Chevrolet vehicles have found millions of buyers over the years and it is known for making some dependable utility vehicles as well. Apart from its trucks, other passenger vehicles from the brand’s stable are meant for the common folks and the Chevy Spark is a good example. The initial models of the Spark had a slightly troubled journey owing to the number of complaints and recalls they received. However, with the 2016 facelift, Chevrolet improved the Spark and its overall reliability department saw a significant improvement as well. The 2021 Spark has faced only a couple of complaints to date and zero recalls as per the NHTSA. In the segment, the hatchback competes with the Kia Rio hatchback and the Mitsubishi Mirage hatchback.
Chevrolet Spark user complaints and problems
Engine problems
- Excessive engine oil burning: A single model from the 2017 model year of the Spark faced this issue. The owner mentioned in the report that the affected vehicle was burning about 1% of engine oil after driving 20 miles. The report further mentioned that the brand was aware of the issue but failed to provide any remedy.
- Engine shut down after going over a speed breaker: An isolated complaint was registered against the 2017 Chevy Spark. The complaint mentions that while the owner was driving at a speed of 55-60 mph and hit a speed breaker, the engine shut down along with the electronics system as well. This led to the owner losing control of the vehicle.
- No acceleration from engine: A few complaints were registered against the 2017 and 2018 model years of the Chevy Spark. A majority of the owners stated in their reports that after coming to a halt for some reason, the vehicle refused to accelerate afterward. In several cases, the engine was spinning at high rpm but the transmission was hesitant to slot into a gear.
Safety problems
- Airbags not deploying: Several models of the Spark in its fourth-generation model faced issues with their airbags. The latest 2021 model also has a single complaint against it regarding this issue. The reports state that in various events where the affected vehicles were involved in a crash, the airbags failed to deploy causing injuries. The latest complaint with the 2021 model states that along with the airbags, the seatbelt also failed to restrain the driver.
- Wrong airbags deployed: A few complaints regarding this problem were recorded. In the reports, a few owners said that the airbags of their vehicles deployed unnecessarily when the vehicles were stationary. In a remote incident, wrongly deployed airbags caused considerable injuries to the owner.
- Hard airbags: A single report was recorded regarding this issue for the 2020 Chevy Spark. The report said that after the airbag was deployed, the areas of contact on the body of the driver sustained cuts and bruises. The owner said that the incident was unacceptable since the airbags were meant to keep the occupants protected in such incidents.
2021 Chevrolet Spark recalls
|
S.No. |
Recall Date |
NHTSA Campaign ID |
Issues noticed |
Additional remarks |
Remedy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
May 9, 2017 |
17V307000 |
Air Bag Deployment may Injure Neck/FMVSS 208 |
In the event of a crash with frontal airbag deployment, an unbelted child in the front passenger seat has an increased risk of injury. |
GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger air bag module, free of charge. The recall began July 5, 2017. |
|
2 |
November 1, 2018 |
18V774000 |
Air Bags may not Deploy Due to Incorrect Setting |
If the airbags do not deploy in the event of a crash, it can increase the risk of injury. |
GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the SDM module to the correct mode, free of charge. The recall began on November 6, 2018. |
Should you buy a used Chevrolet Spark?
The Chevrolet Spark is a user-friendly and compact city car, making it quite preferable to the ones having a highly restricted budget or first-time car buyers. The overall reliability department of the Chevy Spark is quite strong with an almost negligible number of complaints faced in the current generation. Going for a used example of the Spark would be hassle-free if bought from a good dealer.
