AI Damage2013 Chevrolet Captiva: common problems
Owners of the 2013 Chevrolet Captiva filed 97 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and electrical system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 97
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Engine 49% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 32% of all complaints
- 3 Powertrain 9% of all complaints
- 4 Electronic stability control 7% of all complaints
- 5 Steering 5% of all complaints
- 6 Fuel/propulsion system 4% of all complaints
- 7 Service brakes 4% of all complaints
- 8 Structure 4% of all complaints
- Engine: 48 complaints (49% of all).
- Electrical system: 31 complaints (32% of all).
- Powertrain: 9 complaints (9% of all).
- Electronic stability control: 7 complaints (7% of all).
- Steering: 5 complaints (5% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 2.4 L · petrol · 4 cylnamed in 4 complaints
- 3 L · petrol · 6 cyl
- automatic, 6-speed
Drive: FWD, AWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 97 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 48 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 31 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| Electronic stability control | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Parking brake | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 2 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
January 2, I was driving on i95 at 60 miles an hour, another car got flat tiers and lost control, suddenly made a u turn and impacted me front to front, my air bags didn't deployed, called car maker and they have no re-calls and no taking any actions about my report.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 bearing failure at 74,000 miles during operation at highway speeds.
UNKNOWN, several times between my husband or myself while driving down the road and on the interstate, the vehicle would just completely shut off no lights, no brakes no nothing.
Car went for repairs once after 4 month of ownership, was jerking. Camshaft actuator was replaced at this time. Oil change was done at this time as well. Six months later car begins to jerk repeatedly in drive and reverse when coming to a stop or idling, no warning lights lit.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 3,638 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 10% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Captiva has 39 complaints (8 years in the data). This year has 97, above average.
What to check before buying
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Electronic stability control. ABS/ESC sensors, steering angle, codes after suspension repair.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2013 Chevrolet Captiva?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine, electrical system, powertrain. Total complaints: 97. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: oil leak or consumption (18%), warning lights, check engine (16%), stalls while driving (14%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2013 Chevrolet Captiva?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2013 Chevrolet Captiva from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2013 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.