There are 50 owner-reported electrical system complaints for the 2012 Chevrolet Captivain NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
The car will stall and shut off, the radio quits working and the key will get stuck in the ignition.
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”
The battery cables are faulty and overheat causing the car to shut off and lock key in the ignition with complete loss of power this is happening to nearly every Chevy captiva and is a wide spread issue this is also a serious fire hazard as the cables over heating is enough to boil water car shuts off and locks key in ignition without warning
I am not sure what component could be one could be several. When I pulled into my driveway and put it in park. The engine light came on and the stereo went off. When checking the stereo would not turn back on and nothing on the instrument panel would work, heater/air conditioning, rear wipers, heated seats, hazard lights, the parking/emergency break literally nothing. So I turned the key in the ignition to the off position took the key out and the engine continued to run? I called onstar from the vehicle and realized that didn't work either so I had called from my cell. They advices me to call a mechanic. Unable to do so as it was 9pm and not was mechanic shop was available I looked online. I ended up pulling the fuel relay switch and waited several minutes for it to finally die then I undid the negative battery cable. Tried again the next day and same thing happened. It is available for inspection as I have no clue as to if and when it can be fixed. My safety was at risk due to the vehicle not shutting off and a fire/explosion could happen. The safety feature or requirement of the hazard lights (good thing I wasn't on the freeway) the parking/emergency break no need to explained this. Unable to call for emergency with onstar equipped vehicle and who know what else could be wrong. Unknown if anyone else has a verified claim but it seems to be a problem with this vehicle and no it has not been inspected but will be taking to a shop Monday morning! No lights/lamps/warnings were on or appeared prior to the engine light turning on with all this at the same time.
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!
Numerous complaints have been filed on the internet and to the NHTSA concerning the electrical system on this vehicle. Include engine not starting when turn key, car starts to have flashing instrument panel light and then dying, failure to be able to remove the key when turning off the ignition, most dangerous issue is the electrical system failing when on the highway, dealers seem to be aware of the problem but have not corrected problem which is probably related to positive and negative battery cables and "battery current sensor". This is a dangerous vehicle because of the uncertainty of the electrical failure to some time start or failing while driving down the highway. It certainly seems that there have been sufficient issues by any number Captiva owners to warrant a recall and have dealers correct the electrical problems before one is seriously injured.
UNABLE TO REMOVE KEY FROM IGNITION WHEN VEHICLE IS IN PARK. IT WOULD STICK IN THE AUXILIARY POSITION. I COULD RESTART THE ENGINE BUT I COULD NOT TURN THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY OFF. THIS STARTED A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO AND WOULD HAPPEN RANDOMLY. OVER TIME IT BECAME MORE FREQUENT BEFORE IT FINALLY WASN’T COMING OUT AT ALL. I WOULD HAVE TO LEAVE MY KEY IN THE CAR AND DISCONNECT THE BATTERY AFTER USE. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND HAD THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL SHIFTER REPLACED. FOLLOWING THIS REPAIR I STARTED HAVING MORE ELECTRICAL ISSUES. MY RADIO WOULD CUT OUT AND THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT WOULD FLASH ON. I WENT TO GM SERVICE AND THEY COULD FIND NOTHING. THE ISSUE CONTINIUED AND ONLY GOT WORSE. I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND LOST ACCELERATION TO MY VEHICLE IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. I HAD TO SLIDE ON TO THE SHOULDER AND WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE CAR AND GET GOING AGAIN TO ONLY HAVE IT HAPPEN AGAIN 30 MIN LATER. I WAS ON AN UPHILL AND HAD NO WHERE SAFE TO PULL OVER. MY CAR WOULD SURGE AHEAD, LOSE MOMENTUM AND REPEAT UNTIL I WAS FINALLY ABLE TO GET SAFELY TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I HAD A NUMBER OF LIGHTS FLASH ON DURING THIS EPISODE… CHECK ENGINE, SERVICE STABILIZER, AIR BAG AND OTHERS. THE CHECK ENGINE STAYED ON FOR 2 DAYS. I WAS ALSO UNABLE TO REMOVE THE KEY AGAIN BUT THIS TIME I ALSO COULDN’T TURN THE ENGINE BACK ON AGAIN. I THOUGHT THAT I WAS GOING TO BE STUCK ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. AFTER SITTING FOR A WHILE I WAS ABLE TO START THE CAR AND MAKE IT HOME. LUCKILY! SINCE THEN I HAVE CONTINUED TO HAVE REGULAR PROBLEMS WITH THE RADIO AND WAS STUCK AGAIN IN A PARKING LOT UNABLE TO REOVE MY KEY. SOMETHING SERIOUS IS HAPPENING BUT AGAIN MY MECHANIC CANNOT FIND A THING WRONG AND THEY HAVE JUST HAD THE CAR FOR 2 DAYS. I SEE THAT OTHER OWNERS ARE HAVING SIMILAR ISSUES. THIS NEEDS TO BE ATTENDED TO BEFORE SOMETHING SERIOUS HAPPENS TO SOMEONE.
Sometimes when driving all the electrical equipment will turn off for a brief moment. When this happens all the warning lights come on. Sometimes prior to this happening the dashboard lights will begin to flicker. Service lights such as "service traction control" will come on then go off, the headlights would noticably flicker and the cruise control would randomly turn off. This problem has not been replicated by the independent garage it was taken too however there were codes for low and high voltages thrown. The garage couldn't find anything wrong with it but replaced the battery and alternator. The problem went away for a brief period of time but will randomly come back from time to time. The key also would sometimes get in the ignition and this progressed untill the key became fully stuck and the car had to be serviced. Many others have these same complaints.
I HAVE BROUGHT MY VEHICLE TO CHEVY AND WAS ADVISED THAT THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE TRACTION CONTROL OR THE RADIO. EVERY SO OFTEN THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT COMES ON AND STATES THAT THE TRACTION CONTROL NEEDS TO BE SERVICED WHEN THE VEHICLE IS RUNNING IDLE FOR MORE THAN 30 SECONDS. WHEN THAT COMES ON THE RADIO BLINKS ON AND OFF. IN THE PAST TWO WEEKS, THE VEHICLE HAD TO GET JUMPED TWICE. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO GET TESTED AT TWO DIFFERENT AUTO STORES AND WAS ADVISED AFTER THEY TESTED THE BATTERY THAT THE BATTERY WAS GOOD. I AM FRUSTRATED THAT THEY CANNOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT YET IT IS ON THE BRINK OF NOT WORKING EVERY OTHER DAY. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT ABLE TO GO UP A SMALL HILL AFTER THE SNOW HAD FALLEN. I HAD TO GET ASSISTANCE. THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE.
WHILE DRIVING - OR EVEN SITTING STILL - RADIO AND CLOCK WILL SHUT OFF, "SERVICE STABILITRACK LIGHT" ILLUMINATES ON DASH WITH THE MESSAGE SHOWING ON THE MESSAGE CENTER DASH DISPLAY. AFTER 5 SECONDS OR SO, IT DISAPPEARS; HOWEVER OCCURS OFTEN BUT NO CONSISTENT (SOMETIMES NONE AT ALL, SOME TIMES 4 OR SO TIMES IN A 20MI DRIVE). BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR ARE BRAND NEW (ALTERNATOR HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE IN 12 MONTHS). VEHICLE IS OWNED OUTRIGHT AND HAS 142,000+ MILES.
1. AFTER DRIVING TO ANY LOCATIONS, FOR EXAMPLE, GROCERY STORES, TRAIN STATION PARKING LOT IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD, THE KEY WOULD NOT COME OUT OF THE IGNITION, BUT SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE. THEN AFTER 15-30 MINUTES, THERE IS ALWAYS A CLICK, AND ONCE I TURNED THE KEY , IT STARTS THE CAR SUDDENLY. THIS HAS OCCURRED TWICE THE PAST FEW MONTHS, AND MY CHEVYL DEALERSHIP HAD WORKED ON THIS ISSUE. YET, IT HAS STARTED CURRING AGAIN THE PAST 2 DAYS 07/19/2020, AFTER THEY WORKED ON IT SINCE12/04/2019. 2. THERE IS ALSO A JUMP SURGE WHEN SLOWING DOWN TO STOP WHEN TRAFFIC IS MOVING SLOWLY, AND AS I TRIED TO DRIVE FORWARD OR WHEN TURNING FROM A STOP SIGN.
HAVING NUMEROUS ISSUES. THE FIRST ONE IS THAT THE IGNITION WHEN SWITCHED TO OFF WILL NOT RELEASE THE KEY. DOES NOT TURN ALL THE WAY TO RELEASE THE KEY OUT. HAD IT SWAPPED OUT AND STILL HAVING THE SAME ISSUE. SOMETHING ABOUT A RELEASE INSIDE THE COLUM THAT WILL NOT FULLY DISENGAGE SECOND ISSUE IS THAT MY CAR WILL LOCK AS WELL AS UNLOCK ITS SELF. THE CAR CAN BE OFF AND PARKED OR EVEN DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. THE HATCH RELEASE AS WELL WILL DISENGAGE AND POP OPEN. TOOK IT TO SHOPS AND DEALERS.
CAR HAS RANDOM TIMES IT WONT START. NOW MY RADIO CUTS IN AND OUT WHILE DRIVING. LIGHTS FLASH ON AND OFF
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 FOR THE POSITIVE BATTERY CABLE TO COOL DOWN. AFTER HOURS OF WAITING THE CAR STARTS UP WITH NO PROBLEM, BUT WILL DO THE SAME THING AGAIN WHEN TURNED OFF. NOTHING IS LEFT ON TO DRAIN THE POWER FROM THE CAR. THIS IS HAPPENING CONSTANTLY AFTER DRIVING. *TR
KEY KEEPS GETTING STUCK IN THE IGNITION 75% OF THE TIME I TRY TO SHIFT IT OFF. IT WONT SHUT ALL THE WAY OFF EITHER. IT JUST GOES TO ACC. SEEMS LIKE A VERY VERY COMMON ISSUE. THIS NEEDS A RECALL AND GM SHOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR IT. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
KEY STICKS IN IGNITION
ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. WILL NOT START AFTER TURNING OFF. 3RD TIME
SERIOUS ELECTRICAL ISSUES CAUSES SUV TO SHUT DOWN WITH LITTLE TO NO WARNING. ALL LIGHTS ON DASH LIGHT UP, RPMS GO TO 0 CAR SHUTS OFF. THIS HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES, CAR CAN'T BE STEERED AWAY FROM TRAFFIC AND THE HAZARD LIGHTS ARE DEAD. KEY CAN'T BE REMOVED FROM IGNITION. COMPLETELY DEAD VEHICLE.NEW BATTERIES, NEW ALTERNATORS AND MULTIPLE MECHANICS CAN'T FIND THE PROBLEM. DISCONNECT BATTERY CABLES, RECHARGE THE BATTERY AND IT RUNS FOR A FEW MONTHS. NO ONE CAN TELL US THE ISSUE AND WE ARE STUCK WITH NO RECALLS AND LOTS OF PEOPLE HAVE THE SAME DANGEROUS ISSUE. CAR IS DRIVABLE TODAY BUT TO DANGEROUS TO PUT MY FAMILY IN ANYMORE. ARE THEY WAITING FOR SOMEONE TO DIE BEFORE A RECALL IS ISSUED?
THE E-BRAKE COMES ON BY ITS SELF WHILE DRIVING DOWN ROAD. CHECKED AGAINEST VIN AND STATED NOT ON RECALL LIST BUT OTHERS HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR SAME THING.
INITIALLY THE ISSUE PRESENTED AS OCCASIONAL BRAKE LIGHT OUTAGE. SOON AFTER THIS BECAME PERMANENT. IT ALSO AFFECTS THE REVERSE LIGHTS MAKING IT SO THAT THEY'RE ALWAYS ON, EVEN WHEN THE CAR ISN'T RUNNING. IN ADDITION, THE INTERIOR LIGHTS (DOORS AND OVERHEAD) ARE AFFECTED AND NO LONGER WORK. THE BACKUP CAMERA HAD TO BE REMOVED BECAUSE THE WIRING BURNT OUT. ALSO THE SUNROOF HAS STOPPED WORKING. FRONT RIGHT TURN SIGNAL ALSO STOPPED WORKING. IT WAS NO LONGER SAFE TO DRIVE AROUND MID-MARCH 2019. I HAD TO TAKE IT IN TO A AUTO ELECTRIC SPECIALIST TWICE STARTING APRIL 2019. AFTER ALL THIS, IT WAS DIAGNOSED AS NEEDING A NEW HARNESS AND TOTAL REWIRE AND A BODY CONTROL MODULE AND PROGRAMMING. APPARENTLY THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE WITH THIS VEHICLE AND I WAS TOLD I WOULD BE BETTER OFF CUTTING MY LOSSES AND STARTING OVER WITH A DIFFERENT CAR. DATES ARE APPROXIMATE.
Showing 1–20 of 50 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026