Print this page

10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
95,570 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2013 Chevrolet Captiva engine problems

engine problem

Find something helpful? Spread the word.
Get notified about new defects, investigations, recalls & lawsuits for the 2013 Chevrolet Captiva:

Unsubscribe any time. We don't sell/share your email.

2013 Chevrolet Captiva Owner Comments (Page 1 of 3)

problem #48

Aug 152010

Captiva

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

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.

- Freeport, OH, USA

problem #47

Feb 012023

Captiva

  • 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 assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 103,416.

- Elverson, PA, USA

problem #46

Jan 012021

Captiva

  • 880,000 miles
Purchased care used at 76,000. 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. Upon inspection was found with no oil at all. Car was 3,500 into an oil change - burned through all oil. Since researching, this is a very common problem with the 2.4 L eco engine, same as Chevy equinox. Engine is being repaired, may need replacement. Very upsetting owning vehicle under a year, and under 100,000 miles. Chevy needs to acknowledge this major issue with the Captiva.

- Akron, OH, USA

problem #45

Dec 222020

Captiva

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

My Captiva leaves no trace of oil on the garage floor but burns through oil fast enough I must add oil between oil changes. Vehicle does not smoke so I don't know where it goes. I know several other people with Captivas that have had the same problem and some have had their motors replaced. I cant believe there is no recall on something to do with the oil issue as I know of at least 2 other people that problem. Now I am dealing with a leaky radiator and have made an appointment to have that fixed. A 7 year old car with just over 100K on it should not have these problems. If I hadn't checked the oil, the motor no doubt would have seized up going down the road and who knows what would have happened. I don't know the exact date that we finally had to start adding oil but it has been over a year. I am finally tired of having to check oil like I own a 200K car.

- Holmen, WI, USA

problem #44

Jul 032020

Captiva 4-cyl

  • 128,000 miles
Last year it kept going dead, I had just had oil changed had it checked by mechanic it was out of oil, he replaced sensors because they went out because no oil, I failed complaint with company I used for oil change thinking they did not put oil back in it, they pd for repair. In June had oil changed 2 wks later it started making clattering sound, out of oil again and still had 3000 miles left before another change. Took it to company he informed me 2.4 eco motor had a law suit last yr for oil usage thru engine pistons, I was never sent a notice of recall or anything. I believe this has been problem all along.now I'm stuck with a vehicle I'm worried will stop on me.and GM will not pay to have it looked at or nothing. I can not afford another car, and this one has been serviced and taken very good care of. Any suggestions. Car was in motion

- Columbus, MS, USA

problem #43

May 052018

Captiva

  • 104,000 miles
I heard a small noise. Took my Captiva to my shop to check it out. They wouldn't even let me drive it to my dealer which was 2 miles away. They had it towed. The 2.4L engines also in GMC's terrain and equinox, eat up oil quickly and blow out your engine. Luckily my service people found it. But it cost me $5,000 for a new engine because I was now at 104,000 and my warranty ran out at 100,000. Now there is a recall on terrains and equinox but not the Captiva's. and we have the same engines.

- Bowling Green, OH, USA

problem #42

Apr 232020

Captiva

  • 85,734 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Boughr the SUV from dealer with 63 K miles. Did oil changes on time and maintenance. Car engine is nliwn at 86K miles. First the car started ti idke riugh during stops. Cmtook in. They replaced crankshaft sensors. Cleaned throttle.body. Ran ok for 2 months. Then problem came back. However the next day the SUV wouldn't start. Did a crank no start I changed the battery, tried the spark plugs, fuel filter. Still no crank. The mechanic who looked at it found that. The timing chain lost tension.. because a plastic clip. Which holds twnsion on the timing chain was missing..a plastic piece.. caused my timing to shift where it messed up the ECM. This caused the pistons to shoot when the valve was closed. So now a car I bought for 12K. And paid off.. only to put 20K miles on it.. will cost me 7K for a refurbished engine swap.

- Mendota,Heights, MN, USA

problem #41

Mar 052020

Captiva

  • miles
The contact owns a 2013 Chevrolet Captiva. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the chassis control module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

- Jerseyville, IL, USA

problem #40

Feb 282020

Captiva

  • 80 miles
The car is cutting off while I'm driving justt. Stop in the middle of traffic RPM is not registering the right way where the car is cutting off

- Cleveland, OH, USA

problem #39

Oct 052019

Captiva

  • 119,000 miles
Brought the vehicle into a Chevy dealer because it was consuming oil much quicker than normal. I was having to put roughly 2 quarts in every week. I do mostly small town driving so nothing too extensive. The dealer showed no external leaks and suggested doing a diagnostic to see if there was internal consumption. Came to find that the piston rings inside the engine are bad and need to be replaced. According to them, this is a common problem for Chevy SUVS made during this time. To replace would mean to rebuild the entire engine and costs around $3,200 if you can find a shop willing to mess with it. Very disappointed. My sister had the same problem in an equinox. Her rings were recalled and Chevy replaced for free. Would love to have them look into this as it seems like most people are having the same problem...oil consumption and engine idling issues. Sucks for a car to be less than 7 years old and be undriveable. Will think twice before purchasing another Chevy.

- Merrillville, IN, USA

problem #38

Jan 192020

Captiva 4-cyl

  • 100,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Driving down the road doing 50. Car just dies out if no where. Pulled over and it would start. Waited 15 minutes and it would then start. Car engine sounded rough. Had the car towed to a mechanic. He told me the engine was blown. I contact Chevy. They tell me to get it looked at by Chevy dealer. Towed car to dealer. They have now informed me that the engine was locked and they believe no longer good. New engine will cost 8000. After doing some research, I see online this is a very common problem N with the engine in this model. And this engine is used in a few other models and experiencing the same problem. They tow truck driver and independent mechanic verified this was a common problem with this engine. Representative at Chevy also verified this was a common problem with the engine. His name is [xxx] with friendly Chevrolet in springfield Illinois. Should these engines be failing? should consumers be faced with this issue. Please help. Information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

- Spfld, IL, USA

problem #37

Jan 082020

Captiva

  • 140,000 miles
Oil just burns out of it. I would have to put oil in it every week to every other week. I got my regular oil changes and it didn't matter still needed oil constantly. Till my motor finally was blown with no oil even though I had just put some in. Wasn't leaking I had it looked at to see if was.

- Grayling, MI, USA

problem #36

Dec 222019

Captiva

  • 71,000 miles
Starting about 6 months ago, my "check engine" light started coming on and that it would start shaking when I was sitting idel. I took my Captiva to a mechanic. I was told that he believed it dealt with oil consumption. I drive only short distances to my work, so I should not be using very much oil. Every time I have had the light come on, I take it in and they basically have to replace the majority of my oil. The vehicle is burning it much faster than it should be.

- Omaha, NE, USA

problem #35

Dec 122019

Captiva

  • 134,000 miles
The vehicle has been consuming a lot of oil. So much that I need to set a reminder on my calendar to check every 2 weeks. It did not leak oil. On 12/19/2019 at 134K, I was driving and noticed the car's power weakened. It stalled, I started and went on the highway. Stability traction warning light came on as well as decreased engine power. I had my hazards on and coasted to a gas station off the highway. I check my oil. I nearly had any. Mind you on 12/9 I had to have my heat fixed and paid for a new blend door heat actuator. They also added 2 quarts of oil on 12/9. I hardly had any 10 days later. A fter adding 2 qts the vehicle sounded okay and off I went. Within 5 minutes, on the highway, all the warning lights came on again.the car was decreasing engine power. It was terrifying. I made it off the highway onto another highway and broke down in the breakdown lane during rush hour.. engine would not start. My mechanic said the rear main seal come out and lost all the oil. There is a bulletin about this happening during cold weather. I took good care of the vehicle and am angry and disappointed in Chevy for being aware of issues and not having a recall. I have to buy another car now.

- Meriden, CT, USA

problem #34

Nov 162019

Captiva

  • 68,890 miles
Check engine light came on while driving;dealer said timing chain and cam assembly needed to be replaced $1750.timing chain is supposed to last life of vehicle. Dealer and Chevy will not provide reason it occured at 69K mi other than "it happens". I asked if engine was 2.4L lea, laf ecotrain covered in 11/19 $42M class action settlement. Dealer told me "dual overhead cam". Chevy/GM said 2.4L 4 cylinder. Manual states 2.4L lea - 8th character(K) in VIN tells them this.they would not give me any info on ellen berman & dayana guach V GM class action & 2 others settled Nov 2019 or how to file claim. GM is supposed to identify vehicles w/this engine, instead they are still denying defects. When asked about defective piston rings causing crankcase seal issues resulting in oil overspray causing damage to engine, cam, pre-mature time chain replacement, etc. I was told they can't see piston rings without taking engine apart. I insisted on oil consumption study. Law suit states faulty piston rings in 2.4L lea cause oil overspray damage to engine including pre-mature timing chain replacement -oil doesn't lubicate required parts. Vehicle bought - barlow Chevy, delran, NJ with 12,500 miles/pre-owned certified-previously a fleet vehicle. Oil changed every 4,100 miles based on opw/olm systems. No warning prior to check engine. Repairs cost $1,650-no guarantee of future engine damage issues settlement says GM will repair piston rings/damage, & increase warranty to 10yr/120,000 at no cost & provid $4500 above settlement to consumers. They told me vehicle is safe; suit says - could catch fire or just stop causing a rear end collision. I Transport 2 toddlers & drive hwy. Settlement said GM knew of defects since 2009; not disclosed to buyers, not recalled, no offer of suitable repairs. GM & dealer in direct violation of settlement. Safety issue.

- Cinnaminson, NJ, USA

problem #33

Sep 092019

Captiva

  • 82,000 miles
The contact owns a 2013 Chevrolet Captiva. While driving 3 mph, the contact heard an abnormal noise while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact stated that the rpms increased rapidly. Also, when approaching a stop light, the vehicle seized, but was able to restart. Also, the check engine warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle was taken to mobile Chevrolet (located at 2900 government blvd, mobile, al 36606, (251) 545-4291), but they were unable to duplicate the failures. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who stated that two variable valve timing sensors needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failures. The failure mileage was 82,000.

- Mobile, AL, USA

problem #32

Oct 182019

Captiva

  • 59,000 miles
The contact owns a 2013 Chevrolet Captiva. While reversing, the vehicle stalled. The contact also mentioned that two quarts of oil needed to be added each week. The vehicle was towed to kunes country Ford Lincoln of sterling (2811 N locust St, sterling, il 61081, (815) 625-6300) where the contact was informed that the bent valve cylinder head and components needed to be replaced. The contact was informed that the failure occurred because the cylinder "jumped time". the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 59,000.

- Sterling, IL, USA

problem #31

Jun 012018

Captiva

  • 67,000 miles
The contact owns a 2013 Chevrolet Captiva. The contact stated that the vehicle used an excessive amount of oil (two quarts of oil between oil changes). There were no warning indicators illuminated. The vehicle was taken to hawkins Chevrolet (1244 montour blvd, mahoning twp, pa 17821, 570-275-0711) where an oil consumption test was performed that revealed excessive oil was used. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and offered to pay ten percent of the repair cost. The contact filed complaint number: Bcp-19-05-014150 with the state attorney general. The failure mileage was 67,000.

- Selinsgrove, PA, USA

problem #30

Aug 012017

Captiva

  • 98,000 miles
The contact owns a 2013 Chevrolet Captiva. While driving at low speeds, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle hesitated and stalled. There were no warning indicators illuminated. In addition, the paint on the hood of the vehicle was fading. On several occasions, the vehicle was taken to hare Chevrolet (2001 stony creek rd, noblesville, in 46060, (855) 971-7214) where it was diagnosed that the intake camshaft solenoid valve needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 98,000.

- Indianapolis, IN, USA

problem #29

Jan 212019

Captiva

  • 75,000 miles
In January of this year, I experienced a problem with a frozen PCV valve on my 2013 Chevy Captiva. Because of the issue, it created enough pressure to blow out my rear valve seal. Fortunately, the car was parked when the seal blew. I contacted GM as this is a know issue with this model/year. I felt that repairs should be covered under the warranty extension (special coverage adjustment 14882). However, when I contacted GM, they indicated that 14882 did not apply to my VIN. Now I am stuck with the $1,800 for the repair. I was fortunate that I wasn't driving when the seal blew. In my research, it appears that there are a number of others with this same issue. I don't understand how GM feels it's appropriate to limit their recall, when the issue is more widespread.

- Omaha, NE, USA

Read the next 20 complaints »

Not what you are looking for?