2013 Chevrolet SPARK problems and owner complaints

I EXPERIENCED TWO INSTANCES OF SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION IN MID APRIL 2013. IN THE FIRST INSTANCE, APPROX. 04/10/2013, MY SPARK STRUCK A STEEL POLE USED TO SUSPEND A BIRD FEEDER NEXT TO MY DRIVEWAY, WHEN SHIFTING TO REVERSE, AND KNOCKED IT DOWN, CAUSING MINOR DAMAGE TO THE REAR BUMPER. IN THE SECOND INSTANCE, ON 04/16/2013, MY SPARK SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND STRUCK AND SEVERELY DAMAGED THE CHAIN LINK FENCE BORDERING MY DRIVEWAY, WHEN SHIFTING TO DRIVE, AND STRUCK AND DAMAGED MY GARAGE DOOR WHEN SHIFTING TO REVERSE. THIS CAUSED APPROXIMA…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10511114 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL SET AT 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE KEPT ACCELERATING AND SLOWING DOWN. BY WATCHING THE TACHOMETER, I COULD SEE THE RPMS GO UP AND DOWN CONTINUOUSLY, AND FEEL THE VEHICLE SURGING FORWARD AND SLOWING AGAIN. THE VEHICLE ALSO DID THIS WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL SET AT 60 MPH. WHILE DRIVING ON THE STREET AND COASTING, YOU CAN FEEL THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTING UP AND DOWN, AND THE VEHICLE WILL SUDDENLY ACCELERATE ON IT'S OWN, MAKING THIS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION SINCE IF YOU ARE NOT ALERT, YOU MAY BE DRIVEN IN…

Owner-reported narrative. 875 miles reported. Look up ODI 10512898 at NHTSA ↗

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET SPARK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, HER SIZE TWELVE FOOT GOT STUCK BETWEEN THE ACCELERATOR AND BRAKE PEDALS WHICH CAUSED HER TO CRASH INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE VIN AND MILEAGE WERE UNAVAILABLE.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10508402 at NHTSA ↗

ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS I HAVE DRIVEN MY CAR AND PARKED IT. WHEN I HAVE RETURNED TO THE CAR IT WILL NOT START. ON STAR DIAGNOSTICS TELLS ME THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION, ENGINE AND ANTI BRAKE SYSTEM AND THAT I AM TO GET IT TO THE DEALER/REPAIR IMMEDIATELY. I HAVE HAD TO WAIT SEVERAL HOURS BEFORE I CAN GET IT STARTED AGAIN. I HAVE BEEN IN SITUATIONS WHERE I AM IN AN AREAS WITHOUT PHONE OR CELL RECEPTION TO CALL FOR HELP. IT HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER REPAIR SHOP 4 TIMES AND THEY ARE UNABLE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THEY SAY UNTIL THEY CAN RE…

Owner-reported narrative. 2,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10576970 at NHTSA ↗

THE STEERING WHEEL CONTROLS (CRUISE CONTROL, AUDIO ETC) DO NOT ILLUMINATE. AFTER SOME RESEARCH, I HAVE FOUND THAT GM HAS REMEDIED THIS ISSUE WITH MODELS MANUFACTURED AFTER NOVEMBER 2012. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD AT NIGHT BECAUSE IF I USE MY CRUISE CONTROL, I HAVE TO TURN ON MY DOME LIGHT TO SEE WHAT BUTTON TO PUSH. I COMPLAINED TO GM AND WAS TOLD THAT GM IS SIMPLY NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT MODELS MANUFACTURED PRIOR TO NOV 2012. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 1 miles reported. Look up ODI 10501072 at NHTSA ↗

THIS VEHICLE DOES NOT ILLUMINATE THE STEERING WHEEL CONTROLS. WITH ABSOLUTELY NO AMBIENT LIGHTING, THE INTERIOR OF THE CAR IS EXTREMELY DARK, AND VISIBILITY OF THE CONTROLS IS NON EXISTENT. THIS PRESENTS A SEVERE DRIVING HAZARD, AS THERE ARE NO ALTERNATIVE CONTROLS FOR THE CRUISE. IN ORDER TO USE THE CONTROLS, YOU MUST TAKE YOUR EYES OFF OF THE ROAD AND BLINDLY FUMBLE, TRYING TO DETERMINE WHICH OF THE TEN MOUNTED CONTROLS YOU NEED TO USE, THUS AVERTING YOUR ATTENTION FROM YOUR SURROUNDINGS, MOMENTARILY. CHEVROLET IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM, AS TH…

Owner-reported narrative. 300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10501213 at NHTSA ↗

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET SPARK. THE CONTACTS STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURE WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 15,000.

Owner-reported narrative. 10,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10576875 at NHTSA ↗

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET SPARK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS THE VEHICLE HAD EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF POWER AND LACK OF ACCELERATION. THE CONTACT ALSO INDICATED THAT THE A KNOCKING SOUND WAS PRESENT COMING FROM THE ENGINE AND AN EXCESSIVE LOSS OF MOTOR OIL FROM THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO DETERMINED THAT THE ENGINE WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED BUT THE FAILURE HAD REOCCURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,…

Owner-reported narrative. 15,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10620860 at NHTSA ↗

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE IN RUSH HOUR AND THE ENGINE STARTED TO HESITATE AND THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. WITH VERY SLUGGISH ACCELERATION I WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT TO THE SHOULDER AND THEN THE ENGINE STOPPED. I WAS UNABLE TO START IT AND HAD IT TOWED HOME. BATTERY CHECKS OUT OK AND EVERYTHING IS FINE AS FAR AS I CAN TELL WITH MY TROUBLE SHOOTING BUT ALL THE REVIEWS I READ POINT TO CHEVY HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE MOTOR SEIZING ON THE CHEVY SPARKS AND THE MOTOR NEEDING TO BE REPLACED. I WILL BE TALKING TO THE DEALER TODAY, JUST WONDERING WHY THE…

Owner-reported narrative. 43,283 miles reported. Look up ODI 10706418 at NHTSA ↗

I WILL SHUT MY CAR OFF AND GET OUT AND MY RADIO WILL TURN ITSELF ON WHILE THE CAR IS OFF. SO WHEN I GO TO LEAVE FOR WORK MY BATTERY WILL BE DEAD. I'VE TRIED TO TURN THE RADIO OFF BEFORE GETTING OUT AND IT WILL STILL TURN ON. I CALLED CHEVY AND THEY WANT TO CHARGE ME OVER $90 JUST TO "SEE WHAT IS WRONG WITH IT." THE CAR IS 2013 AND ONLY HAS 45000 MILES ON IT. IT SHOULD NOT BE HAVING PROBLEMS LIKE THIS. SO NOT IMPRESSED.

Owner-reported narrative. 45,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10731608 at NHTSA ↗

I GET THIS LOUD ANNOYING HIGH PITCHED RINGING SOUND COMING FROM BACK WHEELS. THE SOUND IS SO LOUD AT TIMES THAT PEDESTRIANS CAN HEAR IT AS I AM DRIVING DOWN THE STREET. IT DOES THIS AFTER I HAVE BEEN DRIVING THE CAR FOR 30 MINUTES OR MORE. ONCE THE RINGING SOUND STARTS IT WILL NOT STOP NO MATTER WHAT SPEED I'M GOING OR WHETHER I AM SITTING IN IDOL, PARK OR IN ANY GEAR. CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP REPAIR DEPARTMENT DOESN'T KNOW WHAT IT IS BUT SAID IT MAY BE THE FUEL PUMP. WHAT CONCERNS ME IS THAT THE DEALERSHIP REPAIR DEPARTMENT WILL NOT AT LEAST CHEC…

Owner-reported narrative. 21,471 miles reported. Look up ODI 10650541 at NHTSA ↗

TAKATA RECALL: I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE OCT 9 2015 WITH 56K MILES ON IT. FROM THE DAY I PURCHASED IT UP TO TODAY I HAVE BEEN HEARING A HUMMING/BUZZING/WHISTLING NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. I HAD IT CHECKED OUT BY A REPAIR SHOP AND WAS TOLD IT WAS A FAULTY FUEL PUMP WITH AN ESTIMATED COST OF $500. THE NOISE CAN BE HEARD ONLY WHEN THE CAR IS ON AND RUNNING AND IT CAN BE HEARD INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE WHEN STOPPED OR MOVING. IT CAN BE HEARD FROM INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE AND HAS ONLY GOT WORSE SINCE THE DAY I PURCHASE…

Owner-reported narrative. 56,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10871896 at NHTSA ↗