Holden Captiva Problems

Holden’s five- and seven-seat SUVs were built in a General Motors facility in the South Korean city of Bupyeong-gu. The replacement vehicles are primarily US-designed, with the Chevrolet Equinox taking over from the Captiva 5, and the GMC Acadia replacing the Captiva 7. The Equinox is currently built in Canada, China, and Mexico, while the Acadia is built in Spring Hill, Tennessee, USA.

The automatic transmission has been a problem for Captiva owners, but you’re unlikely to get much sympathy from Holden on a car that is now 11 years old. How’s to say what might've happened to the transmission in the past 11 years.

Like any car, there is potential for Holden Captivas to have mechanical or electrical problems. Modern cars are full of delicate electrical sensors and complex mechanical components, and if not properly serviced or maintained, even generally reliable cars can suffer breakdowns. You can help protect yourself by having a professional pre-purchase inspection carried out, and buying a vehicle with low mileage and a full service history.

Of those you list I would go for the Mitsubishi ASX. You could also try the Kia Sorento or Mazda CX-5.

Holden's Captiva wasn't a locally produced vehicle. Instead it was made by the Korean General Motors brand Daewoo in their home country and imported as a complete vehicle.

Yes, no, and maybe. If you are after a mid-sized family SUV that doesn't need to go off-road, then a Captiva will likely do all you need and be a good car. If you are after a sporty machine to take to the track or cruise up and down the cafe strip impressing pedestrians, then the Captiva is definitely not what you'd want in a car. If you're interested in buying a Captiva, also look at Toyota's Kluger, Subaru's Forester, or even Jeep's Cherokee to benchmark the field.

The cap has a hex nut on it and you can unscrew it using a regular hex socket. It’s a regular right hand thread. If it’s really tight just go easy, don’t apply too much force.

It’s hard to diagnose from a distance. As the engine appears to be running ok, the noise and black smoke might well be a particulate filter burn-off event, but you wouldn’t normally expect to see smoke or hear what sounds like an explosion. The dealer can check the filter and the burn-off history, so they should be able to see if there has been an event. I would think the transmission problem is a separate issue, and the transmission might need servicing.

Since its introduction in 2006 Holden has sold the Daewoo-designed and built Captiva crossover SUV in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive. Although they have sold a range of different engine and transmission options there has never been a rear-wheel drive layout offered.