Home · 2012 Chevrolet Captiva · Complaints

What 145 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Chevrolet Captiva

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (145)Crash / fire / injury (7)Electrical system (89)Engine (38)Electronic Stability Control (esc) (20)Steering (12)Transmission & drivetrain (9)Airbags (8)Fuel system (8)Brakes (7)Lights (7)Speed control (7)

7 of 145 complaints match · Speed control · clear filters

Sep 24, 2023SteeringElectrical systemSpeed control

Unknown, car will shut off while driving and turn back on while flashing service traction control. In some cases it will completely turn off and I will have to put transmission in park and re crank it in the middle of traffic. Power steering goes out while driving aswell as other issues. Locks go in and out while driving. No known cause to this as battery and alternator is good and I've replaced BCM and reprogrammed it but still having the same issue

NHTSA ODI 11546278

Apr 19, 2022Electrical systemSpeed controlEngine

Engine light came on lost compressions. Engine wouldn't turn off. Steering was loose like we were on water. Traction control and stabilitrac were disabled and unable to turn bsvjninuiHas to press breaks to the floor. If I was going any faster I could have lost control. The repair shop replaced the fuse box and Bcm not even 3 miles engine light came back on and it misfires, pistons problems, compression. I called the dealership I bought it from and they state it's safe!

NHTSA ODI 11461301

Dec 5, 2019Transmission & drivetrainSpeed controlEngine

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

Sep 23, 2019SteeringSpeed controlElectronic Stability Control (esc)Crash

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

NHTSA ODI 11257338

Oct 4, 2017Electrical systemSpeed control

PROBLEMS STARTED WITH RADIO GOING OFF. THEN LIGHTS DIMMING WHEN USING THE WINDOW SWITCH. THEN WHILE USING THE TURNING SIGNAL, THE CRUSE WOULD SHUT OFF. THEN DRIVING AT NIGHT THE LIGHTS STARTED FLICKERING THEN SEEMED TO TURN OFF. THE CAR SEEMED TO LOOSE POWER. THE BREAK LIGHT WOULD COME ON THEN GO OFF. THE SEAT BELT LIGHT AND CHECK ENGINE. THE WARNING BELL THAT SOUNDS WHILE THE KEY IS IN IGNITION WOULD GO OFF AND MESSAGES WOULD FLASH ACROSS THE RADIO AND THE INFORMATION ON THE DASH WOULD SCROLL WITH OUT YOU SCROLLING THEM. TODAY THE CAR DECELERATED IN A BUSY INTERSECTION AND THE CAR LOCKS WENT UP AND DOWN. ON THE WAY HOME, THE CAR WAS DEAD AND I COULD NOT REMOVE THE KEY. CALLED A TOW, THEY JUMPED THE CAR, IT STARTED. ON THE WAY TO THE REPAIR GARAGE, THE CAR DIED IN THE ROAD. CALLED FOR A SECOND TOW, BUT WAS ABLE TO START THE CAR BY HITTING THE EXTERNAL FUSE BOX. GOT IT TO THE GARAGE AND IT IS THERE TODAY.

NHTSA ODI 11031651

Dec 28, 2015Parking BrakeElectrical systemSpeed control

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET CAPTIVA SPORT. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE PARKING BRAKE LIGHT CONTINUED TO ACTIVATE AND THE CRUISE CONTROL CUT OFF WHEN THE BLINKER WAS ACTIVATED, WHICH DISENGAGED THE CRUISE CONTROL AND SLOWED DOWN THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36,000.

NHTSA ODI 10816582

Aug 18, 2014Transmission & drivetrainElectrical systemSpeed control

CAR WAS DRIVING FINE WENT INTO A STORE CAME OUT KEYLESS ENTRY WOULD NOT WORK, OPENED DOOR WITH KEY AND CAR WOULD NOT START. CALLED FOR A JUMP BUT BEFORE THE PERSON CAME THE CAR STARTED OUT OF THE BLUE. I NEVER ATTEMPTED TO START THE CAR AGAIN BUT HAD INADVERTENTLY LEFT THE SWITCH TO THE ON POSITION. I TOOK THE CAR INTO GOOD CHEVROLET FOR SERVICE AND WAS TOLD THAT MY CAR'S BRAINS WERE BASICALLY SCRAMBLED. I WAS TOLD THAT THE PCM, BANK 1 SENSOR 2 OXYGEN SENSORS WERE REPLACED AND THAT ALL CODES WERE CLEARED AND THAT THE REPAIR WAS VERIFIED. I PICK THE CAR UP ON 8/14/14 DROVE IT ON 8/15/14 AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN ONLY THIS TIME THE KEY WOULD NOT COME OUT OF THE IGNITION AND ALL POWER WAS LOST. AGAIN I SAT THERE AND WAITED AND ABOUT 15-20 MINUTES LATER THE CAR STARTED. THIS TIME THE CAR SHOW ADDITIONAL ISSUES. THE LIGHTS WHERE THE RPMS ARE SHOWN FLICKERS ON AND OFF, THE CAR SPUTTERS, TRYING TO GET UP TO A CERTAIN SPEED IS TAXING AND WHEN I PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE THERE IS A RATTLING COUPLED WITH A SQUEALING SOUND. TODAY IS 8/16/14 AND I WILL BE TAKING THE CAR BACK INTO GOOD CHEVROLET ONCE AGAIN FOR SERVICE. I CAN ONLY HOPE THAT THEY WILL REPAIR THE CAR THIS TIME AND THAT I DO NOT HAVE SOME MAJOR ISSUE AFTER THE WARRANTY PERIOD AS THERE IS CLEARLY SOMETHING WRONG WITHIN THE CAR'S ELECTRICAL OR COMPUTER COMPONENTS. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10626129

Working with the data? Download all 145 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 28, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2012 Chevrolet Captiva verdict →