2012 Chevrolet CAPTIVA problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
65 owner complaints analyzed
0 distinct recall campaigns
60,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2012 model year. Data snapshot: . 53 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 40 of 65 complaints (61.5%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical and battery issues | 24 | 36.9% |
| Braking behavior | 9 | 13.8% |
| Engine operation | 8 | 12.3% |
| Transmission and shifting | 6 | 9.2% |
| Steering behavior | 5 | 7.7% |
| Fuel system concerns | 2 | 3.1% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Electrical System | 40 |
| Engine | 16 |
| Electronic Stability Control (Esc) | 8 |
| Unknown Or Other | 8 |
| Power Train | 5 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 4 |
| Air Bags | 3 |
| Steering | 3 |
Electrical System: 40; Engine: 16; Electronic Stability Control (Esc): 8; Unknown Or Other: 8; Power Train: 5; Fuel/Propulsion System: 4; Air Bags: 3; Steering: 3
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 1 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 13 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 24 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 10 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 4 |
| 150,000 and above | 1 |
Under 25,000: 1; 25,000 to 49,999: 13; 50,000 to 74,999: 24; 75,000 to 99,999: 10; 100,000 to 149,999: 4; 150,000 and above: 1
50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (24). 12 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2014 | 1 |
| 2015 | 9 |
| 2016 | 8 |
| 2017 | 16 |
| 2018 | 22 |
| 2019 | 9 |
2014: 1; 2015: 9; 2016: 8; 2017: 16; 2018: 22; 2019: 9
Pattern summary
Electrical System leads the component reports. Electrical and battery issues appears in 24 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 9 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 8 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10626129 · 2014-08-18 (August 18, 2014)
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 …
Owner-reported narrative. 35,083 miles reported. Look up ODI 10626129 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10720908 · 2015-05-18 (May 18, 2015)
VEHICLE DRIVEN IN HIGH TRAFFIC AREA WHEN WITHOUT WARNING SLOWLY LOST ALL POWER AND STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET. INITIAL ATTEMPT TO START VEHICLE FAILED. AFTER SEVERAL MORE ATTEMPTS THE VEHICLE STARTED ONLY TO GRADUALLY LOSE POWER AND STALLED AGAIN. ABLE TO ROLL VEHICLE OFF MAIN STREET ONTO SIDE STREET AND CALLED AAA. WHILE WAITING FOR AAA I DISCONNECTED BOTH POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE BATTERY CABLES WAITED 10 MINUTES AND RECONNECTED. VEHICLE STARTED BUT WHEN MOVED IT AGAIN LOST POWER AND STALLED. AAA ARRIVED AND THE VEHICLE STARTED AND WAS D…
Owner-reported narrative. 58,480 miles reported. Look up ODI 10720908 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10689576 · 2015-02-20 (February 20, 2015)
MY MOST RECENT PROBLEM WITH MY 2012 CHEVY CAPTIVA IS THE KEY WAS GETTING JAMMED IN IGNITION AND WOULD NOT RELEASE IMMEDIATELY. THIS WENT ON FOR APPROXIMATELY TWO WEEKS OR MORE. I TOOK VEHICLE IN FOR REPLACEMENT OF BRAKES ON 2/17/15. ON 2/18/15, LATER IN THE NIGHT, THE KEY WOULD NOT RELEASE FROM IGNITION AT ALL. I HAVE VEHICLE AT DEALER AS OF 2/20/15 TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM AND AWAITING THE RESULTS. I AM CONCERNED THAT THIS IS THE SAME GM PROBLEM WITH IGNITION SWITCH FOR OTHER MODELS THAT ARE BEING "RECALLED." ALSO JUST FOR THE RECORD, …
Owner-reported narrative. 58,900 miles reported. Look up ODI 10689576 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10749278 · 2015-08-17 (August 17, 2015)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET CAPTIVA. WHILE MAKING A RIGHT TURN AT 30 MPH, ALL THE LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, THE RADIO AND THE HEATING SYSTEM FAILED TO FUNCTION AS TEMPERATURE BELOW 40 WAS DISPLAYED ACROSS THE MESSAGE BOARD. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT HAD TO MANUALLY OPEN THE DOORS IN ORDER TO ENTER THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE ALSO FAILED TO START AS THE THEFT ALARM INDEPENDENTLY ACTIVATED AND THE EMERGENCY BRAKE FAILED TO RELEASE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT A THEFT MODULE MELTED AN…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10749278 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10746853 · 2015-08-06 (August 6, 2015)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET CAPTIVA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE, THE KEY FAILED TO DISENGAGE FROM THE IGNITION SWITCH AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE RADIO WOULD SHUT OFF AND THE PARKING BREAK WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AS THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. HOWEVER, THE SPARK PLUGS, THE FUSES, AND THE RADIO WERE REPLACED. THE FAILURE REC…
Owner-reported narrative. 48,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10746853 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10789747 · 2015-11-11 (November 11, 2015)
THIS CAR IS HAVING TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. DRIVING STEADY BETWEEN 30-45MPH THE TRANSMISSION WILL JERK LIKE THE TORQUE CONVERTER IS HAVING PROBLEMS. DURING SLOW SPEED DRIVING SUCH AS A TRAFFIC JAM < 20MPH THE CAR WILL JERK INTO GEARS. DURING SLOW SPEEDS OF ABOUT 10MPH IF I STEP ON THE GAS THE CAR LAGS, NOSEDIVES A LITTLE, AND THEN TAKES OFF. GENERALLY SHIFTING IS VERY JERKY.
Owner-reported narrative. 50,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10789747 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11011221 · 2017-07-28 (July 28, 2017)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET CAPTIVA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE EMERGENCY PARKING SIGNAL LIGHT WOULD SUDDENLY ILLUMINATE BEFORE THE VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN AND STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER JIM LUPIENT CHEVROLET LOCATED IN BLOOMINGTON, MINNESOTA WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BODY CONTROL MODULE FAILED. THE BODY CONTROL MODULE WAS REPLACED BUT THE FAILURE REOCCURRED 2 MONTHS LATER. IN ADDITION, IN 2013 THE POWER STEERING FAILED WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEAL…
Owner-reported narrative. 10,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11011221 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11084773 · 2018-04-12 (April 12, 2018)
IGNITION DON'T TURN TO THE OFF POSITION STICKS IN ACC YOU HAVE TO RESTART VEHICLE AND MOVE STEERING WHEEL BACK AND FORTH THEN TRY TO TURN CAR OFF AGAIN
Owner-reported narrative. 74,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11084773 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11024941 · 2017-09-22 (September 22, 2017)
THE PARKING BRAKE KEEPS ON GOING ON WELL DRIVING, ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS AND FUEL PUMP NOT WORKING PROPERLY.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11024941 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11029888 · 2017-09-26 (September 26, 2017)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET CAPTIVA. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. AFTER A FEW ATTEMPTS, THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO RESTART; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED A NUMBER OF TIMES IN THE PAST AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START UNTIL THE NEXT DAY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL DEALER (COOPER CHEVROLET BUICK, 1300 S QUINTARD AVE, ANNISTON, AL, 36201), BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE AND DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. IN ADDITION, THE TRANSMISS…
Owner-reported narrative. 48,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11029888 at NHTSA ↗