Chevrolet Spark Reliability by YearBest & worst years, problems & recalls — NHTSA data
Comparing used Chevrolet Spark options? We analyzed 10 model years (2013–2022) using real NHTSA complaint and recall data so you can spot stronger years, avoid riskier ones, and know what to inspect before buying.
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Model-year trends show patterns — they can't tell you whether this car was crashed, flooded, or rolled back. A VIN check can.
- Accident & damage history
- Odometer rollback records
- Open recalls & title brands
Based on NHTSA complaint data, the Chevrolet Spark has 527 owner complaints and 19 safety recalls across model years 2013–2022. The most reported issue area is POWER TRAIN. 2017 drew the most complaints; 2022 drew the fewest.
- Make
- Chevrolet
- Model
- Spark
- Model years analyzed
- 2013–2022 (10 years)
- Total NHTSA complaints
- 527
- Safety recall campaigns
- 19
- Crash-related complaints
- 48
- Fire-related complaints
- 5
- Worst model year (by complaints)
- 2017 (29 complaints)
- Best model year (fewest complaints)
- 2022 (3 complaints)
- Top reported issue area
- POWER TRAIN
- Reliability signal
- Poor
By model year
Chevrolet Spark: which years to avoid & which to buy
Based on total NHTSA owner complaints per model year. Higher complaint counts indicate a riskier year to buy used — lower counts suggest a cleaner reliability record.
These years have the most owner complaints. Inspect carefully and always run a VIN check.
These years have the fewest owner complaints on record — lower risk starting points.
Crash test ratings
NHTSA NCAP crash test ratings
New Car Assessment ProgramNCAP crash tests measure how well a vehicle protects occupants in controlled frontal crash, side crash, and rollover scenarios. Stars are awarded per category (5 = safest). These laboratory results are independent of owner complaints and are performed by NHTSA engineers on new production vehicles.
Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings
What the complaint data suggests
PoorThe CHEVROLET SPARK has 527 NHTSA complaints and 19 recalls on record. 48 complaints involve crash-related incidents. This data reflects owner-reported issues submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
- 527 total complaints filed with NHTSA
- 19 federal recall campaigns
- 48 crash-related complaints on record
- Review NHTSA complaint history for the most-reported components
- Check recall completion status at nhtsa.gov/recalls
- Verify service records for frequently complained components
Consult the by-year breakdown to identify model years with elevated complaint rates.
Consult the by-year breakdown to identify model years with fewer reported issues.
- Run a VIN check on the specific vehicle you are considering
- Verify all open recalls are completed at nhtsa.gov/recalls
- Request service records for the most-reported complaint components
- Have a certified mechanic inspect the vehicle before purchase
Problems by model year (best vs. worst)
Source: NHTSA public complaints database. Updated: Sep 2026
Safety recalls
NHTSA safety recalls
19 recalls foundSafety recalls are mandatory repair campaigns ordered by NHTSA when a vehicle defect poses an unreasonable risk to safety. Manufacturers are required to fix recalled vehicles free of charge. Always verify open recalls before buying a used car.
AIR BAGS
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE
AIR BAGS
EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC.
EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC.
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER ARM
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH
EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC.
EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC.
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH
EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC.
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH
Source: NHTSA Recalls Database. Data covers model years 2013–2022. Always run a VIN-specific check below for the most up-to-date open recall status.
Common problems
What goes wrong most often
The vehicle systems owners complain about most, ranked from all 527 NHTSA complaints — these are the areas to inspect first on a used car.
Owner complaints
NHTSA complaint reports
527 totalThese are consumer-submitted safety complaints filed directly with NHTSA. Each complaint describes a real owner's experience. Complaints flagged as crash-related or fire-related are highlighted.
LandGolden LG17 185/55R15 82V All Season Radial Tires were purchased from Amazon (seller: Priority Tire) and professionally installed. Tires have been balanced and rotated approximately every 5000 miles. Less than 30,000 miles and tires are already at 3/32" tread due to manufacturing defect. Older tires on same car (different brand tires) have worn down significantly less than these LandGolden tires. The advertised tread life for these tires are 65,000 miles.
LandGolden LG17 185/55R15 82V All Season Radial Tires purchased from Amazon (seller: Priority Tire) and professionally installed. Tires have been balanced and rotated approximately every 5000 miles. Less than 30,000 miles and tires are already at 3/32" tread due to manufacturing defect, per multiple tire stores. Older tires on same car (different brand tires) have worn down significantly less than these LandGolden tires. The advertised tread life for these tires are 65,000 miles.
The contact owned a 2019 Chevrolet Spark. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 50 MPH, the contact had lost consciousness. The contact stated that an emergency services vehicle was behind her and had observed her go through an intersection, crash through and guardrail, and roll down an embankment. The contact was removed from the vehicle, still unconscious, and transported to the hospital by ambulance. The contact stated that she had bruising on her sternum, ribs, and arms. The contact stated she was not advised about why she had lost consciousness. The contact stated that the vehicle had been towed to an impound lot and her insurance provider had written the vehicle off as a total loss. The contact had been advised by a police officer that her driver's side air bags had not deployed. The contact was not sure that a police report had been issued. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.
Car is hesitating alot from a stop and has locked up. Engine light came on. Had it diagnosed and the codes came up Transmission control module (Tcm). Cant find the part and the ine i did find was 800. It's only 6 years old and should not have Transmission problems and be locking up on me.
I have a 2019 Chevy Spark after doing research it appears that the Spark has a high transmission failure
Friday morning, on June 16th I went out to start my car and I noticed an I code 95 on my dashboard. It also showed my ABS light, traction light, and airbag/seatbelt light. When I researched the I code 95 it said that my car had been in an accident and the airbag and seatbelt needs to be replaced. When I came home the previous night on June 15th there were no lights showing on my dashboard and I hadn't been in an accident. I also had pulled into my designated parking spot with my front tires facing the curb. When I checked my car I noticed no dents or scratches on my car. I then went to Bob Hook Chevrolet which is the dealership where I purchased my car, and they ran a quick diagnostic with one of those sensors that you plug into your car. Upon review, the technician said there was probably an error in the sensor, and that the results showed that my passenger side sensor was malfunctioning for the airbag and the sensor on the right front bumper was causing my ABS and traction light to come on. The technician tried to reset the lights but they immediately came back on. He said he wasn't sure why the lights came back on considering that I hadn't been in an accident. This jeopardizes my safety and my passenger's safety. If I did get in a car accident my passenger would be unprotected because the airbag doesn't work. I would also be unprotected if my wheel decide to lock up during an accident. This could cause me to skid off the road. Also, it is summertime so it rains at least once every two weeks. My car is already small so I have less friction and gravity to help keep all fours wheel grounded. Anytime it rains I'm scared that my car may start to skid because the traction system isn't working. And again if the traction isn't working and I do start to skid my ABS cant help me because the sensor is malfunctioning. I get regular oil changes and do winter and summer maintenance inspections. They never noticed anything wrong with my car. There we no warning signs.
Read 14 more owner reports
Collision to the front of car. It bent the frame but airbags still did not deploy.
The contact owns a 2019 Chevrolet Spark. The contact stated while depressing the accelerator pedal from a complete stop, the pedal was stuck to the floorboard causing the vehicle to accelerate uncontrollably. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer but was not diagnosed. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and advised the contact to take the vehicle to an authorized dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 15,000. The VIN was unavailable.
AIRBAG CODE (95) THE CAR JUST GOT OUT OF THE SHOP FROM A FAULTY TRANSMISSION AND A WARPED PISTON(#3) I HAD IT BACK FOR TWO WEEKS AND NOW THE AIRBAG CODE COMES ON. I DROVE ABOUT FIVE MINUTES AND THEN PARK THE CAR DOWN TO ONE THE CODE CAME ON. I CLEARED IT SHUT THE CAR OFF THEM STARTED IT CAME BACK
THE ALARM GOES OFF FOR NO REASON WHEN PARKED AND NO ONE AROUND.
I BOUGHT THIS CAR A FEW AGO WITH ZERO MILES AND BRAND NEW. 4 MONTHS AFTER I BOUGHT THE CAR I STARTED TO EXPERIENCE PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES. VERY LOUD NOISE WHEN I BRAKE AND IT FEELS AS IF THE CAR IS NOT GOING TO STOP. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR 3 TIMES TO THE DEALER AND AFTER I DRIVE IT FOR 2 TO 3 MONTHS, THE PROBLEM STARTS AGAIN. I ONLY DRIVEN THIS CAR 15000 MILES SO AS YOU CAN SEE IS NOT LIKE I DRIVE IT A LOT. I AM VERY CONCERNED FOR MY SAFETY AND THE DEALER DOESN'T SEEM TO CARE ABOUT MY SAFETY. MY PARTNER WHO HAPPENS TO BE A US RETIRED MARINE DOESN'T EVEN WANT TO GET IN THE CAR OF FEAR OF HAVING A DEADLY ACCIDENT. I ASK FOR YOUR HELP PLEASE. THE DEALER IS: BOMIN AUTOMOTIVE CC LLC- HOMESTEAD 1075 SE 6 AVE, HOMESTEAD, FL 33034 PHONE # 786-298-2688 I HAVE SPOKEN TO MANY INCLUDING SALES MANAGER [XXX]. MY NAME IS [XXX] AND MY CELL NUMBER IS [XXX] I AM ATTACHING THE LAST SERVICE WHERE IT SAYS THAT THEY KEPT THE CAR FOR ALMOST A WEEK BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM. I ASK THAT IF THEY CAN NOT FIND THE PROBLEM, I AM GIVEN A NEW CAR OR MY MONEY BACK. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *CC *TR
I HAD AN ACCIDENT ON 3/5/2020 IN MY 2019 CHEVY SPARK AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. FORTUNATELY I DID NOT SUFFER SERIOUS INJURY: BADLY BRUISED FOREARM AND ELBOW FROM HITTING THE STEERING WHEEL, WHIPLASH AND MUSCLE ACHES ON MY TOTAL RIGHT SIDE OF BODY AND BACK. I UNDERSTAND THERE IS A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM AND I HAVE NOT BEEN NOTIFIED TO COME IN FOR SERVICE AS OF TODAY.
GOT THE CAR IN JANUARY OF 2019. UNDER 18,000 MILES AND I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY SAW SMOKE AND TOOK IT TO CHEVROLET THEY SAID THE BRAKES NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED WITH BOOSTERS AND OTHER PARTS
THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION IN A SCHOOL ZONE OF 35 MPH ON A STREET. IT HAD A FRONT END IMPACT, WHICH IT REAR-ENDED THE CAR IN FRONT OF IT AND THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. THE AIRBAG BY THE FEET, DEPLOYED A PIECE OF METAL OR PLASTIC AND BLEW THROUGH THE CALF DOWN TO THE BONE. THE WOUND WAS 4-5 INCHES IN LENGTH AND REQUIRED 13 STITCHES. THERE WAS BARELY ANY DAMAGE TO THE CAR AND THERE SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN A HOLE BLOWN THROUGH THE LEG. I THINK THESE AIRBAGS NEED TO BE RECALLED AS THEY ARE DANGEROUS AND CAN CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY.
I have received a Code 95 error message for my 2018 Chevrolet Spark, which per the GM owner's manual means that there is an air bag problem. But, the alert does not appear consistently when operated. When driving, it does not appear. The problem has not been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center. The code only comes on after the car has been idling and not being driven (for example, it takes 2-3 minutes while in park but the engine being on for the code to come up on the screen). If the car is put into drive a minute or less after turning the ignition, the code does NOT appear; it only does when parked and the engine is running after a few minutes. The car is available for inspection upon NHTSA/DOT request. My safety is put at risk if the air bag does not deploy; if the alert code does not consistently appear when the car is in operation, it puts my safety at risk because I would not have any indication that there is a possible problem. The car has not been inspected by the manufacturer (to my knowledge), police, insurance representatives, or others. This has occurred at least three times since the start of 2026, with the most recent occurrence in June 2026.
Okay, I can press the gas and try to go one speed.And my car will go either way, too slow for that gear or way too fast.For that gear , I have almost been several wrecks , because it's either going too slow , went when i'm supposed to be going to certain speed or it's going to fast one supposed to be going to certain speed
The contact's husband owns a 2018 Chevrolet Spark. The contact stated that the brake booster failed while driving at various speeds on several occasions. The vehicle was taken to the dealer yearly for the brake booster repair since the initial failure; however, the most recent failure occurred within six months. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of failure but offered no assistance. The failure mileage was unknown.
This is the third time while driving that my brakes have simply just gone out. It’s usually on the freeway while at high speeds and I’m nearly not able to stop. This is the third time in three years. No lights come on on the dashboard and no warnings happened at all the brakes just simply stopped working. It takes extreme pressure to try to stop and I’m usually told that it’s some part of the vacuum.
AT A COMPLETE STOP.. IT SEEMS LIKE IT DOESN'T WANT ACCELERATE
WHEN I TRY TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP, THE CAR CAN'T DECIDE IF IT WANTS TO MOVE OR NOT AND IT WILL JUST SIT AND REV AND HAS ALMOST CAUSED SEVERAL ACCIDENTS AS I AM PULLING OUT INTO TRAFFIC
Showing 20 of 527 total NHTSA complaints. Source: NHTSA Complaints Database
Check the exact car
Before you buy, check the exact Chevrolet Spark
These pages show model-year patterns across 10 years. Enter a VIN to verify the exact vehicle's accident history, title brands, odometer records, and open recall status before purchase.
The basics
How to read this data
Complaints, recalls, investigations — here’s what each number actually tells you about a used Chevrolet Spark, in plain English.
What is an NHTSA Complaint?
An NHTSA safety complaint is a report filed directly by a vehicle owner or driver describing a safety-related issue. Anyone can submit a complaint at NHTSA.gov. The number of complaints is a signal of how common a problem is — but complaints per model-year matter more than raw totals, since popular vehicles naturally receive more reports. The Chevrolet Spark has 527 complaints on record across 10 model years.
What is a Safety Recall?
A safety recall is a mandatory campaign issued by NHTSA when a vehicle component poses an unreasonable risk to safety or does not comply with federal motor vehicle safety standards. Unlike complaints (which are owner-reported), recalls are formally investigated and confirmed by regulators. Manufacturers must fix recalled vehicles free of charge. The Chevrolet Spark has 19 recall campaigns in the NHTSA database.
What Are Crash Complaints?
Crash complaints are NHTSA filings where the owner indicates a crash occurred as part of the incident. 48 of the Chevrolet Spark's 527 complaints involved a crash. This metric is particularly important because it indicates how often defects resulted in actual collisions — a key safety signal beyond general reliability.
How Is the Reliability Verdict Calculated?
The reliability verdict (Poor) is generated by analyzing the vehicle's total complaints, recall history, crash complaint ratio, fire complaint ratio, and top component failures relative to class averages. This verdict gives buyers a quick interpretation before they review year-level details and VIN-level history. It should be treated as one decision input, not a substitute for a VIN-specific report.
Why Do Newer Years Have Fewer Complaints?
Newer model years appear to have fewer complaints because there has been less time for owners to file them. Complaints accumulate over years of ownership. A 2020 model year vehicle will typically show fewer complaints than a 2015 model year even if it is less reliable — simply because fewer owners have had time to report issues. Focus on complaints per year of market presence when comparing across model years.
Fleet Data vs. Individual VIN
Everything on this page reflects aggregated data across all Chevrolet Spark vehicles on the road — not any specific car. Two Chevrolet Spark vehicles of the same year can have very different histories: one may have been in three accidents and have an open recall; another may be clean. A VIN check gives you the individual car's history: accidents, title brands, odometer records, service history, and real-time recall status.
What Are NHTSA Investigations?
When NHTSA receives a pattern of related safety complaints, it opens a formal investigation. A Preliminary Evaluation (PE) is the first stage — NHTSA determines if a safety defect may exist. If evidence is strong, it escalates to an Engineering Analysis (EA), which can result in a mandatory recall. The Chevrolet Spark has 0 investigations on record (0 active). Investigations listed above may have already led to the recalls shown on this page.
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How does the Chevrolet Spark stack up? Compare complaint history with similar vehicles.
By state
Check a Chevrolet Spark by state
Title-branding rules, flood-damage exposure, and salvage laws vary by state. Run a free VIN check or explore state-specific vehicle history guidance before buying a used Chevrolet Spark.
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Keep researching before you buy
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Chevrolet Spark reliability — frequently asked questions
Is the Chevrolet Spark reliable?
Poor. The Chevrolet Spark has 527 NHTSA owner complaints and 19 recall campaigns across model years. A commonly reported issue area is POWER TRAIN. Use year-level data as a pattern guide, then verify the exact car with a VIN check before purchase.
Which Chevrolet Spark years to avoid?
Years with the most NHTSA complaints: 2017 (29 complaints), 2020 (19 complaints), 2019 (14 complaints). Use these years as a shortlist for deeper inspection, and always run a VIN check on the exact vehicle before purchase.
What are the most common Chevrolet Spark problems?
Top reported issues: POWER TRAIN (127 complaints); ENGINE (112 complaints); ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (100 complaints).
Does the Chevrolet Spark have recalls?
Yes — 19 NHTSA recall campaigns have been issued for the Chevrolet Spark. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls or run a VIN check to see if your specific vehicle has open recalls.