RoadVitals

2013 Chevrolet Spark Brakes Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the brake system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Brakes reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
10
Latest Jun 7, 2017
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
7%
of 146 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
3
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
3

What this page shows

Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2013 Chevrolet Spark submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 10 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming brake

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Brakes
Filed Jun 7, 2017

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET SPARK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SHOTTENKIRK CHEVROLET (755 W HICKMAN ROAD, WAUKEE, IA 50263 (515) 987-8575) TO HAVE A ROUTINE OIL CHANGE SERVICE. THE TECHNICIAN WAS PERFORMING THE TASK OF BLEEDING THE BRAKES AND NOTICED THAT THE BRAKE BLEEDER VALVE WAS INOPERABLE. IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRAKE BLEEDER VALVE ON THE REAR PASSENGER WHEEL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ADVISED THE CONTACT TO CALL NHTSA. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.

NHTSA ID
10993824
Incident
Jun 6, 2017
Mileage
90,000 mi
BrakesEngine
Filed Jun 14, 2016
Crash reported

SLOWLY PULLED CAR INTO THE DRIVEWAY. ENTERED THE GARAGE WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE. HALF WAY INTO GARAGE, THE ENGINE OVER ACCELERATED AND MADE THE CAR LUNGE FORWARD. MY FOOT WAS STILL ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE BRAKES WENT INTO ABS MODE, WITH PULSATING. THE CAR RAMMED INTO SOME STORAGE TOTES AND ALSO MY SNOWBLOWER. THE OVER ACCELERATION OF THE ENGINE STOPPED. ALL OF THIS TOOK ABOUT 10 - 15 SECONDS. NO AMOUNT OF PRESSURE ON THE BRAKE PEDAL STOPPED THIS CAR. NO, I DID NOT HAVE MY FOOT ON THE GAS PEDAL. THE CAR WENT INTO MY LOCAL CHEVY DEALER 2 DAYS LATER. I WAS TOLD THAT THEY RAN SOME TESTS, HAD IT UP ON A LIFT & EVEN HAD A MECHANIC TAKE IT OUT TO TRY TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. OF COURSE, THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG. SOMEONE NEEDS TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT ALL THESE OVER & UNDER ACCELERATION PROBLEMS BEFORE LIVES ARE LOST! MY CAR HAS A FEW MINOR DENTS ON THE HOOD, FROM FALLING TOTES MY SNOWBLOWER IS SLIGHTLY DENTED BUT MY NERVES ARE SHOT. I AM REALLY SCARED TO DRIVE THIS CAR.

NHTSA ID
10874275
Incident
Jun 10, 2016
Mileage
16,400 mi
Brakes
Filed May 20, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET SPARK. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH IN INCLEMENT WEATHER, THE VEHICLE VEERED TO THE LEFT WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 53,280.

NHTSA ID
10870082
Incident
May 17, 2016
Mileage
53,280 mi
Brakes
Filed Apr 19, 2015

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING 3 CAR LENGTHS BEHIND ANOTHER VEHICLE. THEY STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT, SO SHE APPLIED THE BRAKES. SHE SAID THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS STIFF AND DID NOT MOVE, ALSO, DID NOT STOP VEHICLE. AT THE SAME TIME, THE FRONT WHEELS WERE PULSATING AND MOVING FROM LEFT TO RIGHT WITHOUT HER MOVING STEERING WHEEL. SHE PULLED UP EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP BEFORE HITTING CAR. WHAT SHOULD WE DO? *TR

NHTSA ID
10706539
Incident
Apr 19, 2015
Mileage
24,998 mi
Brakes
Filed Sep 30, 2014
1 injury reported

I WAS GOING TO PARK IN A PARKING SPACE AND 4 PEOPLE WENT CROSS IN FRONT OF ME AND I APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE CAR ACCELERATED ON ME AND I ALMOST HIT THEM.I HIT THE BRAKE AGAIN AND IT STOPPED JUST IN TIME.TWO DAYS LATER MY WIFE WAS BEHIND A TRUCK AND SHE HAD TO APPLY THE BRAKE AND IT DID THE SAME THING TO HER AND SHE BROKE HER 4TH TOE AND SPRAINED HER ANKLE AND HURT HER HIP.THE ONLY WAY SHE GOT IT STOPPED WAS SHOVING IT INTO PARK.I HAD THE DEALER AT CREWS CHEVROLET TO TOE IT IN AND THEY SAY THEY CAN FIND NOTHING WRONG.I REFUSE TO DRIVE IT BECAUSE I AM AFRAID IT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN.I WANT GM TO TAKE IT BACK AND REFUND MY MONEY. *TR

NHTSA ID
10640351
Incident
May 19, 2013
Mileage
2,800 mi
BrakesElectrical
Filed Sep 6, 2014

I WAS PULLED OVER BY A POLICE OFFICER AND ISSUED A FIX IT TICKET BECAUSE ACCORDING TO THE OFFICER NEITHER OF MY REAR BRAKE LIGHTS WERE WORKING. I MIGHT ADD THAT THE OFFICER FOLLOWED ME FOR SEVERAL BLOCKS AND SAW ME STOP AT LEAST 4 TIMES BEFORE PULLING ME OVER. *TR

NHTSA ID
10631284
Incident
Sep 5, 2014
Mileage
9,811 mi
Brakes
Filed Aug 11, 2014
Crash reported1 injury reported

I WAS IN THE CAR WITH MY SON PULLING INTO MY YARD WHICH IS AT AN INCLINE AND THE CAR ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN. WHEN I STEPPED ON THE BRAKES THEY FAILED AND THE CAR CRASHED INTO MY BRICK HOUSE. THE CAR HAS BEEN TOTALED OUT AND THE HOUSE HAS STRUCTURAL DAMAGE. ALL THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED, HOWEVER, MY SON HAD NO INJURIES AND I WALKED AWAY WITH SIGNIFICANT BRUISING AND LACERATIONS ON MY LEGS. I HAVE CONTACTED GM AND THEY ARE CURRENTLY INVESTIGATING MY CLAIM. *TR

NHTSA ID
10621388
Incident
Aug 4, 2014
Mileage
25,540 mi
BrakesDriver assistanceFuel system
Filed Jun 3, 2014
1 injury reported

MY HUSBAND WAS PULLING THE CHEVY SPARK INTO A PARKING PLACE WHEN FOUR PEOPLE DECIDED TO CROSS OVER IT. WHEN THE BRAKE WAS APPLIED TO ALLOW THEM TO SAFELY PASS, THE CAR ACCELERATED INSTEAD. THE BRAKES PRESSED BACK AGAINST HIS FOOT HE SAID AND CAR EVENTUALLY STOPPED. WE WERE BOTH CONFUSED, SURPRISED AND AFRAID! THE CAR WAS NOT DRIVEN AGAIN UNTIL I TOOK IT OUT TWO DAYS LATER. IT HAPPENED ONCE MORE WHEN I WAS BRAKING AT A RED LIGHT BEHIND A LARGE TRUCK AT A VERY LOW SPEED. I PRESSED THE BRAKE HARDER A SECOND TIME AND THEN TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE. THIS TIME THE ACCELERATION CONTINUED EVEN AFTER MY FOOT WAS TAKEN OFF THE BRAKE. I SHOVED THE CAR INTO PARK TO GET IT TO STOP. I SUSTAINED A BROKEN TOE AND FRACTURED ANKLE FROM THE FORCE OF TRYING TO STOP THE CAR. A FEW MONTHS BEFORE THIS, WHEN APPLYING THE GAS, THE CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE AT TWO CONSECUTIVE RED LIGHTS. ENGINE WAS VERY SLOW AND CAR WAS NOT ABLE TO ACCELERATE TO THE SPEED LIMIT AND HESITATED ALL THE WAY HOME. THE CAR HAS A FACTORY RECALL ON THE AIR CONDITIONER RIGHT NOW AS WELL, WHICH WE RECEIVED FROM GM. WE ARE TERRIFIED TO DRIVE THIS CAR NOT KNOWING IF THESE DEFECTS WILL CONTINUE! THE CAR IS IN THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND WE ARE IN CONTACT WITH THE DEALERSHIP ABOUT A BUY BACK FROM GM. WE BOUGHT THE SPARK AUGUST 30, 2013, SO IT IS NOT EVEN A YEAR OLD. I HAVE DONE A SEARCH FOR OTHERS WHO MAY BE HAVING THE SAME OR SIMILAR ISSUES. THERE ARE REPORTS OF VERY SIMILAR INCIDENTS ON SITES FOR COMPLAINTS FOR BOTH ISSUES OF BRAKE ACCELERATION AND THE GAS PEDAL HESITATION ALSO REPORTS OF THE SPARK ENGINE STOPPING IN TRAFFIC. THIS IS VERY CONCERNING AND DANGEROUS. WE HOPE THIS IS TAKEN SERIOUSLY AND INVESTIGATED. *TR

NHTSA ID
10595783
Incident
May 25, 2014
Mileage
2,800 mi
BrakesElectricalEngine+1 more
Filed Apr 2, 2014

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 REPLICATE THE PROBLEM - THEY CANNOT FIX IT. FINALLY WITH THIS LAST (4TH) VISIT THEY WERE ABLE TO REPLICATE THE PROBLEM TWICE. BUT I WAS INFORMED THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHERE THE PROBLEM IS COMING FROM AND THEY HAVE NO SOLUTION AT THIS TIME. THEY WILL RETURN THE CAR TO ME AFTER 9 DAYS AS IS WITH NO FIX. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE ACROSS COLORADO FOR FEAR I WILL BE STRANDED. *TR

NHTSA ID
10576970
Incident
Nov 22, 2013
Mileage
2,200 mi
BrakesSteering
Filed Feb 4, 2014
Crash reported

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET SPARK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, HE ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN BUT THE TIRES AND THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND CAUSED THE CONTACT TO CRASH INTO A CEMENT BARRIER AND A WOODEN POST. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 6,600.

NHTSA ID
10562922
Incident
Jan 29, 2014
Mileage
6,600 mi

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .