2013 Chevrolet SPARK: complaints, problems and recalls

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET SPARK. THE CONTACT STATED THE DAY TIME RUNNING LIGHTS WERE ABNORMALLY BRIGHT. IN ADDITION, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS WERE CONSTANTLY ILLUMINATED AND THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHEN THE EXTERIOR LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED OR POWERED OFF. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED THAT THE LIGHTING SYSTEM WAS PERFORMING AS DESIGNED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 1,000. ..UPDATED 02/01/13 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE DOES…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10491809 at NHTSA ↗

VEHICLE WHILE COASTING IN GEAR WILL ACCELERATE ON IT`S OWN. ENGINE RPM INCREASES APPROX 300 RPM.. HAPPENS 10- 15 TIMES DAILY. I DRIVE 120 MILES ONE WAY TO WORK. CAR NOW HAS 7000 MILES. PURCHASED IN DEC 2012. KINDA SCARY WHEN IT HAPPENS IN TRAFFIC MAY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT IF NOT PAYING ATTENTION.. DEFECT IS DOCUMENTED BY ANOTHER OWNER AT CHEVYSPARKFORUM.COM UNDER GENERAL POWERTRAIN DISCUSSIONS/ IDLE PROBLEMS. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10498442 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 ↗

LACK OF BUTTON ILLUMINATION LIGHTS FOR THE CRUISE CONTROL, HANDS-FREE PHONE CONTROL AND AUDIO CONTROL ON THE STEERING WHEEL FOR NIGHT DRIVING. THE LACK OF ILLUMINATION LIGHTS ON THESE BUTTONS CREATES POTENTIAL SAFETY ISSUE WHEN ATTEMPTING TO USE THE CRUISE CONTROL, PHONE CALL OR AUDIO FUNCTIONS FROM THE STEERING WHEEL AT NIGHT. THIS PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE ONLY FOR 2013 SPARK MODELS WITH PRODUCTION PRIOR TO OCTOBER 2012. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 1 miles reported. Look up ODI 10505242 at NHTSA ↗

BUTTONS ON STEERING WHEEL THAT WORK THE CRUISE CONTROL, HANDS FREE PHONE, AND RADIO CONTROLS DO NOT LIGHT UP WHEN LIGHTS ARE ON AT NIGHT. THIS CREATES A DANGEROUS SITUATION AS THE BUTTONS CAN NOT BE SEEN IN THE DARK. GM IS AWARE OF THE SITUATION AND HAS REPAIRED IT IN MODELS BUILT AFTER OCTOBER 25 2012, BUT WILL NOT FIX IT IN THE MODELS BUILT BEFORE THEN. WHEN I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN NOVEMBER OF 2012, I WAS NOT INFORMED OF THE CHANGE BEFORE THE PURCHASE, LEADING ME TO BELIEVE THAT GM AND ITS DEALERS INTENTIONALLY MISLEAD ME INTO BUYING A …

Owner-reported narrative. 25 miles reported. Look up ODI 10508214 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 ↗

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 ↗

Reported: 2014-06-06 (June 6, 2014)

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013 Buick Encore vehicles manufactured April 10, 2013, to May 8, 2013, and Chevrolet Spark vehicles manufactured December 30, 2012, to March 1, 2013. In the affected vehicles, an improper weld on the passenger side front air bag inflator may result in the air bag not deploying.

Consequence: 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.

Remedy: 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.

Reported: 2014-09-24 (September 24, 2014)

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Chevrolet Spark vehicles manufactured January 17, 2012, to July 29, 2014. The secondary hood latch may prematurely corrode at the latch pivot causing the striker to get stuck out of position, preventing it from properly engaging the hood latch.

Consequence: 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.

Remedy: 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.

Reported: 2016-04-28 (April 28, 2016)

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2016 Chevrolet Sonic and Trax vehicles and 2013-2015 Chevrolet Spark vehicles equipped with a Bring Your Own Media radio. The affected radios may fail to provide an audible warning chime when the driver, after turning off the ignition and leaving the key in the cylinder, waits 10 minutes or longer to open the door. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 114 "Theft Protection."

Consequence: Without audible indicators, the driver may leave the key in the ignition, increasing the risk of theft.

Remedy: 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.

Reported: 2016-06-10 (June 10, 2016)

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Chevrolet Sonic and Trax, and 2013-2015 Spark vehicles equipped with a Bring Your Own Media radio. The affected radios may fail to provide an audible warning chime when the driver fails to fasten their seatbelt or if the driver leaves the key in the ignition. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 208 "Occupant Crash Protection" and 114 "Theft Protection."

Consequence: Without audible indicators, the driver may not fasten their seatbelt, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.

Remedy: 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.

Reported: 2022-08-25 (August 25, 2022)

General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2013-2015 Chevrolet Spark and 2014-2015 Chevrolet Spark EV vehicles. The secondary hood latch may corrode at the latch pivot, preventing the hood latch from properly engaging.

Consequence: A hood latch failure can result in the vehicle's hood opening unexpectedly, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the hood striker assembly and hood latch assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 12, 2023. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is A222359300. This recall supersedes and expands NHTSA recall number 14V-593. Vehicles previously repaired under 14V-593 will need to have the new remedy performed.