Holden Captiva: common faults & what to check

Which Holden Captiva are you looking at?

3 generation variants documented. Pick the shape you recognise: the faults, the servicing and the timeline below all narrow to it. Free, no account needed.

Petrol

2 variants documented

2006–2018CG2006–2018CG2.4 petrolPetrolDocumented issues5 knownSee faults & what to checkKickTyres illustration, not a photograph.

2006–2018CG2006–2018CG3.0/3.2 V6 petrolPetrolDocumented issues6 knownSee faults & what to checkKickTyres illustration, not a photograph.

Diesel

1 variant documented

2006–2018CG2006–2018CG2.0/2.2 dieselDieselDocumented issues13 knownSee faults & what to checkKickTyres illustration, not a photograph.

Now narrow it to the engine

A 1.8 and a 2.4 of the same car do not fail the same way, so the faults below narrow to the engine as well as the year. Free, no account needed.

Start your free check on this Holden Captiva

No plate needed. You get the risk score, the buyer's checklist and the guided inspection for the exact car you picked above — not the whole nameplate.

The checks worth doing on a Holden Captiva before you hand over any money. Every documented fault is listed below, each with its own page.

• Serious issue

  Cold-start and listen for chain rattle at the front of the engine.

  See why

  Z20S / Z20DMH 2.0D Diesel Timing Chain Failure (Fiat-Sourced Unit)

  The Captiva diesel uses a Fiat/VM Motori derived 2.0L diesel engine (Z20S, Z20DMH). This engine family has a documented timing chain wear problem, with chain stretch and guide failure leading to potential timing skip and engine damage. The chain can jump and cause bent valves or complete engine failure if not caught early. The fault is documented across multiple brands using this engine including Fiat, Alfa Romeo, Opel/Vauxhall Antara and Captiva. Widely regarded as the most serious pre-purchase concern for Captiva diesel.

  What you would notice

  • Rattling noise from engine on start-up or at idle
  • Engine warning light with cam/crank timing codes
  • Rough running or misfires
  • Engine stops suddenly in advanced cases

  Typically $2,500–$6,000 to put right.

• Serious issue

  Test drive for at least 20 minutes including motorway light-throttle cruising (shudder), stop-start traffic (flare) and reversing uphill.

  See why

  Automatic transmission slip, flare, shudder and failure (6T40/6T45)

  Captiva automatics — especially the 6T40/6T45 six-speed in 2011-on cars — are a headline fault: slipping and flaring between gears, torque converter clutch shudder, harsh shifts, fluid leaks and outright failure. GM issued Special Coverage 2022640 for 2011-12 slip/flare, service bulletins covering torque converters, electro-hydraulic control modules and speed sensors, and the six-speed family is the subject of the Maurice Blackburn class action against GM Holden. Budget for a rebuild on any high-km example with no transmission history.

  What you would notice

  • Revs flare on upshifts
  • Shudder at cruising speed under light throttle
  • Clunky engagement of Drive/Reverse
  • Loss of drive or limp mode

  Typically $2,500–$6,000 to put right.

• Serious issue

  Cold-start the engine (feel the bonnet — it must be stone cold) and listen for a heavy rattle in the first seconds.

  See why

  Timing chain stretch and failure (2.2 diesel)

  The 2.2 turbo-diesel in CG2 Captivas is infamous for stretched timing chains, often well before 150,000km. A stretched chain rattles, sets timing correlation codes and, if ignored, can jump or snap — destroying the engine. The job is buried at the transmission end of a transverse engine, so labour is heavy and quotes of $2,500-4,500 at independents are normal. This is one of the main reasons the Captiva is among AU/NZ's most complained-about used cars.

  What you would notice

  • Diesel rattle from the engine that's loudest on cold start
  • Check-engine light with timing/correlation codes
  • Rough running and poor starting as stretch worsens

  Typically $2,500–$4,500 to put right.

• Serious issue

  Cold-start test and listen for chain rattle in the first 10 seconds.

  See why

  Timing chain stretch on petrol V6 (3.2 Alloytec / 3.0 SIDI)

  The petrol V6 Captivas share GM's 'high feature' V6 timing chain problem: chains and guides wear and stretch, throwing codes P0008/P0009/P0016-P0019, rattling on start-up and eventually risking catastrophic engine damage if the chain jumps. The V6 has three chains and the job in the Captiva's tight bay is expensive. Oil starvation from long service intervals accelerates it, so service history matters more than mileage.

  What you would notice

  • Rattle from the front of the engine on cold start
  • Check-engine light with P0008/P0016-P0019 codes
  • Rough running or misfire at idle

  Typically $2,500–$4,500 to put right.

• Serious issue

  Verify both recalls (Dec 2015 rocker arm, Nov 2011 fuel hose) are completed against the VIN.

  See why

  Rocker arm bearing failure from degraded oil — recall (2.0 diesel)

  CG Captiva 2.0 turbo-diesels built December 2006 to February 2008 were recalled in December 2015 because rocker arm bearings can fail after prolonged exposure to degraded oil, causing power loss or stalling. The same engine also had a 2011 recall for a leaking fuel feed hose (fire risk). These engines are unforgiving of stretched oil-change intervals, and the 2.0 uses a timing belt that needs periodic replacement — many are overdue.

  What you would notice

  • Ticking/knocking from the top of the engine
  • Sudden loss of power or stalling
  • Diesel smell from a leaking fuel hose (separate recall)

  Typically $2,000–$4,500 to put right.

• Costly issue

  Arrange to start the engine from fully cold and listen immediately for chain rattle from the top-front of the block.

  See why

  Z20DMH Timing Chain Tensioner Cold Rattle

  The hydraulic timing chain tensioner on the GM Z20DMH 2.0 CRDi diesel loses oil pressure when the engine sits overnight, causing the chain to go slack on cold start. A pronounced metallic rattle from the top-front of the engine lasts 5-30 seconds until oil pressure builds. Repeated cycling accelerates chain stretch and plastic guide wear. Left unaddressed, a jumped or snapped chain causes catastrophic valve and piston damage. This is one of the most widely reported faults on the Captiva diesel across Australian workshops and is shared with the Opel Antara and Vauxhall Antara using the same engine.

  What you would notice

  • Loud rattling or clattering from engine immediately on cold start
  • Noise disappears within 20-30 seconds as oil pressure builds
  • Check engine light with camshaft timing correlation codes
  • Rough idle and occasional misfires on cold start in advanced cases

  Typically $900–$3,800 to put right.

Holden Captiva service schedule

What falls due, and at what distance, for each generation of the Holden Captiva. These are the model’s intervals — the car’s own service book is the only thing that can tell you what has actually been done to it.

What these repairs cost on other cars

Some of the Holden Captiva’s documented faults are repairs other models share. Each page lists the documented NZ cost for every model it affects.

• Timing Chain Replacement Cost
• DPF Repair and Replacement Cost
• Diesel Injector Replacement Cost
• EGR Valve and Cooler Repair Cost

Buying guides that cover the Holden Captiva

• Used cars to be careful with in New Zealand

Other Holden models