2014 Chevrolet Captiva Problems
Compared with other Chevrolet Captiva years
More complaints than typical for this model
71/100 1.6× a typical year · 50 = typical
- Complaint rate is 1.6× that of a typical Chevrolet Captiva year, weighted for crashes, fires, injuries, recalls and mileage, and allowing for the era and for how long each year has had to collect complaints.
- 17 of its 138 complaints were filed by the end of 2016.
- Most reported problem: Ignition key will not release from the switch (62 complaints, median 50,000 mi).
Nearby years with fewer complaints than typical and no open NHTSA investigation: 2012
Based only on NHTSA complaints, recalls and investigations. Not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, and not a reliability rating. How this is calculated
- Complaints
- 138filed with NHTSA
- Median mileage
- 62,600miles, 104 complaints with mileage
- Recalls
- 0campaigns on record
- Trend
- FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
- NHTSA crash rating
- 3 / 5stars overall, 2 rated versions
- EPA fuel economy
- 23 mpgcombined, 2.4L 4-cyl · flex-fuel FWD · 20 city / 28 hwy
Sources: NHTSA records for the 2014 Chevrolet Captiva (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error
What owners report
Owners of the 2014 Chevrolet Captiva most often report electrical problems, and the single most repeated one is a key that will not come out of the ignition after the vehicle is put in park, sometimes alongside power-draining accessories staying on. A second cluster of complaints describes intermittent total power loss and no-start conditions that owners say can be temporarily cleared by moving battery cables, the fuse box, or the power seat. Engine complaints concentrate on excessive oil consumption and subsequent timing chain or internal damage.
- Electrical system
Ignition key will not release from the switch
- 62 complaints (45%)
- median 50,000 mi at 4.7 yrs old (43 state mileage)
- filed 2014–2023
Owners describe turning the vehicle off, putting the shifter in park, and finding the key stuck in the ignition or in the accessory position. Some report that restarting, shifting through the gears, rocking the vehicle, or pressing a manual release under the column eventually frees it, while others say the shift lever or a solenoid was replaced and the problem returned. Several complaints also mention dash lights and accessories staying powered, draining the battery. Dealers quoted diagnostic fees and, in some cases, could not reproduce or resolve the concern. Reported from roughly 19,000 to 86,000 miles, most often in the 30,000-60,000 mile range.
What to check: With the engine off and the shifter in park, cycle the ignition several times and confirm the key comes out freely. Ask whether the lock cylinder, shift lever, or transmission-mounted solenoid has been replaced.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“My key continuously are stuck in the ignition when trying to exit. I have had to sit in my car for an hour. After constant attempts, I was finally able to remove them. Have tried wd -40, not changes. Once my son had to remove the front panel and unscrew parts in order to remove the key. The problem began late december and continues to date. Vehicle stationary.”
NHTSA complaint #11063462, filed 2018-01, 47,000 miles“My 2014 Captiva has approximately 48,000 miles. Since approximately march 1, 2019 my key has gotten stuck in my ignition in the accessory position approximately 15 times. It is getting harder and harder to get the key out. I usually have to stop and start the car several times. This happens when I try to turn the car off after putting the gear shift into park position.”
NHTSA complaint #11193246, filed 2019-04, 48,000 miles - Electrical system
Intermittent power loss, no-start, stalling
- 25 complaints (18%)
- median 74,061 mi at 6.3 yrs old (16 state mileage)
- filed 2016–2023
Complaints describe the vehicle going completely dead at random, sometimes while driving, with the engine shutting off and power steering and brakes losing assist. Owners say the vehicle then will not restart until they move the negative battery cable, bang on the fuse box, or work the power seat switch. In other reports the gauges drop out, the radio cuts off, doors lock and unlock repeatedly, and stability control, ABS, and traction warnings appear. Some had the vehicle diagnosed with a bad negative battery cable. Reported across 38,000 to 157,000 miles, with many under 100,000 miles.
What to check: Inspect the battery terminals and cables for corrosion or looseness, and ask whether the battery, cabling, or fuse box has been serviced. A test drive should include a highway run with the gauges and climate controls watched.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“I have a 2014 c. Captiva at 79k miles, one sunday on my way to church, driving on the highway, I heard a pop and the car shifted right and slowed down, I get to church and the serpentine belt came off, pump was leaking oil electrical system shut down. Over $1200 in repair cost. A few months later p0430 error code - catalytic converter replaced, new brakes front and back. Car has not been right since. Past 4 months traction control issues. …”
NHTSA complaint #11360374, filed 2020-09, 76,000 miles“Car loses voltage while driving and radio shut off. Sometimes car will not start and I have to bang the fuse box to get a connection. I have also seen the emergency parking brake icon, ABS, traction control and service traction control all light up.”
NHTSA complaint #11230025, filed 2019-07, 80,000 miles - Engine
Excessive oil consumption and timing chain failure
Mentioned in 11 of 60 sampled complaints
Owners report adding a quart or two of oil between changes and, in some cases, running low enough that the engine stalled or seized. Several complaints describe a broken or stretched timing chain and a shop recommendation for a replacement engine, often with regular oil changes documented. Others mention engine knocking, rough idle, poor acceleration, repeated check engine lights with catalyst-related codes, and oil residue appearing on the ground. Some owners compare the engine to the 2.4L unit covered by earlier programs on other models and ask whether their vehicle qualifies. Usually reported from about 65,000 to 150,000 miles, with several failures in the 80,000-120,000 mile range.
What to check: Check the oil level and condition on a cold engine and ask for oil change records, then check again after a few hundred miles of driving. Listen for chain rattle or knocking at start-up and at idle.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“Car did not even have 125k miles on it and it started knocking. Took it into my local shop and they said that the rods were knocking and that the engine was going. Ended up putting in a brand new crate motor. I rememeber a time when chevy's would last for up to 200k miles. I am very disappointed that I had to spend all that money on a new motor.”
NHTSA complaint #11353823, filed 2020-09, 125,000 miles“Usse too much oil, have to put 2 quarts in between oil changes, 3000 miles. The car was running sitting and the car shut off. Then when we left there a lot of oil on the parking lot. A message came on and it said to add oil, we put 3 qts in and drove about 14 miles and the car was out of oil”
NHTSA complaint #11396579, filed 2021-02, 87,959 miles - Electrical system
Sun visor wiring heat, smoke and burning smell
Mentioned in 5 of 60 sampled complaints
Several complaints describe a burning smell inside the cabin, sometimes with eye and throat irritation, traced to the driver or passenger sun visor area. Owners report the visor rod or headliner becoming very hot to the touch, clicking noises when the visor is moved, and in one case smoke and a small fire at the passenger visor that the owner put out. Flickering dome and headlights are mentioned alongside. One owner said the dealer could not determine a cause. Reported from under 19,000 to 134,000 miles, including vehicles only a few years old.
What to check: Move both sun visors through their full range and check the rod and headliner for heat, discoloration, or a burnt smell; have any flickering interior lights investigated.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“Driving home thurs night, 1-12-2017, I smelled a burning scent. Figured it was outside in the air coming thru the vents. No warning lights were on. Fri. Morning, 1-13-2017, driving to work I smelled the same odor & it got stronger the longer I was in the car. But again no warning lights came on. I pulled the sun visor down as I drove, pushed it over against the drivers side window and extended it to cover the length of the glass as it is intended to do. …”
NHTSA complaint #10946546, filed 2017-01, 36,000 miles“While driving I was suddenly overcome by a noxious odor which caused burning in my eyes, nose and throat. I turned off my A/C and opened my windows which helped dilute the odor. By chance I lifted my driver-side visor and a loud clicking occurred. I repeated this to try to figure out what was wrong, then when I grasped the rod that the visor slides on my fingers were burned and blistered.because it was so hot. The cabin lights flicker and the headlights do as well. The ceiling area by the visor becomes very hot to the touch. …”
NHTSA complaint #10787507, filed 2015-11, 18,800 miles
Buying note. A 2014 Captiva is worth a careful electrical check: confirm the key releases from the ignition in park, watch for flickering lights or random no-starts, and check oil level and service history for consumption. Ask for records of any battery cable, ignition cylinder, or timing chain work.
Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.
NHTSA recorded 138 consumer complaints for the 2014 Chevrolet Captiva. 104 of the complaints include a mileage, and 38% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 62,600 miles. Of all complaints, 8 involved a crash, 2 a fire, 15 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 0 recall campaigns and 1,307 technical service bulletins for this model year. Compared with the other 2 Chevrolet Captiva model years that have at least 25 complaints and are old enough to compare, this one scores 71 out of 100, where 50 is a typical year for the model (more complaints than typical for this model). The comparison allows for the era and for how long each year has had to collect complaints, but not for how many vehicles were sold.
Which parts are reported most
Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.
- Electrical system60 43%
- Other or unknown31 22%
- Engine30 22%
- Steering9 6.5%
- Body and structure9 6.5%
- Air bags7 5.1%
- Brakes4 2.9%
Also reported: Fuel system (3), Vehicle speed control (3), Exterior lighting (2), Interior lighting (2), Suspension (2), Equipment (1), Seat belts (1), Seats (1), Wheels (1).
Example complaints
Electrical system: “I was driving on the highway and turned on my turn signal and the car shut down. The emergency brake light came on and my power steering and brakes went out. As I tried to make my way to the side of the road, the car started running again. I was traveling at 80mph and was surrounded by others traveling at the same rate of speed. I was lucky I wasn't killed. I also have to try multiple times to start the car, and the key has to be released manually.”
NHTSA complaint #11297016, filed 2020-01, 86,000 milesOther or unknown: “We were involved in a domino effect accident, where my car was totaled. It suffered severe front and rear damage, with the rear window shattered as we were struck from behind while stopped in traffic on an interstate. None of the airbags deployed.”
NHTSA complaint #11412839, filed 2021-04, 76,000 milesEngine: “Car has never missed an oil change, actually sometimes I go before the recommended time. All of sudden the timing belt breaks because there is no oil in the car. The oil was not even due to be changed, no leaks and no smells. Chevy should be ashamed of themselves. According to google this is a common problem that happens to these cars at or around 90k miles. I guess I was lucky that I did get oil changes so often, I made it a little longer. This is the reason that toyota and honda are doing so well. …”
NHTSA complaint #11351872, filed 2020-08, 152,000 milesTransmission and drivetrain: “Vehicle was in motion on a city street , while trying to make a u-turn, my vehicle gear shifted back to neutral and park . When I applied the brakes the brakes didn't work and my car was still moving forward. I pushed back the gear to park position and stopped at a curb. I couldn't start back the vehicle anymore, if it wasn't for the curb I could have hit someone or a tree and hurt myself.”
NHTSA complaint #11103930, filed 2018-06, 5 milesMileage when problems were reported
38% of the 104 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 42,065 and 84,000 miles.
Complaints by year filed
Trend: falling. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
Crash test ratings
NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2014 Chevrolet Captiva. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
| Version | Overall | Frontal | Side | Side pole | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Captiva · SUV AWD | ★★★☆☆ | 3 / 3 | 3 | 5 | 4 · 15.9% risk |
| Captiva · SUV FWD | ★★★☆☆ | 3 / 3 | 3 | 5 | 4 · 18.5% risk |
Neighbouring years: 2015: same overall rating. A redesign between years can change both the car and the test.
Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.
Fuel economy and running cost
EPA ratings for each 2014 Chevrolet Captiva version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).
| Version | Engine | Transmission | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Captiva AWD | 3.0L 6-cyl · flex-fuel | 6-speed automatic | 16 | 22 | 18 | $3,700 |
| Captiva FWD | 2.4L 4-cyl · flex-fuel | 6-speed automatic | 20 | 28 | 23 | $2,900 |
| Captiva FWD | 3.0L 6-cyl · flex-fuel | 6-speed automatic | 17 | 24 | 19 | $3,550 |
Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.
Recalls and investigations
NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for the 2014 Chevrolet Captiva in the data used here. A recall can apply to some vehicles of a model year and not others, so check a specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Technical service bulletins
TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 1,307 on record; the latest 10 are shown.
- 11037555Sep 26, 2026Other or unknown. This PI provides Diagnostics tips on how the LIN bus works and how to diagnosis it.
- 11037253Sep 4, 2026Other or unknown. This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance.
- 11032947May 19, 2026Other or unknown. This document provides the technician with a diagnostic tip if the vehicle stalls and set diagnostic trouble code P0191 and may also set P0172. The diagnostic tip has the technician inspect the high…
- 11030974Apr 1, 2026Other or unknown. This preliminary information communicates information about how to determine if a wheel and tires size change is available.
- 11030092Mar 9, 2026Other or unknown. This Preliminary information communicates the steps on how to save a GDS2 Session Log and upload to a Technical Assistance Case in CX Connect.
- 11030091Mar 9, 2026Other or unknown. This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance.
- 11027601Jan 8, 2026Other or unknown. This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance.
- 11025755Nov 20, 2025Other or unknown. This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have had multiple repair attempts that are being performed on customer’s vehicles that exhibit…
- 11023091Sep 9, 2025Other or unknown. New Vehicle Monitoring Programs Section in IVH
- 11022084Aug 14, 2025Other or unknown. This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance.
Other model years of the Chevrolet Captiva
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | Crash ★ | MPG | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 14 | 60,000 | 0 | 3 | 23 | — | Not enough data |
| 2014 | 138 | 62,600 | 0 | 3 | 23 | 71 · More | Falling |
| 2013 | 97 | 77,000 | 0 | — | 23 | 50 · Typical | Falling |
| 2012 | 65 | 60,000 | 0 | — | 23 | 4 · Fewer | Stable |
All Chevrolet Captiva model years · Best and worst years by complaints
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2014 Chevrolet Captiva?
Owners of the 2014 Chevrolet Captiva most often report electrical problems, and the single most repeated one is a key that will not come out of the ignition after the vehicle is put in park, sometimes alongside power-draining accessories staying on. The issues reported most often: Ignition key will not release from the switch; Intermittent power loss, no-start, stalling; Excessive oil consumption and timing chain failure.
How many NHTSA complaints does the 2014 Chevrolet Captiva have?
NHTSA recorded 138 consumer complaints for the 2014 Chevrolet Captiva as of Oct 28, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
What part of the 2014 Chevrolet Captiva is reported most often?
Electrical system is named most often, in 60 complaints (43% of the total), followed by other or unknown with 31.
Has the 2014 Chevrolet Captiva been recalled?
NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for this model year in the data used here. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
How did the 2014 Chevrolet Captiva do in NHTSA crash tests?
NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings give the 2014 Chevrolet Captiva 3 out of 5 stars overall, across 2 rated versions (body style and drive). Ratings from different model years are only comparable when the vehicle was not redesigned in between.
What gas mileage does the 2014 Chevrolet Captiva get?
The EPA rates the 2014 Chevrolet Captiva (Captiva FWD, 2.4L 4-cyl · flex-fuel) at 23 mpg combined, 20 city and 28 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,900 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.
At what mileage are problems with the 2014 Chevrolet Captiva reported?
Among the 104 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 62,600 miles and the middle half falls between 42,065 and 84,000 miles; 38% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 28, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).
Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.