Chevrolet Spark
Registered from 2008 to 2022.
About this model
The Chevrolet Spark is a city car manufactured by General Motors's subsidiary GM Korea from 1998 to 2022. The vehicle was developed by Daewoo and introduced in 1998 as the Daewoo Matiz. In 2002, General Motors purchased Daewoo Motors, which was marketing the vehicle with several GM marques and nameplates.
From the Wikipedia article Chevrolet Spark, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
The manufacturer has told owners of one of these to stop driving until the repair is done.
- If the lower control arm bolts are not tightened properly, the lower control arm may separate from the steering knuckle while driving, causing a loss of steering, increasing the risk of a crash.
Where it stands out against its peers
- Vehicle speed control: more complaints than 97% of 2014 cars — 14% of its 176 complaints, where an ordinary 2014 car has 5%.
- Latches/locks/linkages: more complaints than 96% of 2014 cars — 5% of its 176 complaints, where an ordinary 2014 car has 1%.
Same model year only, at least 30 peer cars, zeros included. Every car has a worst part; this shows which, and how far from ordinary it is. A high share means more to check, not a verdict.
Before you buy one
Built from what this car fails on, not from general knowledge of the model.
- POWER TRAIN — 25 owners reported this, 1 involving a crash
- ENGINE — 19 owners reported this, 1 involving a crash
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM — 14 owners reported this
- AIR BAGS — 8 owners reported this, 5 involving a crash
- LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES — 8 owners reported this
- STRUCTURE — 8 owners reported this, 2 involving a crash
- POWER TRAIN,ENGINE — 7 owners reported this
- SERVICE BRAKES — 5 owners reported this
- POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE — 4 owners reported this
- VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL — 4 owners reported this
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) — 3 owners reported this
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE — 3 owners reported this
- POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL — 3 owners reported this
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM — 2 owners reported this
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE — 2 owners reported this
- ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM — 2 owners reported this
- POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM — 2 owners reported this
- SEAT BELTS — 2 owners reported this
- SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE — 2 owners reported this
- SUSPENSION — 2 owners reported this
- VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC),ENGINE — 2 owners reported this
- VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE — 2 owners reported this
Crash test
| Stability control | Standard |
| Forward collision warning | Optional |
| Lane departure warning | Optional |
Crash-tested by NHTSA, the American road safety agency.
Specification
| Year | Measured |
|---|---|
| 2022 | 98 hp · 1019 kg · 2390 mm wheelbase · 7.1 L/100km (EPA) · 8.1 L/100km city · 6.4 motorway · Hatch, 4-door |
| 2021 | 98 hp · 1019 kg · 2390 mm wheelbase · 7.1 L/100km (EPA) · 8.1 L/100km city · 6.4 motorway · Hatch, 4-door |
| 2020 | 98 hp · 1300 kg · 2390 mm wheelbase · 7.1 L/100km (EPA) · 8.1 L/100km city · 6.4 motorway · Hatch, 4-door |
| 2019 | 98 hp · 1300 kg · 2390 mm wheelbase · 7.1 L/100km (EPA) · 8.1 L/100km city · 6.4 motorway · Hatch, 4-door |
| 2018 | 84 hp · 1300 kg · 2390 mm wheelbase · 7.1 L/100km (EPA) · 8.1 L/100km city · 6.2 motorway · Hatch, 4-door |
| 2017 | 84 hp · 1300 kg · 2390 mm wheelbase · 7.1 L/100km (EPA) · 8.1 L/100km city · 6.4 motorway · Hatch, 4-door |
| 2016 | 84 hp · 1300 kg · 2390 mm wheelbase · 6.9 L/100km (EPA) · 7.6 L/100km city · 5.9 motorway · 176 Wh/km · Hatch, 4-door |
| 2015 | 85 hp · 1029 kg · 2380 mm wheelbase · 6.9 L/100km (EPA) · 7.6 L/100km city · 6.2 motorway · 176 Wh/km · Hatch, 4-door |
| 2014 | 85 hp · 1050 kg · 2380 mm wheelbase · 6.9 L/100km (EPA) · 7.6 L/100km city · 6.2 motorway · 174 Wh/km · Hatch, 4-door |
| 2013 | 85 hp · 1050 kg · 2380 mm wheelbase · 7.6 L/100km (EPA) · 8.4 L/100km city · 6.5 motorway · Hatch, 4-door |
Recalls
Filed by the manufacturer with a regulator. A recall is repaired free of charge, whoever owns the car now.
73% of 2019 cars have more recall campaigns than this one, and an ordinary one has 3. More of them means more to check the service record for, not a worse car.
- Do not drive
14V440000
If the lower control arm bolts are not tightened properly, the lower control arm may separate from the steering knuckle while driving, causing a loss of steering, increasing the risk of a crash.
Owners are instructed NOT to drive their vehicles until the recall remedy has been completed. Owners should call a Chevrolet dealer immediately to arrange for their vehicle to be transported free of charge for servicing. GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the left and right lower control arm attaching bolts to make sure that they are tightened to the proper specification, free of charge. The recall began on August 1, 2014. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 14453. Note: Owners are advised not to drive the vehicle until the repairs have been completed.
14V298000
If the air bag does not to deploy in the event of a crash, there is an increased risk of injury to the front passenger.
GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger side front air bag, free of charge. The recall began on July 30, 2014. Owners may contact General Motors customer service at 1-800-521-7300 (Buick) or 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet). GM's number for this recall is 14211.
14V593000
If the secondary hood latch corrodes causing the latch to be stuck out of position, and the primary hood latch is not engaged, the hood could unexpectedly open while driving, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the striker with a new part which has superior corrosion protection, free of charge. The recall began on January 7, 2015. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 14456.
15V416000
Without audible indicators, the driver may leave the key in the ignition, increasing the risk of theft. If a driver or front passenger does not buckle their seat belt, there would be no chime to remind them to fasten their seat belts. If a driver or passenger does not buckle their seat belt there is an increased risk that they will be injured in a crash.
GM will notify owners, and dealers will update the radio software, free of charge. The recall began on August 11, 2015. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 15504.
16V257000
Without audible indicators, the driver may leave the key in the ignition, increasing the risk of theft.
GM will notify owners, and dealers will update the radio software, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 17130.
16V422000
Without audible indicators, the driver may not fasten their seatbelt, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.
GM will notify owners, and dealers will update the radio software, free of charge. The recall began on July 22, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 45340.
17V307000
In the event of a crash with a frontal air bag 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. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 17199.
18V774000
If the air bags 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 November 6, 2018. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300 and Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 18365.
1 more campaigns have been filed against this model. A dealer can check by VIN which apply to one car.
Regulator investigations
Opened by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. An investigation is a question the regulator asked about a possible defect, not a fault it found — most end without a recall.
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
Engineering analysis, opened September 2021, still open.
What the maker told its dealers
Service bulletins are the manufacturer's own repair guidance to dealers, filed with NHTSA. A bulletin is not a defect finding; the count rises with how many things a maker writes down, not only with how many go wrong.
Chevrolet filed 358 bulletins about the 2022 Spark.
- Equipment: 69
- Engine and engine cooling: 59
- Electrical system: 57
- Engine: 19
- Wheels: 19
- Power train: 17
- Structure: 8
- Equipment adaptive/mobility: 5
- Fuel system, gasoline: 5
- Visibility: 5
- Other: 95
- This Preliminary information communicates to dealer to perform a MEC reset for wireless projection issues · August 2026
- PI to help diagnose A/C concern · July 2026
- This Preliminary information communicates an issue with an OTA pending message still displayed after an OTA event and how to reset/clear the message. · July 2026
- This preliminary information is to inform technicians and customers that the voice command will be inoperative when trying to open applications. Engineering is investigating and this PI will be… · June 2026
- Pi created to provide GM dealers with information on gathering information for projection issue · May 2026
- This Preliminary information communicates to dealer to perform a MEC reset for wireless projection issues · May 2026
- This preliminary information communicates information about how to determine if a wheel and tires size change is available. · April 2026
- This Preliminary information communicates the steps on how to save a GDS2 Session Log and upload to a Technical Assistance Case in CX Connect. · March 2026
350 more.
Grouped by NHTSA's top-level system; a bulletin filed under a sub-heading counts toward its system.