CriticalCommonTransmission

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

Automatic transmission slip, flare, shudder and failure (6T40/6T45) is a common transmission fault on the Holden Captiva on the 2007–2018 cars, and we rate it critical. Putting it right costs $2,500 to $6,000 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. Below is what goes wrong, the symptoms to notice on a test drive, where to look, and what to ask the seller before you hand over any money. It is one of 18 documented faults on the Holden Captiva.

Vehicle: Holden Captiva
Years: 2007–2018
Gearbox: auto
System: Transmission

This page covers the Holden Captiva as a model. Some faults only affect particular engines or build years — enter a plate below to narrow the list to one car.

All Holden Captiva faults18 documented faults on this model

What you are looking at

No photograph available

We do not hold a verified photograph of the Torque converter or Clutch yet. We would rather show none than show a picture of a different part.

What goes wrong

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

How to check it

Where to look. Automatic transmission under the engine bay; fluid leaks show at the bell housing and cooler lines

Test drive for at least 20 minutes including motorway light-throttle cruising (shudder), stop-start traffic (flare) and reversing uphill.
Check for transmission fluid leaks under the car and ask for any transmission service or rebuild invoices.

Parts involved: Torque converter, Clutch.

What it costs to put right

$2,500 to $6,000 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That is for this job on its own, not for the car.

An estimate, in NZD, for the repair as normally carried out. What a specific car costs depends on which part has failed and what it damaged on the way — treat this as the floor for a negotiation, not a quote.

Ask the seller

“Has the transmission or torque converter been replaced or rebuilt?”
“Was the car part of the GM special coverage or class action?”

Now check the Holden Captiva you are actually looking at

Everything above is true of the model, and it is free. What it does not tell you is whether THIS car has been looked after: its odometer history and whether the reading has ever gone backwards, whether there is still money owing on it, whether it has been reported stolen, how many owners it has had and what it is really worth today. That comes from the official records for that plate. Enter the plate for the free details, or get the full history and a market valuation from $13.49.

Not sure what you would be paying for? See what a full KickTyres check includes.

Where this comes from

The failure described above is documented in the sources below. The inspection instructions and the cost estimate are KickTyres’ own interpretation of them.

Maurice Blackburn Holden transmission class action
GM Special Coverage 2022640
CarsGuide Holden Captiva transmission problems page

Holden Captiva buyer questions

Is automatic transmission slip, flare, shudder and failure (6t40/6t45) serious on a Holden Captiva?

We rate it critical and common on the Holden Captiva. 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.

How much does it cost to fix on a Holden Captiva?

$2,500 to $6,000 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That figure is for this job on its own. A car showing the symptoms on this page is usually worth either walking away from or negotiating down by at least the repair figure.

Which Holden Captiva years are affected?

Our research records this fault on the 2007–2018 Holden Captiva. Build dates move around, especially on imported cars, so treat the range as the years to look hardest at rather than a guarantee either way. The official records tell you the exact build and first registration date for the car in front of you.

How do I check for it before I buy?

Test drive for at least 20 minutes including motorway light-throttle cruising (shudder), stop-start traffic (flare) and reversing uphill. Check for transmission fluid leaks under the car and ask for any transmission service or rebuild invoices. Look here: Automatic transmission under the engine bay; fluid leaks show at the bell housing and cooler lines