Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2012 Chevrolet Captiva Sport owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
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. …
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.
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.
While driving on an interstate, the voltage suddenly began to decrease. Within a few minutes, the car died on the highway. we were able to get it to the shoulder. No electrical equipment worked, including the emergency lights. After taking it to a garage, the mechanic said the alternator was working fine, but the battery was drained. He was able to start and run the car, but the computer indicated that a long-term memory issue with the computer, itself, was indicated. Also, previous to this, the transmission had to be rebuilt. Maybe DumDum should declare that all Americans made vehicles are presumed to be defective, and subject to a recall!
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!
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
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
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"
On Wednesday, July 29, 2015 while driving home from work around 5:30 pm my charging system signal came on and my ac stopped working. I figured the charging system signal was an indication that my ac had broken and I resolved to schedule an appointment for repair. Ten (10) minutes after the charging system signal came on multiple signal lights on my dashboard started flashing and immediately my car lost all power and started decelerating. This occurred while I was driving seventy (70) miles per hour on the freeway during rush hour traffic. I was also in the far left lane of a four lane highway. By the grace of god I was able to steer my car to a ramp without being colliding with another car. After exiting the freeway I narrowly avoided colliding with a car that was in front of me and I swerved just barely avoiding rolling into a ditch. …
Transitioning from low beam to high beam would cause radio and associated controls/display to go out completely. Fix parking break and onboard emissions control sensor light would go on/off intermittently over the course of several weeks, sometimes flickering and other times staying on for a few hours. Drove car 1.5 hrs and turned off for 1/2 hr, when came back it was completely dead and key stuck in ignition. Few min later it started. When brought to dealership they said there were 18 error codes and 1 was for ECM and 1 for BCM. They replaced both. Car was 100% fine for 6 days. Then, cruise control would turn off when a call came in over Bluetooth, radio and associated controls and display would go out completely when using turn signal. Various dash panel lights would come on signifying repairs needed. …
Electrical complaints in other Captiva Sport years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2012 Chevrolet Captiva Sport?
NHTSA has 46 complaints about the electrical system of the 2012 Chevrolet Captiva Sport, 57% of the model year's 80 complaints. The component named most often is ignition (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2012 Chevrolet Captiva Sport electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for the 2012 Chevrolet Captiva Sport, though it has 2 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2012 Chevrolet Captiva Sport electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 76,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 0 fires and 3 injuries to electrical system problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.