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2013 Chevrolet Captiva problems, recalls and owner complaints
What the 2013 Chevrolet Captiva has been recalled for, how often it fails the UK MOT and what owners report, from official government data. Updated October 25, 2026.
- 0safety recalls
- 106owner complaints
- 2crash reports
- 4fire reports
- 41%fail the UK MOT
106 complaints, against an average of 101 for the other 3 Chevrolet Captiva model years.
Every Chevrolet Captiva model year with its number of owner complaints. Pick a year to compare.
What goes wrong with the 2013 Chevrolet Captiva?
The components named most often in the 106 owner complaints. One complaint can name several, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
What symptoms do 2013 Chevrolet Captiva owners describe?
Found by reading the text of all 106 owner complaints. Tap a symptom for the answer, a real owner quote and any related recall.
- Why is my 2013 Chevrolet Captiva burning or losing oil?18 owners · 17%
- Why does my 2013 Chevrolet Captiva stall, lose power or shut off while driving?17 owners · 16%
- Why is the check engine light on in my 2013 Chevrolet Captiva?9 owners · 8.5%
- Why won't my 2013 Chevrolet Captiva start?8 owners · 7.5%
- Has the 2013 Chevrolet Captiva had engine failures?6 owners · 5.7%
- What causes a knocking, ticking or rattling noise in the 2013 Chevrolet Captiva engine?5 owners · 4.7%
- Why does my 2013 Chevrolet Captiva idle rough, misfire or hesitate?5 owners · 4.7%
- Why are the ABS and stability control lights on in my 2013 Chevrolet Captiva?4 owners · 3.8%
- Why does my 2013 Chevrolet Captiva smell of burning or smoke?4 owners · 3.8%
Has the 2013 Chevrolet Captiva been recalled?
NHTSA lists no safety recalls for the 2013 Chevrolet Captiva as of October 25, 2026. Recalls can be issued at any time, so check your VIN before you rely on this.
Is the 2013 Chevrolet Captiva recalled in the UK or Europe?
Recalls issued by the UK's DVSA and through the EU's Safety Gate system that cover this model and build period. European models can differ from U.S. ones, and "years estimated" means the recall gave no build dates, so confirm your own car with your registration or VIN.
UK DVSAPossibility of a fire
Risk: Vehicles equipped with stop/start system might have a starter motor failure while driving due to thermal damage of the starter cable.
Fix: Authorised Repairers will Rework the starter motor cable. If necessary replace the starter the starter cable and the starter cable nut.
UK DVSAPossibility of fire
Risk: In order for proper regeneration of the Diesel Particle Filter (DPF) system the vehicle in the active regeneration mode directs the driver by illuminating the DPF warning light to drive the vehicle at constant speed without interruption until the DPF warning light turns off. In the event that the driver ignores the DPF warning light and the corresponding direction the DPF system as well as exhaust pipe will be abnormally overheated. This may cause a fire at the Lower Engine Compartment Cover located near the DPF system and exhaust pipe.
Fix: Recall the vehicles that are likely to be affected and initially remove and discard the Lower Engine Compartment Cover. When parts are available the vehicles will be recalled to have the new Lower Engine Compartment Cover fitted.
EU Safety GateMalfunction of the diesel particulate filter could cause the lower engine compartment cover to overheat and catch fire.
Measures: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Other; Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users; Date of entry into force: Unknown
How often does the 2013 Chevrolet Captiva fail its MOT?
Why they failed: the share of failed tests with at least one fault in each area (a test can fail on several). Cars first registered in 2013, tested in Great Britain in 2023; first registration is usually, but not always, the model year. Source: DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, Open Government Licence v3.0.
What do 2013 Chevrolet Captiva owners report?
12 of the 106 complaints, the most recent for the most-reported components, as the owners wrote them. NHTSA removes names and VINs; long reports are trimmed. CarHooq has not verified individual claims.
On [XXX] while driving this vehicle owned by the state of Arizona I was involved in a collision at 40 mph. The airbags did not deploy and I sustained serious brakes and internal bleeding. There were no warning lamps. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
This car is know for engine consumption issues it is the motor and it is know has has been recalled due to issues in prior years. My engine is consuming a half a quart every 40 miles.
The engine light was on and i went to dealership to have it checked out. They told me that it was a computer glich and not to worry about it. Was driving on the highway when the engine exploded and the car stopped. I was able to glide to the side of the road. After talking to dealership again they said that this model had something wrong with a part in the engine that normally would cause the car to stop without warning when reaching around 125,000 miles on it. I made it to 150,00+.
Within 3 days my vehicle stopped working with no warnings (check engine or other warnings) the vehicle made a rattling noise and then would not turn on. Upon inspection mechanic informed me that the engine would need to be replaced. There were no oil leaks or issues that would have caused the engine to die. The vehicle did not give me any signs of warnings that there was a problem. This cost would be more than the total I purchased the vehicle for. The engine has 85,000 miles and vehicle was well cared for. The vehicle is unsafe to drive and unreliable and when researching this car thousands…
Reporting for my Mother in law. Confirmed by me several times. First incident occurred while she was driving, dry roads, normal traffic at approximately 65 MPH the front brakes locked up and abruptly bought the car to a stop. She was half in the traffic live lane and half on shoulder. She called me and I went immediately. I got there in about 30 minutes and there was several people trying to push the car off the road and all said it wouldn’t budge. I felt the heat of the left front brake was extremely hot. I sat in the car, started it up, attempted to get it to move, it wouldn’t. I figured it…
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.
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.
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…
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…
THIS IS THE SECOND ISSUE WE HAVE HAD WITH THE STABILITY TRACK ON THIS VEHICLE. FIRST INCIDENT WAS AT THE END OF JANUARY 2019. NOW LESS THAT 4 MONTHS LATER IT HAPPENS AGAIN. WHILE DRIVING, THE BRAKES AUTO ENGAGE, BUT NO WARNING OR LIGHT APPEARS ON THE DASH OR INFORMATION SCREEN. THEN ONCE YOU STOP THE VEHICLE AS YOU CANT DRIVE IT THE SERVICE STABILITRACK/ TRACTION CONTROL MESSAGE COMES ACROSS THE INFORMATION SCREEN. THE ROADS WERE CLEAN AND DRY, WE NOTICED SOMETHING ODD AT 25 MILES PER HOUR BUT WERE UNABLE TO STOP AS THERE WASN'T ANYWHERE TO SAFELY PULL OVER. WE HAD JUST LEFT A STORE PARKING…
WENT TO THE DENTIST, GOT MY ROUTINE OIL CHANGE, THEN WENT TO THE DOCTOR, THEN VISITED A FRIEND. WHEN I LEFT MY FRIENDS HOUSE TO GET ON THE FREEWAY MY CAR SMELLED LIKE OIL BURNING- ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, CHECK STABILITY LIGHT CAME ON, LOW OIL PRESSURE LIGHT CAME ON. I PULLED INTO A GAS STATION AND TURNED OFF ENGINE. MY FRIEND SENT ME PICTURES OF HER DRIVEWAY WHERE ALL MY OIL LEAKED OUT- AFTER HAVING THE VEHICLE TOWED- THE MECHANIC SAID THE REAR MAIN SEAL HAD BLOWN BECAUSE OF A PVC ISSUE. I CONTACTED THE DEALER BUT OF COURSE MY VIN ISN'T PART OF THE RECALL.
REAR MAIN SEAL BROKE AND SPEWED OIL EVERYWHERE. THE MECHANIC STATED IT WAS INSTALLED IMPROPERLY. IT COST $944 TO REPAIR AND I WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE IF I COULD BE REIMBURSED.
2013 Chevrolet Captiva: questions owners ask
Is the 2013 Chevrolet Captiva reliable?
NHTSA data alone cannot rate reliability, but it shows what owners reported. Owners filed 106 complaints with NHTSA about the 2013 Chevrolet Captiva; the most common categories were engine (55, 51.9%), electrical system (31, 29.2%), power train (10, 9.4%). There are no safety recalls listed for this model year. 2 complaints mention a crash, 4 mention a fire, 3 injuries were reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2013 Chevrolet Captiva?
Across 106 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the categories mentioned most often are engine (51.9% of complaints), electrical system (29.2% of complaints), power train (9.4% of complaints), electronic stability control (esc) (6.6% of complaints), service brakes (4.7% of complaints). One complaint can name several components.
Does the 2013 Chevrolet Captiva have any recalls?
As of October 2026, NHTSA lists no safety recalls for the 2013 Chevrolet Captiva. Recalls can be issued at any time, so check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Why is my 2013 Chevrolet Captiva burning or losing oil?
18 of the 106 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2013 Chevrolet Captiva (17%) describe excessive oil consumption or oil leaks. One owner wrote: "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." (NHTSA complaint 11290765, December 2019). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Why does my 2013 Chevrolet Captiva stall, lose power or shut off while driving?
17 of the 106 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2013 Chevrolet Captiva (16%) describe the engine stalling, losing power or shutting off while driving. One owner wrote: "Tl* 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." (NHTSA complaint 11319335, March 2020). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Why is the check engine light on in my 2013 Chevrolet Captiva?
9 of the 106 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2013 Chevrolet Captiva (8.5%) describe the check engine light coming on. One owner wrote: "Went to the dentist, got my routine oil change, then went to the doctor, then visited a friend. when i left my friends house to get on the freeway my car smelled like oil burning- engine light came on, check stability light came on, low oil pressure light…" (NHTSA complaint 11186772, March 2019). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Why won't my 2013 Chevrolet Captiva start?
8 of the 106 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2013 Chevrolet Captiva (7.5%) describe the car failing to start. One owner wrote: "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." (NHTSA complaint 11517065, April 2023). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Has the 2013 Chevrolet Captiva had engine failures?
6 of the 106 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2013 Chevrolet Captiva (5.7%) describe complete engine failure or a replaced engine. One owner wrote: "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." (NHTSA complaint 11329908, June 2020). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
What causes a knocking, ticking or rattling noise in the 2013 Chevrolet Captiva engine?
5 of the 106 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2013 Chevrolet Captiva (4.7%) describe a knocking, ticking or rattling engine noise. One owner wrote: "Engine sputtered, lurched forward, then almost died repeatedly at a stoplight. drove car home as no warning lights came on and made an appointment with my mechanic. mechanic advised to drive car to the shop." (NHTSA complaint 11119285, August 2018). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Why does my 2013 Chevrolet Captiva idle rough, misfire or hesitate?
5 of the 106 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2013 Chevrolet Captiva (4.7%) describe rough idling, misfires or hesitation when accelerating. One owner wrote: "Tl* 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." (NHTSA complaint 11244999, August 2019). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Why are the ABS and stability control lights on in my 2013 Chevrolet Captiva?
4 of the 106 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2013 Chevrolet Captiva (3.8%) describe ABS, traction or stability control warnings or faults. One owner wrote: "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." (NHTSA complaint 11477573, August 2022). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Why does my 2013 Chevrolet Captiva smell of burning or smoke?
4 of the 106 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2013 Chevrolet Captiva (3.8%) describe a burning smell or smoke. One owner wrote: "The engine is burning oil between changes - drove to washington dc from south carolina alone and when i arrived i happened to check the oil and the dip stick was dry. added 3 quarts and returned home - once again it was down added another 2 quarts." (NHTSA complaint 11114576, July 2018). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Check your own Captiva
Counts are a starting point, not a verdict: popular models collect more complaints because more of them are on the road, and NHTSA does not verify individual reports. To see whether a recall is still open on your car, enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls (U.S.) or your registration at check-vehicle-recalls.service.gov.uk (UK). Had a safety problem? Report it to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations and recalls.
Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation recall and complaint databases (public domain), DVSA anonymised MOT results (Open Government Licence v3.0), DVSA vehicle recalls (Open Government Licence v3.0), EU Safety Gate alerts (© European Union), retrieved October 25, 2026. Model year 2013 only.