENIENCE STORE, I CHECKED DIPSTICK AND FOUND NO OIL SHOWING. SINCE OIL WAS CHANGED ABOUT 400 PRIOR AND NO LEAKS WERE FOUND, I PROCEEDED TO ADD OIL TO ENGINE. FOUND OIL LEAKING OUT AS FAST AS PUTTING IN. AFTER BEI…
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ON 1/2/19, I LEFT WORK AND TRAVELED APPROXIMATELY 2 MILES WHEN I BEGAN HEARING ENGINE NOISE. UPON PULLING INTO CONVENIENCE STORE, I CHECKED DIPSTICK AND FOUND NO OIL SHOWING. SINCE OIL WAS CHANGED ABOUT 400 PRIOR AND NO LEAKS WERE FOUND, I PROCEEDED TO ADD OIL TO ENGINE. FOUND OIL LEAKING OUT AS FAST AS PUTTING IN. AFTER BEING TOWED BACK TO WHERE I WORK (INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP) AND NEXT DAY FOUND REAR CRANKSHAFT SEAL ON ENGINE DISLODGED FROM ENGINE. FURTHER INVESTIGATION AND TAKING IT TO CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP VERIFIED THE OCCURRENCE OF A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE PCV CAUSING THIS FAILURE TO HAPPEN.. APPARENTLY AS I DROVE UP THAT BUSY HIGHWAY FROM WORK, MY VEHICLE WAS DISPERSING A VERY FIINE SPRAY OF OIL ON THE VEHICLES FOLLOWING ME, THE ROAD, AND THE ROADSIDE VEGETATION, APPROXIMATELY 5 QUARTS WORTH. THIS CREATED A VERY UNSAFE CONDITION FOR THE VEHICLE FOLLOWING ME AND RAISED SOME SERIOUS ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES. IN SPITE OF GM HAVING ISSUED A SPECIAL POLICY ON CERTAIN VEHICLES WHICH WOULD HAVE COVERED THIS REPAIR, I WAS TOLD MY VEHICLE WAS NOT ON THE LIST. I HAVE HAD THE REPAIR PERFORMED, BUT IF IT IS A KNOWN FAULTY DESIGN, GM SHOULD STAND BEHIND CORRECTING THE ISSUE AND IF I AM NOT ON THEIR LIST, THEY SHOULD EXPAND THE LIST. I HATE HAVING BEEN THE VEHICLE BEHIND CREATING AN UNSAFE SITUATION FOR OTHER DRIVERS AND FOR CONTAMINATING THE ROAD AND ROADSIDE WITH PETROLEUM WASTE. THE SPECIAL POLICY THAT DID NOT HAVE ME ON THE LIST WAS 14882 - SPECIAL COVERAGE ADJUSTMENT
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET CAPTIVA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE KEPT SHUTTING OFF WHILE DRIVING AND WHEN COLD STARTED FROM A PARKED POSITION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SEVERAL INDEPENDENT MECHANICS TO BE DIAGNOSED, BUT NO FAILURE COULD BE FOUND. WHEN THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, ALL OF THE INST…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET CAPTIVA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE KEPT SHUTTING OFF WHILE DRIVING AND WHEN COLD STARTED FROM A PARKED POSITION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SEVERAL INDEPENDENT MECHANICS TO BE DIAGNOSED, BUT NO FAILURE COULD BE FOUND. WHEN THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, ALL OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET CAPTIVA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS CONSUMING A LARGE AMOUNT OF OIL WITHIN 1,000 MILES WELL BELOW THE 3,000 MILE NORMAL CHECKUP PERIOD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN A 20,000 MILE EXTENSION OF THE MANUFACTURER'S 100,000 MILE WARRANTY. THE MANUFACTURER S…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET CAPTIVA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS CONSUMING A LARGE AMOUNT OF OIL WITHIN 1,000 MILES WELL BELOW THE 3,000 MILE NORMAL CHECKUP PERIOD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN A 20,000 MILE EXTENSION OF THE MANUFACTURER'S 100,000 MILE WARRANTY. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE REASON FOR THE EXCLUSION HAD TO DO WITH WHERE THE ENGINE PARTS WERE SUPPLIED FROM, EVEN THOUGH THE ENGINE IN THE CAPTIVA WAS THE SAME AS THE OTHER VEHICLES INCLUDED IN THE WARRANTY EXTENSION. THE DEALER (CHAPMAN CHEVROLET, 1717 E BASELINE RD, TEMPE, AZ 85283, (480) 838-1234) STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL FOR THE OIL CONSUMPTION FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 98,000.
I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE ON MARCH 2, 2018. WITHIN 3 MONTHS OF OWNING THIS VEHICLE, IT HAS HAD A CATALYTIC CONVERTER REPLACED (WITHIN THE FIRST 2 WEEKS). ON JUNE 11, 2018, THE VEHICLE CUT OFF AND WOULD NOT RESTART. I HAD IT TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A BROKEN TIMING CHAIN. THE VEHICLE HAD ABOUT 95,000 MIL…
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I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE ON MARCH 2, 2018. WITHIN 3 MONTHS OF OWNING THIS VEHICLE, IT HAS HAD A CATALYTIC CONVERTER REPLACED (WITHIN THE FIRST 2 WEEKS). ON JUNE 11, 2018, THE VEHICLE CUT OFF AND WOULD NOT RESTART. I HAD IT TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A BROKEN TIMING CHAIN. THE VEHICLE HAD ABOUT 95,000 MILES ON AT THE TIME. I PURCHASED IT WITH 92,500 ON IT. A WEEK AND A HALF LATER I HAD TO RETURN THE VEHICLE FOR ANOTHER REPAIR WITH THE VALVES DEALING WITH THE TIMING BELT. THE VEHICLE IS NOW BACK IN THE SHOP AND HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH AN ENGINE CAMSHAFT/EXHAUST PROBLEM DUE TO IT CUTTING OFF WHILE DRIVING. THE VEHICLE CUT OFF AT LEAST 9 TIMES WHILE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC.
WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC, VEHICLE LOST POWER STRANDING ME IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FREEWAY.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET CAPTIVA. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL DEALER (MARTIN CHEVROLET, 8800 GRATIOT RD, SAGNINAW MI 48609) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED ON DECEMBER 3, 2016 THAT THE TIMING CHAIN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAI…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET CAPTIVA. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL DEALER (MARTIN CHEVROLET, 8800 GRATIOT RD, SAGNINAW MI 48609) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED ON DECEMBER 3, 2016 THAT THE TIMING CHAIN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED ON JANUARY 25, 2018. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE LOCAL DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE PISTONS, RINGS, AND WATER PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. ADDITIONALLY, THE OIL CONSUMPTION TEST WAS COMPLETED ON THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND OPENED CASE NUMBER: 8-3844130010. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT UNDER A WARRANTY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 87,390.
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
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