MajorVery commonFluid Leaks

Holden Captiva: Chronic oil leaks — rocker covers, rear main seal, transfer case and diff

Chronic oil leaks — rocker covers, rear main seal, transfer case and diff is a very common fluid leaks fault on the Holden Captiva on the 2006–2018 cars, and we rate it major. Putting it right costs $300 to $1,800 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: 2006–2018
System: Fluid Leaks

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 Transfer case or Rocker / valve cover or Differential yet. We would rather show none than show a picture of a different part.

What goes wrong

Captivas of all engines leak oil with age: rocker cover gaskets, the rear main seal (which drips onto the transmission bell housing), sump, and on AWD models the transfer case and diff pinion seals. Individually the leaks are small, but they compound, and an ignored transfer case leak can run the unit dry and destroy it. Any Captiva on a lift will usually show at least one weep — the question is how bad and how expensive the source is.

What you would notice

Oil spots where the car parks
Burning oil smell after driving
Low oil level between services
Oily film on the underbody

How to check it

Where to look. Underside: rocker covers, engine-to-transmission join, transfer case and rear diff

Look at the driveway or car park spot where the car has been sitting.
Get underneath (or pay for a pre-purchase inspection on a hoist) and check the sump, bell housing, transfer case and diff for wet oil rather than old dry staining.

Parts involved: Transfer case, Rocker / valve cover, Differential.

What it costs to put right

$300 to $1,800 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

“Which leaks have been fixed already?”
“Does it lose oil between services?”

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.

BPC Auto Inspect Holden Captiva reliability guide
ProductReview.com.au Holden Captiva CG owner reports

Holden Captiva buyer questions

Is chronic oil leaks — rocker covers, rear main seal, transfer case and diff serious on a Holden Captiva?

We rate it major and very common on the Holden Captiva. Captivas of all engines leak oil with age: rocker cover gaskets, the rear main seal (which drips onto the transmission bell housing), sump, and on AWD models the transfer case and diff pinion seals. Individually the leaks are small, but they compound, and an ignored transfer case leak can run the unit dry and destroy it. Any Captiva on a lift will usually show at least one weep — the question is how bad and how expensive the source is.

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

$300 to $1,800 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 2006–2018 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?

Look at the driveway or car park spot where the car has been sitting. Get underneath (or pay for a pre-purchase inspection on a hoist) and check the sump, bell housing, transfer case and diff for wet oil rather than old dry staining. Look here: Underside: rocker covers, engine-to-transmission join, transfer case and rear diff