This page covers 7 recalls, 83 owner complaints, NHTSA crash-test ratings and EPA fuel economy for the 2015 Chevrolet Spark.
119 MPGe combined
Subcompact Cars
Fuel economy data from fueleconomy.gov (EPA / U.S. Dept. of Energy). Annual cost based on 15,000 mi/yr at 55% city driving and current fuel prices. MPG is U.S. gallons; L/100km converted. Ranges reflect the 3 tested variants for this model year.
4/5 Overall
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Rating
Powertrain complaints dominate what 2015 Chevrolet Spark owners report, with the continuously variable transmission drawing the most attention by a wide margin. Owners frequently describe the CVT losing the ability to propel the vehicle, with reports of gear slipping, delayed or failed engagement, and complete loss of forward motion, often while driving in traffic. Several owners specifically mention pulley-related failure and transmission control module issues leaving the car inoperable. Engine complaints come in at a distant second, roughly matching service brake reports in volume, though neither group shows a single standout symptom the way the CVT complaints do. Brake concerns tend to involve performance issues rather than a specific component failure pattern. The CVT failure scenario, particularly the sudden loss of drive power with no warning, shows up consistently enough across reports to be the clearest pattern associated with this model year.
83
Total Complaints
4
Crash-Related
1
Fire-Related
5
With Injuries
By System
The 2015 Chevrolet Spark has 7 recalls, the most serious being a corroding secondary hood latch that can fail to engage and allow the hood to fly open while driving, blocking the driver's view.
On the safety restraint side, the front airbags and seatbelt pretensioners may fail to deploy in a crash, leaving the driver and front passenger without full protection at the moment they need it most. There are also several electrical recalls tied to the radio system. On vehicles equipped with the base radio and OnStar, a software glitch can cause the display to go blank and all audio functions to stop, which may cause the driver to leave the key in the ignition. On vehicles with the Bring Your Own Media radio, the system can fail to sound audible warning chimes for an unfastened seatbelt or a key left in the ignition, including a separate scenario where the chime does not trigger if the driver waits more than ten minutes after shutting off the engine before opening the door.
At a glance
What can fail
The secondary hood latch can corrode at its pivot point, which may prevent the latch from engaging properly and cause the hood to open unexpectedly.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace both the hood striker assembly and hood latch assembly at no cost to you.
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Ratings from NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program (NCAP).
Complaints are owner-reported and reflect individual experiences, not confirmed defects. They are distinct from recalls. Data sourced from the national vehicle safety complaint database. See trending complaints →
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The air bag control software may not have received a complete update from a previous recall. Under certain driving conditions, this software may run a diagnostic test that disables frontal air bags and seat belt pretensioners during a crash.
What the fix does
Dealers will update the air bag control software. If your vehicle previously deployed air bags, the control module will be replaced instead. Repairs are free.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
Under certain driving conditions, the air bag control module's software may run a self-test that disables the front air bags and seat belt pretensioners, preventing them from deploying in a crash.
What the fix does
Dealers will update the air bag control module software. If your air bags have previously deployed, the module will be replaced. Repairs are free of charge.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The radio may not produce an audible warning chime when the driver hasn't fastened their seatbelt or has left the key in the ignition.
What the fix does
Dealers will update the radio software at no cost to restore the warning chime function.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The radio may not sound a warning chime if the driver leaves the key in the ignition, turns off the engine, waits 10 minutes or more, and then opens the door.
What the fix does
Dealers will update the radio software at no cost to restore the warning chime function.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The radio may freeze due to a software issue, causing the display to go blank and stopping all audio functions, including safety warning chimes for seat belt reminders and key-in-ignition alerts.
What the fix does
Dealers will update the radio software at no cost to restore normal operation and safety alerts.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The secondary hood latch striker may corrode at its pivot point, causing it to stick in the open position and fail to properly engage the hood latch.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the striker with a new part that has improved corrosion protection at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
