CSR
Check a VIN

Look up

About

Chevrolet · NHTSA safety record

2013 Chevrolet Captiva

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

97

Complaints

1

Crashes

4

Fires

2

Injuries

0

Deaths

Owners of the 2013 Chevrolet Captiva have filed 97 safety complaints with NHTSA between August 2014 and June 2023. The most complained-about system is the engine, named in 48 of them (49%). The typical failure was reported at 77,500 miles, the median across the 84 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

No recall campaign was matched to this year, make and model. That is not the same as a clean vehicle: recalls are issued against production ranges, and the only reliable check is your own VIN.

What owners report

Complaints naming each system. One complaint can name several, so these add up to more than 97.

ENGINE 48 49%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 31 32%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 16 16%
POWER TRAIN 9 9%
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) 7 7%
STEERING 5 5%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 4 4%
SERVICE BRAKES 4 4%
STRUCTURE 4 4%
AIR BAGS 2 2%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING 2 2%
PARKING BRAKE 2 2%

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2019 at 26.

2014 2019 2023
2014 to 2023

In owners' own words

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

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

2 injured · fire · 110,000 miles

DURING THE LAST WEEK OF MAY 2019 RADIO TURNING ON/OFF INTERMITTENTLY - THOUGHT IT WAS ISSUE WITH RADIO STATION, BUT ON-LINE CHEVY FORUMS INDICATE IT IS A SIGN OF LARGER ELECTRICAL ISSUES. JUNE 1, 2019, ENTERING VEHICLE AFTER DINNER OUT, INTERIOR LIGHTS WERE FLICKERING; DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED AT NIGHT WITH AC & CRUISE CONTROL ON THERE WAS A SUDDEN NOXIOUS ODOR IRRITATING TO EYES, NOSE, AND THROAT (2 PEOPLE ILL); HEADLIGHTS FLICKERING; OPENED WINDOWS TO VENTILATE; MADE IT HOME (~12 MILES); ALL LIGHTS - EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR - STILL FLICKERING UPON ARRIVAL HOME; STILL A STRONG NOXIOUS ODOR - STRONGER ON INTERIOR DRIVER SIDE OF VEHICLE; INTERNET SEARCH OF SYMPTOMS INDICATED DRIVER VISOR MIGHT

NHTSA complaint 11217426, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE

fire · towed · 115,000 miles

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET CAPTIVA. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE UNDERNEATH THE HOOD AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT ALSO OBSERVED OIL SPILLING OUT FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE AND THE TAIL PIPE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED HOME. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 115,000.

NHTSA complaint 11175064. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

fire · 70,000 miles

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET CAPTIVA. THE CONTACT DROVE THE VEHICLE AND PARKED IT FOR SEVERAL HOURS. UPON RETURNING TO THE VEHICLE, THE INTERIOR WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED DUE TO FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT OCCUPIED DURING THE FIRE AND NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED. THE FIRE WAS ALREADY OUT WHEN THE CONTACT RETURNED TO THE VEHICLE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TOWED AND WAS AWAITING CLAIM ADJUSTMENTS FROM THE CONTACT'S INSURANCE COMPANY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.

NHTSA complaint 10899562. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

fire · 99,800 miles

WHILE I WAS DRIVING TO WORK ON THE HIGHWAY MY CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE THROUGH THE LEFT PASSENGER DOOR SPEAKER. I PULLED OVER AND GOT STUCK IN THE FLAMING CAR BECAUSE THE SEAT BELTS WOULD NOT RELEASE. AFTER A WHILE I WAS ABLE TO GET OUT, AND CALL THE FIRE STATION THEY CAME AND OUT THE FIRE; THEY SAID THE WIRE THAT CONNECTS TO THE SPEAKER WAS THE MAIN CAUSES OF THE FIRE. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY CLAIMED NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH IT, IT JUST HAPPENED. NOW I'M STUCK WITH A CAR THAT I'M AFRAID TO DRIVE BECAUSE MY LIFE IS NOT ONLY AT RISK OF A CAR ACCIDENT BUT NOW ALSO AN UNKNOWN CAUSE OF ANOTHER POTENTIALLY FIRE.

NHTSA complaint 11000962. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE
The contact owns a 2013 Chevrolet Captiva. The contact stated that the cruise control intermittently failed to operate as needed. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle was consuming an excessive amount of oil and that there was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who was unable to duplicate the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA complaint 11524850. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Key will lock in ignition and vehicle will not start. Happens intermittently. Battery is fine, alternator is fine, dealership replaced ignition when purchased which helped for about a year, but the problem continues to become more frequent. Rattling the battery fixes the problem, but only temporarily.

NHTSA complaint 11517065. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE

103,416 miles

The contact owns a 2013 Chevrolet Captiva. The contact stated while driving at an unknown speed, the vehicle was making abnormal sounds. The dealer was contacted and stated that the vehicle was consuming an excessive amount of oil. The contact was informed to closely monitor the oil level. On another occasion, the vehicle stalled and was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the timing chain had failed and bent the valves. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The manufacturer was contacted and stated that the vehicle was no longer under warranty. No additional

NHTSA complaint 11507305, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Continus electric drop causing different systems to lose power, fail, or temporarly disable including but not limited to traction control, emergency break, radio and lights. After researching the problem in various forums I noted many owners facing the same problem over various years with no clear solution.

NHTSA complaint 11477573. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

STEERING

170,386 miles

The contact owns a 2013 Chevrolet Captiva. The contact stated that while his brother was driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering column knuckle detached, causing the steering wheel to become inoperable. The dealer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the manufacturer for assistance. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 170,386. Car was serviced on 12/5/2019 for a KIA warrantied repair; timing belt replacement causing engine failure. The representative restated again that KIA would not repair the car. Consumer stated vehicle sustained a rod

NHTSA complaint 11452545, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

towed · 92,000 miles

The contact owns a 2013 Chevrolet Captiva. The contact stated that on multiple occasions after inserting the key into the ignition switch, the ignition switch would not turn, and the engine could not be started. Also, the key would remain stuck inside the ignition switch and could not be removed. The vehicle was towed to a local service center who replaced the ignition switch, but the failure continued to occur. The local dealer and manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 92,000.

NHTSA complaint 11441995. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Chevrolet Captiva

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2014 138 0 —
2012 65 0 —

Other 2013 Chevrolet models

Malibu 835 Equinox 749 Cruze 585 Volt 308 Silverado 1500 301 Impala 270 Tahoe 232 Sonic 217

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.

Compiled and maintained by
Independent developer and analyst