2015 Chevrolet SPARK

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Below Average

Quick Summary

The 2015 Chevrolet SPARK has 102 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 1.3x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is transmission problems (25% of all complaints), specifically: traction control light came on after starting car which the weather wasn't a factor at all, dry warm day, but the transmission gear did not. car wouldn't move. turned car off and restarted, got gear notification back but the transmission wouldn't go in gear. car has 8,000 miles on it. finally car mo. ⚠️ 1 fire report filed.

1 fire report 5 crash reports 6 injuries

102

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

1.3x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

TRANSMISSION

25 complaints

25%

• TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT CAME ON AFTER STARTING CAR WHICH THE WEATHER WASN'T A FACTOR AT ALL, DRY WARM DAY, BUT THE TRANSMISSION GEAR DID NOT. CAR WOULDN'T MOVE. TURNED CAR OFF AND RESTARTED, GOT GEAR NOTIFICATION BACK BUT THE TRANSMISSION WOULDN'T GO IN GEAR. CAR HAS 8,000 MILES ON IT. FINALLY CAR MO
• 12 TRIPS TO DEALERSHIP, 70 DAYS IN SHOP, 5 DEALERSHIPS, 3 STATES. THE CAR CANNOT ACCELERATE TO SAFE SPEEDS FROM A COMPLETE STOP. OUR RAMPS ARE METERED AND THE CAR JUST WON'T GO, HAVE TO HAVE THE CAR SHIMMY BEFORE IT WILL GO AND THE FOOT ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE FLOOR. GM STATES THAT THIS IS NORMAL. I
• THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT, STABILITY LIGHT AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON WHILE DRIVING ON A CITY STREET. ACCORDING TO THE DEALERSHIP IT IS HAVING RANDOM MISFIRES. THE DEALERSHIP IS WANTING ME TO PAY AROUND $350 TO HAVE THE CARBON CLEANED OUT BUT THEY CAN'T GUARANTEE THAT WILL FIX IT. TH

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT CAME ON AFTER STARTING CAR WHICH THE WEATHER WASN'T A FACTOR AT ALL, DRY WARM DAY, BUT THE TRANSMISSION GEAR DID NOT. CAR WOULDN'T MOVE. TURNED CAR OFF AND RESTARTED, GOT GEAR NOTIFICATION BACK BUT THE TRANSMISSION WOULDN'T GO IN GEAR. CAR HAS 8,000 MILES ON IT. FINALLY CAR MO”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ENGINE

12 complaints

12%

• ENGINE LOSES SAFE ACCELERATION WITH AIR CONDITIONING ON, REACHES UNSAFE STALL CONDITIONS.
• AIR CONDITIONING NOT IN COMPLIANCE AND RUNS UP TO 20 DEGREES HOTTER THAN OTHER CARS AND COULD CAUSE HEALTH ISSUES TO DRIVERS IN HOT CLIMATE. DOES NOT COOL CAR EVEN IN OPTIMUM HIGHWAY DRIVING. ENGINE LOSES SAFE ACCELERATION WITH AIR CONDITIONING ON, REACHES UNSAFE STALL CONDITIONS. *TR
• THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT, STABILITY LIGHT AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON WHILE DRIVING ON A CITY STREET. ACCORDING TO THE DEALERSHIP IT IS HAVING RANDOM MISFIRES. THE DEALERSHIP IS WANTING ME TO PAY AROUND $350 TO HAVE THE CARBON CLEANED OUT BUT THEY CAN'T GUARANTEE THAT WILL FIX IT. TH

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“ENGINE LOSES SAFE ACCELERATION WITH AIR CONDITIONING ON, REACHES UNSAFE STALL CONDITIONS.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

9 complaints

• WHILE PARKED ALL OF MY VEHICLES WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON AT ONCE. MY CAR WAS STILL RUNNING BUT IT WOULD NOT GO INTO ANY OTHER GEAR. I COULD NOT LOCK MY CAR OR OPERATE ANYTHING IN THE VEHICLE. I HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED OVER TWO HOURS TO A DEALERSHIP. THEY REPLACED THE BCM AND RELEARN THESE DETERRENT MODUL
• ON 8/6/2019 AROUND FIVE IN THE MORNING AS I WAS LEAVING WORK ON A CITY STREET, MY RIGHT SIGNAL LIGHT JUST CAME ON AND HASN'T CUT OFF YET, NO MATTER WHAT I DO IT WON'T CUT OFF. I CHECKED ALL FUSES AND CHECKED THE WHOLE CAR AND FOUND NOTHING
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 CHEVROLET SPARK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF AND THE IGNITION KEY REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION SWITCH, THE RADIO REMAINED ACTIVATED WHICH CAUSED THE BATTERY TO BECOME DRAINED. DUE TO THE FAILURE, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START-UP IMMEDIATELY. THE V

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“WHILE PARKED ALL OF MY VEHICLES WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON AT ONCE. MY CAR WAS STILL RUNNING BUT IT WOULD NOT GO INTO ANY OTHER GEAR. I COULD NOT LOCK MY CAR OR OPERATE ANYTHING IN THE VEHICLE. I HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED OVER TWO HOURS TO A DEALERSHIP. THEY REPLACED THE BCM AND RELEARN THESE DETERRENT MODUL”

— NHTSA complaint filing

SPEED CONTROL

8 complaints

• I WAS DRIVING A CHEVY SPARK 2015 TO MY LOCAL SUPERMARKET, LESS THAN 3 OR SO MILES FROM MY HOME. I WAS SEVERAL MILES UNDER THE 40 MPH SPEED LIMIT. I WAS IN THE RIGHT LANE OF A TWO LANE ROAD. I COULD SEE STOPPED TRAFFIC QUITE A WAYS AHEAD OF ME ' ALSO IN THE RIGHT LANE. THERE WERE AT LEAST 6-7 CARS
• SEATS - THE DRIVER SEAT BECOMES LOOSE RESULTING IN MOVING FORWARD WHILE PUTTING ON BREAKS OR BEGINNING TO ACCELERATE. SPEED CONTROL - THE VEHICLE TAKES A WHILE TO ACCELERATE AFTER BEING AT REST.
• CHEVROLET SPARK 2015 THE VEHICLE DOES NOT RESPOND AFTER STOP, OR WHEN TURNING AND THE SPEED IS REDUCED. IT TAKES TOO LONG TO ACCELERATE AGAIN..I ALMOST HAD TWO ACCIDENTS FOR THIS PROBLEM.I BOUGHT THE CAR AT AUTOMALL MIAMI LAKES ON SEPT 13 FROM CARLOS MORALES, MASTER ESPECIALIST . ON SEPT 19 I PIC

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 2 crashes

“I WAS DRIVING A CHEVY SPARK 2015 TO MY LOCAL SUPERMARKET, LESS THAN 3 OR SO MILES FROM MY HOME. I WAS SEVERAL MILES UNDER THE 40 MPH SPEED LIMIT. I WAS IN THE RIGHT LANE OF A TWO LANE ROAD. I COULD SEE STOPPED TRAFFIC QUITE A WAYS AHEAD OF ME ' ALSO IN THE RIGHT LANE. THERE WERE AT LEAST 6-7 CARS”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

8 complaints

• 12 TRIPS TO DEALERSHIP, 70 DAYS IN SHOP, 5 DEALERSHIPS, 3 STATES. THE CAR CANNOT ACCELERATE TO SAFE SPEEDS FROM A COMPLETE STOP. OUR RAMPS ARE METERED AND THE CAR JUST WON'T GO, HAVE TO HAVE THE CAR SHIMMY BEFORE IT WILL GO AND THE FOOT ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE FLOOR. GM STATES THAT THIS IS NORMAL. I
• CHEVROLET SPARK 2015 THE VEHICLE DOES NOT RESPOND AFTER STOP, OR WHEN TURNING AND THE SPEED IS REDUCED. IT TAKES TOO LONG TO ACCELERATE AGAIN..I ALMOST HAD TWO ACCIDENTS FOR THIS PROBLEM.I BOUGHT THE CAR AT AUTOMALL MIAMI LAKES ON SEPT 13 FROM CARLOS MORALES, MASTER ESPECIALIST . ON SEPT 19 I PIC
• MY RADIO DASH AND AUDIO INDICATORS BLACKOUT WITHOUT WARNING THIS WEEKEND WHEN I TURNED MY CAR ON. NO BLINKER SOUND, NO RADIO, NO KEYS IN IGNITION WARNING. NOTHING. IT'S THE SAME CHARACTERISTICS OF THE 2016 RECALL THAT WAS ISSUED BUT GM WILL NOT FIX IT BECAUSE MY VIN DOES NOT APPEAR ON THE RECALL LIS

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports

“12 TRIPS TO DEALERSHIP, 70 DAYS IN SHOP, 5 DEALERSHIPS, 3 STATES. THE CAR CANNOT ACCELERATE TO SAFE SPEEDS FROM A COMPLETE STOP. OUR RAMPS ARE METERED AND THE CAR JUST WON'T GO, HAVE TO HAVE THE CAR SHIMMY BEFORE IT WILL GO AND THE FOOT ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE FLOOR. GM STATES THAT THIS IS NORMAL. I”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

SPEED CONTROL(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 102 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
TRANSMISSION: TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT CAME ON AFTER STARTING CAR WHICH THE WEATHER WASN'T A FACTOR AT ALL, DRY WARM DAY, BUT THE TRANSMISSION GEAR DID NOT. CAR WOULDN'T MOVE. TURNED CAR OFF AND RESTARTED, GOT GEAR NOTIFICATION BACK BUT THE TRANSMISSION WOULDN'T GO IN GEAR. CAR HAS 8,000 MILES ON IT. FINALLY CAR MO
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ENGINE: ENGINE LOSES SAFE ACCELERATION WITH AIR CONDITIONING ON, REACHES UNSAFE STALL CONDITIONS.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: WHILE PARKED ALL OF MY VEHICLES WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON AT ONCE. MY CAR WAS STILL RUNNING BUT IT WOULD NOT GO INTO ANY OTHER GEAR. I COULD NOT LOCK MY CAR OR OPERATE ANYTHING IN THE VEHICLE. I HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED OVER TWO HOURS TO A DEALERSHIP. THEY REPLACED THE BCM AND RELEARN THESE DETERRENT MODUL
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
SPEED CONTROL: I WAS DRIVING A CHEVY SPARK 2015 TO MY LOCAL SUPERMARKET, LESS THAN 3 OR SO MILES FROM MY HOME. I WAS SEVERAL MILES UNDER THE 40 MPH SPEED LIMIT. I WAS IN THE RIGHT LANE OF A TWO LANE ROAD. I COULD SEE STOPPED TRAFFIC QUITE A WAYS AHEAD OF ME ' ALSO IN THE RIGHT LANE. THERE WERE AT LEAST 6-7 CARS
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)