What 145 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Chevrolet Captiva

INITIALLY THE ISSUE PRESENTED AS OCCASIONAL BRAKE LIGHT OUTAGE. SOON AFTER THIS BECAME PERMANENT. IT ALSO AFFECTS THE REVERSE LIGHTS MAKING IT SO THAT THEY'RE ALWAYS ON, EVEN WHEN THE CAR ISN'T RUNNING. IN ADDITION, THE INTERIOR LIGHTS (DOORS AND OVERHEAD) ARE AFFECTED AND NO LONGER WORK. THE BACKUP CAMERA HAD TO BE REMOVED BECAUSE THE WIRING BURNT OUT. ALSO THE SUNROOF HAS STOPPED WORKING. FRONT RIGHT TURN SIGNAL ALSO STOPPED WORKING. IT WAS NO LONGER SAFE TO DRIVE AROUND MID-MARCH 2019. I HAD TO TAKE IT IN TO A AUTO ELECTRIC SPECIALIST TWICE STARTING APRIL 2019. AFTER ALL THIS, IT WAS DIAGNOSED AS NEEDING A NEW HARNESS AND TOTAL REWIRE AND A BODY CONTROL MODULE AND PROGRAMMING. APPARENTLY THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE WITH THIS VEHICLE AND I WAS TOLD I WOULD BE BETTER OFF CUTTING MY LOSSES AND STARTING OVER WITH A DIFFERENT CAR. DATES ARE APPROXIMATE.

NHTSA ODI 11340037

ON 2/20/19 THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND CAR WAS IDLING ROUGH AND MAKING A CHUGGING SOUND. MILEAGE ON CAR AT THIS POINT WAS 108,270. CAR WAS TAKEN TO AUTO ZONE WHERE THE CODE P0016 WAS PULLED REFERENCING A CAMSHAFT ISSUE ACCORDING TO THE EMPLOYEE. WHEN I CHECKED THE OIL, IT SHOWED BELOW THE MINIMUM LEVEL AND SO I PUT 1 QT. OF OIL PER THE OWNER'S MANUAL. AFTER I ADDED 1 QT. OF OIL, CAR SEEMED TO RUN MUCH MORE SMOOTHLY. I SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT TO GET THE OIL CHANGED. OIL WAS CHANGED AT MILEAGE 108832. ON 5/1/19 CAR WAS IDLING ROUGH AND MAKING CHUGGING SOUND. CHECKED OIL LEVEL AND FOUND THAT IT WAS BONE DRY ON THE STICK AND I ADDED 1 QT OF OIL PER THE OWNER'S MANUAL. EXHIBITING SAME SYMPTOMS OF THE ISSUE REFERENCED ON TSB # 13-06-01-003H, SAME ISSUE I HAD WITH MY 2012 EQUINOX WHICH HAS THE SAME TYPE OF ENGINE AS THIS CAPTIVA (2.4L ECOTEC). MILEAGE WAS 111,215 WHEN THIS OCCURRED. I THEN TOOK MY CAR IN TO A GM DEALER TO HAVE OIL CHANGED AND REQUESTED AN OIL CONSUMPTION TEST AND THEY CHANGED THE OIL/FILTER AT MILEAGE 111,252. OVER THE NEXT YEAR WE CHANGED THE OIL AT 115,874 MILES, 118,744 MILES, 122,106 MILES. THERE WERE A HANDFUL OF TIMES WHERE I HAD TO ADD 1 QT. OF OIL TO THE CAR PER THE OWNER'S MANUAL BECAUSE IT BECAME LOW ON OIL. THEN ON 6/10/20 THE CAR DIED IN TRAFFIC AND IT WAS ABLE TO BE STARTED AGAIN. IT WAS DRIVEN LESS THAN 5 MILES TO A FIRESTONE WHERE 3 QT OF OIL HAD TO BE ADDED AS ENGINE WAS BONE DRY. OIL WAS CHANGED NEXT DAY AT 125,919 MILES. THEN ON 7/9/20 THE CAR DIED ON THE ROAD AND WOULD NOT START AGAIN. HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A FIRESTONE WHERE THE TECHNICIAN SAID THAT METAL SHAVINGS WERE FOUND IN THE ENGINE OIL AND IT WAS BELIEVED TO BE FROM TIMING CHAIN ISSUE. LOW ENGINE OIL CAUSED FROM OIL CONSUMPTION ISSUE CAN CAUSE THOSE PARTS TO WEAR AND METAL SHAVINGS CONTAMINATE ENGINE OIL. NEW ENGINE IS NEEDED, MILEAGE 126,825.

NHTSA ODI 11338769

CAR HAS RANDOM TIMES IT WONT START. NOW MY RADIO CUTS IN AND OUT WHILE DRIVING. LIGHTS FLASH ON AND OFF

NHTSA ODI 11337297

DRIVING ALONG THE "SERVICE AIRBAG" LIGHT COMES ON. NO OTHER INDICATORS OF PROBLEM. 55,000 MILES. *TR

NHTSA ODI 11328859

AFTER DRIVING AND PARKING, THE VEHICLE AT THE STORE. THE VEHICLE CONSTANTLY LOOSES ALL POWER AND WILL NOT START AND THERE ARE NO WARNING SIGNS. KEYS WILL LOCK IN THE IGNITION, REMOTE START DEPROGRAMS, THE CAR HAS NO POWER. POSITIVE BATTERY CABLE IS EXTREMELY HOT AND SECOND-DEGREE BURNS ARE ON HAND WHEN TOUCHED. REPLACED BATTERY, POSITIVE BATTERY CABLE, AND 1 WEEK LATER THE PROBLEM STARTED AGAIN. NO PROBLEM WITH THE STARTER, ALTERNATOR. NO LOOSE WIRES AND THERE IS NO ELECTRICAL SHORTAGE. RESEARCHED THE PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET AND THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE. THE BATTERY WILL NOT CHARGE FROM A JUMP. NO POWER TO THE CAR AND YOU ARE STRANDED FOR HOURS WAITING FOR THE POSITIVE BATTERY CABLE TO COOL DOWN. AFTER HOURS OF WAITING THE CAR STARTS UP WITH NO PROBLEM, BUT WILL DO THE SAME THING AGAIN WHEN TURNED OFF. NOTHING IS LEFT ON TO DRAIN THE POWER FROM THE CAR. THIS IS HAPPENING CONSTANTLY AFTER DRIVING. *TR

NHTSA ODI 11326400

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2012 CHEVROLET CAPTIVA SPORT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATED ABNORMALLY WHENEVER THE VEHICLE EXCEEDED 60 MPH. ADDITIONALLY, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED CONSTANTLY. STEW HANSEN HYUNDAI (11344 HICKMAN RD, CLIVE, IA 50325, 888-426-6396) WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL SENSOR MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $1,000. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER ON FOUR OTHER OCCASIONS WHERE THE CAMSHAFT WAS ALSO REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 54,500.

NHTSA ODI 11324652

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET CAPTIVA SPORT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS FIRST PURCHASED THE KEY FAILED TO OPERATE AS DESIGNED. ADDITIONALLY, WITH THE VEHICLE STOPPED AND THE GEAR SHIFTER IN THE PARK POSITION, THE VEHICLE CONTINUED MOVING. THE CONTACT SHIFTED THE VEHICLE INTO REVERSE AND ACTIVATED THE PARKING BRAKE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BOWSER CHEVROLET OF MONROEVILLE (1600 GOLDEN MILE HWY, MONROEVILLE, PA 15146) TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE GEAR SHIFTER NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

NHTSA ODI 11322113

MY KEY KEEPS GETTING STUCK IN THE IGNITION AND WON'T COME . WHEN YOU TURN THE KEY TO TAKE IT OUT. IT WON'T TURN ALL THE WAY TO THE LOCK OPTION AND PULL OUT. THIS HAS HAPPENED MORE THAN ONCE

NHTSA ODI 11310839

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.

NHTSA ODI 11287216

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET CAPTIVA SPORT. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE AND THE VEHICLE SEIZED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MOBILE CHEVROLET (LOCATED AT 2900 GOVERNMENT BLVD, MOBILE, AL 36606, (251) 545-4291), BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.

NHTSA ODI 11286903

KEY GETS STUCK IN IGNITION AFTER PUT IN PARK. HAVE TO RESTART AND MOVE GEAR SHIFTS UP AND DOWN THEN BACK TO PARK. IF THIS DON'T RELEQSE KEY I HAVE TO LEAVE IT AND THEN HAVE DEAD BATTERY.

NHTSA ODI 11281655

KEY KEEPS GETTING STUCK IN THE IGNITION 75% OF THE TIME I TRY TO SHIFT IT OFF. IT WONT SHUT ALL THE WAY OFF EITHER. IT JUST GOES TO ACC. SEEMS LIKE A VERY VERY COMMON ISSUE. THIS NEEDS A RECALL AND GM SHOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR IT. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ODI 11278361

KEY STICKS IN IGNITION

NHTSA ODI 11270300

STALLED, SLOWED SPEED, STOPPED. WILL NOT RESTART

NHTSA ODI 11257333

LOSS OF POWER DURING STEERING - STEERING NOT STABLE - STALL OF ENGINE WHEN TURNING A CURVE. CAUSED MINOR VEHICLE ACCIDENT ON INTERSTATE

NHTSA ODI 11257338

ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. WILL NOT START AFTER TURNING OFF. 3RD TIME

NHTSA ODI 11255153

THE CAR HAS LEAKAGE AND COOLANT PROBLEMS. THE ENGINE OVERHEATS AFTER A LITTLE WHILE OF DRIVING THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA ODI 11252980

SERIOUS ELECTRICAL ISSUES CAUSES SUV TO SHUT DOWN WITH LITTLE TO NO WARNING. ALL LIGHTS ON DASH LIGHT UP, RPMS GO TO 0 CAR SHUTS OFF. THIS HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES, CAR CAN'T BE STEERED AWAY FROM TRAFFIC AND THE HAZARD LIGHTS ARE DEAD. KEY CAN'T BE REMOVED FROM IGNITION. COMPLETELY DEAD VEHICLE.NEW BATTERIES, NEW ALTERNATORS AND MULTIPLE MECHANICS CAN'T FIND THE PROBLEM. DISCONNECT BATTERY CABLES, RECHARGE THE BATTERY AND IT RUNS FOR A FEW MONTHS. NO ONE CAN TELL US THE ISSUE AND WE ARE STUCK WITH NO RECALLS AND LOTS OF PEOPLE HAVE THE SAME DANGEROUS ISSUE. CAR IS DRIVABLE TODAY BUT TO DANGEROUS TO PUT MY FAMILY IN ANYMORE. ARE THEY WAITING FOR SOMEONE TO DIE BEFORE A RECALL IS ISSUED?

NHTSA ODI 11245665

THE VEHICLE IS LIGHTWEIGHT TO THE POINT WHERE HIGH WINDS PUSH THE CAR TO THE SIDE WHILE IT IS IN MOTION. YOU CAN FEEL THE WIND MOVING IT AND FEEL THE CAR MOVE A LOT WHEN OTHER VEHICLES ARE DRIVING AT HIGH SPEEDS NEXT TO IT.

NHTSA ODI 11221600

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET CAPTIVA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE WAS UNABLE TO EJECT THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION. THE CONTACT HAD TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND MANUEVER THE STEERING WHEEL IN ORDER FOR THE KEY TO BE REMOVED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 47,000. *JS

NHTSA ODI 11220829

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.

NHTSA ODI 11217767

MANY TIMES THIS CAR HAS JUST DIED WHILE DRIVING. OIL AND BATTERY ARE GOOD. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE TIMING CHAIN. THERE NOW SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM WITH A FUEL PUMP OR SENSOR CAUSING THE CAR TO DIE. I AM TAKING IT TO A MECHANIC THIS WEEK. CURRENTLY NOT DRIVEABLE. I HAVE HAD SO MANY PROBLEMS OUT OF THIS CAR. GREAT LOOK ON THE OUTSIDE, BUT IT BEING A GENERAL MOTORS CAR, THERE ARE MANY PROBLEMS. I THINK THEY SHOULD HAVE HAD A RECALL ON THIS BY NOW. I WILL DO MY BEST TO FILE COMPLAINTS AND SUBMIT PROOF. NOT A DURABLE CAR.

NHTSA ODI 11207145

THE E-BRAKE COMES ON BY ITS SELF WHILE DRIVING DOWN ROAD. CHECKED AGAINEST VIN AND STATED NOT ON RECALL LIST BUT OTHERS HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR SAME THING.

NHTSA ODI 11195437

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.

NHTSA ODI 11195291

THE KEY WON'T COME OUT OF THE IGNITION 3/4 OF THE TIME. HAD GEAR SHIFT REPLACED A YEAR AGO AND FIXED PROBLEM. STARTED BACK UP MONTHS AGO AND THE CHEVY DEALER WON'T REPLACE WITHOUT ANOTHER $800.00. TOOK IT FOR OTHER OPINIONS AND EVERYONE SAYS GEAR SHIFT. POWER STAYS ON WHEN KEY IS STRUCK SO CAN'T JUST LEAVE IT. HAVE TO MOVE GEAR SHIFT BACK AND FORTH, RESTART, MOVE GEAR SHIFT AGAIN AND KEEP REPEATING TILL KEY COMES OUT. UP TO 8 TIMES, SO FAR.

NHTSA ODI 11193428