What breaks most · 2011 to 2015 model years
Chevrolet Captiva problems by year
Owners have filed 315 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Chevrolet Captiva across model years 2011 to 2015. One year stands out: 2014 for electrical system complaints. The quietest years are 2011 and 2012.
- Years to check closely: 2014
- Fewest complaints: 2011, 2012
- Complaints on file
- 3152011 to 2015, all trims
- Worst year
- 2014138 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 108 fires · 19 injuries · 0 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 67kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 1Across the years shown
Complaints by model year
Raw filings with NHTSA, not adjusted for how many were sold.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Recalls | Most-reported component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 1 | Powertrain and transmission (1) | |
| 65 | 0 | 0 | Electrical system (43) | |
| 97 | 1 | 0 | Engine (48) | |
| 138 | 8 | 0 | Electrical system (60) | |
| 14 | 1 | 0 | Electrical system (5) |
What fails on the 2014 Chevrolet Captiva
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical systemAlternators, starters and ignition | 43% |
60 | 0 | Shop all electrical system parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Unknown or other | 22% |
30 | 1 | — |
| EngineEngine gaskets and seals | 22% |
30 | 0 | Shop all engine parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Powertrain and transmissionTransmission parts | 12% |
17 | 0 | Shop all powertrain and transmission parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Body and structureDoors, latches and body hardware | 7% |
9 | 3 | Shop all body and structure parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| SteeringPower steering pumps, racks and hoses | 7% |
9 | 0 | Shop all steering parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Stability controlABS and wheel speed sensors | 7% |
9 | 0 | Shop all stability control parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Air bags | 5% |
7 | 6 | Check recalls for air bags on NHTSA.gov |
One complaint can name more than one component, so shares add to more than 100%. "Unknown or other" is NHTSA's uncategorized bucket and is shown but never ranked.
In owners' words
Complaint narratives as filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length.
-
Electrical system dies unexpectedly. Stabilitrac system alert lights up and car starts shifting like crazy. All warning lights flash and door locks and dome lights start flashing. This happens even when driving on the highway. Very dangerous and needs to be addressed immediately.
How to read this page
Every figure comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's public complaint database, which holds every safety-related defect complaint filed by owners since 1995. We refresh it monthly and count each complaint once per component it names. Data through September 6, 2026.
NHTSA only accepts safety-related complaints. Rattles, paint, infotainment bugs and other annoyances are under-reported here, so this page is a map of what fails in ways owners consider dangerous, not a full reliability score.
Counts are raw. Use the year-over-year shape and the component mix, not the absolute numbers. Where a component maps to parts we stock, the row links to that category filtered to the year you are viewing. Air bag and seat belt complaints link to the recall checker instead, because those repairs are almost always covered.
Common questions
Which Chevrolet Captiva years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 2014 carries the most filings on the Chevrolet Captiva. The 2014 alone has 138 complaints, led by electrical system.
What is the most common Chevrolet Captiva problem?
On the 2014 model year, the most-reported component is electrical system with 60 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Chevrolet Captiva problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Chevrolet Captiva complaints that include mileage is about 67,000 miles. Older model years skew higher; the per-year figure is in the "at a glance" card.
Are these complaints verified?
No. NHTSA publishes complaints as submitted and does not investigate individual filings. Patterns across hundreds of complaints are meaningful; a single one is not.