The Used Car Index

2016 Chevrolet Spark problems

NHTSA lists 28 complaints for the 2016 Chevrolet Spark, 1 of them mention a crash and 1 mention a fire. 1 complaints mention an injury, with 1 injuries and 0 deaths reported.

Data build 2026-10-08.

NHTSA lists this vehicle as CHEVROLET SPARK.

At a glance

Complaints
28
With crash
1
With fire
1
With injury (complaints)
1
Injuries
1
Deaths
0
Recalls
1
Do not drive recalls
0
Park outside recalls
0
Recall potential units (maximum)
55,068
Investigations
1
Open investigations
1
Manufacturer communications
756

Complaints per 100k sold unavailable. No sales source is available for this record.

Where the complaints are

Top systems
SystemComplaintsShare of this vehicle's complaints
SERVICE BRAKES1035.7%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM517.9%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER517.9%
POWER TRAIN414.3%
AIR BAGS27.1%
ENGINE27.1%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM27.1%
STEERING27.1%
VISIBILITY/WIPER27.1%
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)13.6%
Top subsystems
SystemSubsystemComplaints
POWER TRAINAUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION1

One complaint can name several systems, so shares can add to more than 100 percent.

Model-generated complaint tags

These labels are model-generated, not NHTSA data.

Failure modes
LabelCountShare of taggedMean confidence
loss of control1139.3%0.81
mechanical failure517.9%0.80
electrical electronic310.7%0.79
restraint or airbag310.7%0.83
visibility or lighting310.7%0.83
unclear27.1%0.97
fire or overheating13.6%1.00
Severities
LabelCountShare of taggedMean confidence
moderate1967.9%0.81
low414.3%0.56
high310.7%0.65
none27.1%0.86

Model: typesafe/jev-1.13-20260917; schema version: tag-v1. 28 tagged complaints of 28 complaints (100.0%).

Confidence is the model's own probability for the label it chose (0 to 1), not accuracy.

Model-generated labels on tagged complaints only. Model years 2013 and newer are tagged in full; 2012 in part (see tagged_share); earlier model years have no tags. NHTSA's own flags remain separate in the complaints block.

Recalls

See new recalls and investigations this week.

1 recalls.

17V307000

Date: 2017-05-09. Systems: AIR BAGS.

Defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Chevrolet Spark vehicles. In the event of a crash, if a young child is seated improperly and not wearing a seat belt while in the front passenger seat, deployment of the front passenger air bag may injure the occupant's neck. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Oc (excerpt)

Consequence: 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. (excerpt)

Remedy: 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. (excerpt)

Do not drive: No. Park outside: No.

Investigations

1 investigations; 1 open.

EA21002

Opened: 2021-09-17. Closed: Not listed.

Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture

From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited. The rapid burning can cause the inflator to rupt

Systems: AIR BAGS.

Linked campaign numbers: None listed.

Manufacturer communications

756 manufacturer communications.

Communications by system
SystemCount
EQUIPMENT280
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM167
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING94
ENGINE85
POWER TRAIN74
UNKNOWN OR OTHER66
EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY38
WHEELS37

11037555

Date: 2026-09-26. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.

This PI provides Diagnostics tips on how the LIN bus works and how to diagnosis it.

11037253

Date: 2026-09-04. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.

This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance.

11035340

Date: 2026-07-21. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.

PI to help diagnose A/C concern

11030974

Date: 2026-04-01. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.

This preliminary information communicates information about how to determine if a wheel and tires size change is available.

11030091

Date: 2026-03-09. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.

This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance.

11030092

Date: 2026-03-09. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.

This Preliminary information communicates the steps on how to save a GDS2 Session Log and upload to a Technical Assistance Case in CX Connect.

11027601

Date: 2026-01-08. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.

This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance.

11025755

Date: 2025-11-20. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.

This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have had multiple repair attempts that are being performed on customera s vehicles that exhibit vibration conditions without utilizing the support of General Motors Technical Assistance Center. If

11023091

Date: 2025-09-09. Type: Other. Systems: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.

New Vehicle Monitoring Programs Section in IVH

11022084

Date: 2025-08-14. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.

This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance.

Notes on this record

  • Complaints from the API and bulk file are merged and deduplicated by ODI number; the API alone misses records.
  • System and subsystem counts are numbers of distinct complaints, recalls or communications that name them. One record can name several systems, so shares across systems can add to more than 100 percent; a single share never exceeds 100 percent.
  • Recalls are counted once per campaign, investigations once per action and manufacturer communications once per NHTSA id, even when NHTSA lists several model names for the same record.
  • A sales denominator is a calendar-year proxy, not the population of vehicles still in use. Rates are copied from verified pipeline output.

Other names NHTSA uses

None listed.

Matched NHTSA models

Matched labels and complaints
NHTSA model labelComplaints
SPARK28

Same model, other years

All model years | All Chevrolet models

Other Chevrolet models, 2016

Sources

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