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Chevrolet · NHTSA safety record

2012 Chevrolet Captiva Sport

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

80

Complaints

2

Crashes

2

Fires

3

Injuries

0

Deaths

Owners of the 2012 Chevrolet Captiva Sport have filed 80 safety complaints with NHTSA between December 2013 and July 2026. The most complained-about system is the electrical system, named in 46 of them (57%). The typical failure was reported at 76,000 miles, the median across the 56 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

NHTSA has issued 2 recalls covering this vehicle.

Recalls (2)

PARKING BRAKE

12V301000 · June 28, 2012

The defect
GENERAL MOTORS LLC (GM) IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2012 CHEVROLET CAPTIVA SPORT PASSENGER VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM APRIL 26, 2012, THROUGH MAY 17, 2012. THESE VEHICLES FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE PARK BRAKE PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 135, "LIGHT VEHICLE BRAKE SYSTEMS." THE PARK BRAKE CABLE MAY NOT BE FULLY SEATED IN ITS CONNECTOR AND MAY SEPARATE FROM THE CONNECTOR. IF THIS OCCURS, THE PARK BRAKE WILL BECOME INOPERATIVE AND WILL NOT HOLD THE VEHICLE.
The risk
IF THE VEHICLE IS ON AN UNEVEN SURFACE, THIS COULD RESULT IN UNINTENDED VEHICLE MOVEMENT AND A CRASH.
The remedy
GM WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND ENSURE THAT THE PARK BRAKE CABLES ARE CONNECTED AND SECURE FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 27, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT THE CHEVROLET OWNER CENTER AT 1-866-694-6546.

GENERAL MOTORS LLC · up to 2,070 vehicles across all model years covered

STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:POWER STEERING FLUID

11V591000 · December 19, 2011

The defect
GENERAL MOTORS (GM) IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011-2012 CHEVROLET CAPTIVA VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM OCTOBER 2, 2009, THROUGH APRIL 21, 2011. DRIVING THE VEHICLE WITH THE TRANSMISSION IN MANUAL MODE AND IN FIRST GEAR CAUSES THE ENGINE AND POWER STEERING PUMP TO OPERATE AT HIGHER SPEED THAN IS TYPICAL. INCREASED PUMP SPEED GENERATES HEAT THAT IS TRANSFERRED TO THE POWER STEERING FLUID AND CAN RESULT IN POWER STEERING FLUID TEMPERATURES THAT APPROACH THE POWER STEERING PUMP RESERVOIR’S MELTING POINT.
The risk
AFTER PROLONGED EXPOSURE TO ELEVATED FLUID TEMPERATURES, THE RESERVOIR MAY LEAK. LEAKING FLUID, IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, MAY RESULT IN A FIRE.
The remedy
GM WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE POWER STEERING FLUID COOLER WITH AN IMPROVED VERSION, FREE OF CHARGE. AN ADVISORY LETTER TO CUSTOMERS, ALONG WITH INSTRUCTIONS, WILL BE MAILED IN JANUARY 2012. WHEN PARTS BECOME AVAILABLE, GM WILL SEND ANOTHER LETTER ASKING CUSTOMER TO TAKE THEIR VEHICLE TO A GM DEALER TO HAVE THE REPAIRS PERFORMED. GM ANTICIPATES PARTS WILL BE AVAILABLE IN MARCH 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438.

GENERAL MOTORS LLC · up to 3,150 vehicles across all model years covered

What owners report

Complaints naming each system. One complaint can name several, so these add up to more than 80.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 46 57%
ENGINE 22 28%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 15 19%
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) 12 15%
STEERING 9 11%
AIR BAGS 5 6%
SERVICE BRAKES 5 6%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING 4 5%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 4 5%
POWER TRAIN 4 5%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 4 5%
PARKING BRAKE 1 1%

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2019 at 17.

2013 2019 2026
2013 to 2026, the last of them a part year

In owners' own words

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

3 injured · 76,000 miles

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

NHTSA complaint 11326400, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SERVICE BRAKES

fire · 150,000 miles

BRAKE CALIPER LOCKED UP AND CAUGHT ON FIRE CAUSING THE CAR TO BURN TO THE CAR TO BURN TO THE GROUND.

NHTSA complaint 11407924. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE

fire · 125,379 miles

The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Captiva. The contact stated that while his engine was off, the vehicle had caught fire and burned out on its own. The contact discovered the failure upon the entrance of the vehicle and saw smoke within the cabin. The vehicle would not start and was towed to the dealer. The contact was then informed that the climate control module had caused a fire within the vehicle and the module was replaced. After the repair, the check engine light would intermittently illuminate on the dashboard. The contact took the vehicle to Bob Tyler Toyota(7201 Pensacola Blvd, Pensacola, FL 32505) where they diagnosed the vehicle with engine failure. The manufacturer was notified

NHTSA complaint 11436627, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

crash · 124,000 miles

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

NHTSA complaint 11257338. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I bought my car used a year ago. I had this same issue about 8 months ago for a short time but now it keeps happening everything I turn my ignition key off. My key won't come out it gets stuck on the ACC, I think that's what it's called, its been about 7 or 8 weeks now but its getting worse. And when I was trying to turn my car off and get my key out my car started roll backwards, this has happened 2 times in the last 10 days. I have 2012 chevrolet captiva. Has there been any recalls regarding this issue?

NHTSA complaint 11750182. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER
My shifter doesn't recognize that its in park and won't let me remove my keys. It gets stuck on ACC and I can't turn my key/ignition to the off position. And for the 3rd time it's like popped outta gear. I bought it used. This started 2 months ago but for the 10 days its continually gotten worse. 8 outta 10 times I go to put it in park and I can't get key out. I haven't had it inspected or looked or anything else like that. I Googled it and i read up on how this is an issue for 2012 to 2014 Chevrolet Captiva. But no recall for 2012 year. I don't know what time do. There was no accidents regarding this issue.

NHTSA complaint 11728052. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The car will stall and shut off, the radio quits working and the key will get stuck in the ignition.

NHTSA complaint 11591705. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The component that has failed has been the transmission and the AC. My safety was at risk because the car wouldn’t drive forward whilst on the road. It has been confirmed by independent service. Yes the problem has been inspected by representatives. There was a warning that was said “Check transmission engine”

NHTSA complaint 11572562. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SERVICE BRAKES
On my 2012 CHEVEROLET captiva LT .I HAD THE EMERGENCY BRAKES ON WITH THE CAR IN DRIVE AN I WENT TO OPEN MY GATES THE CAR JUMPS OUT OF THE PARKING BRAKES IF THE ENGINE IDLES GO UP JUST A LITTLE WHEN THE AIR CONDITIONING COMES ON .OR IF YOU ARE IN DRIVE WITH THE EMERGENCY BRAKES UP AND JUST REVS THE ENGINE THE BRAKES JUMPS OUT REALLY EASY. NO SAFETY TO THIS EMERGENCY BRAKES.

NHTSA complaint 11553129. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
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 complaint 11546278. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other 2012 Chevrolet models

Every Chevrolet on this site — 298 vehicles, 747 recall campaigns and 5 open investigation s.

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. What each state asks for , read from the statutes.

Where these numbers come from

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

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