RoadVitals

2018 Chevrolet Spark Problems

Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints 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.
9
Latest Jul 6, 2026
Components namedHow many of our component categories appear on at least one report for this model year. One report can name several.
6
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
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What this page shows

Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2018 Chevrolet Spark, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.

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

Reports by component

Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category

  • Brakes321.4%
  • Driver assistance321.4%
  • Engine321.4%
  • Fuel system214.3%
  • Powertrain (other)214.3%
  • Airbags17.1%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Each component in detail

What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words

Brakes

Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.

3
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

The contact's husband owns a 2018 Chevrolet Spark. The contact stated that the brake booster failed while driving at various speeds on several occasions. The vehicle was taken to the dealer yearly for the brake booster repair since the initial failure; however, the most recent failure occurred within six months. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of failure but offered no assistance. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ID 11515828 · filed Apr 6, 2023

This is the third time while driving that my brakes have simply just gone out. It’s usually on the freeway while at high speeds and I’m nearly not able to stop. This is the third time in three years. No lights come on on the dashboard and no warnings happened at all the brakes just simply stopped working. It takes extreme pressure to try to stop and I’m usually told that it’s some part of the vacuum.

NHTSA ID 11482383 · filed Sep 1, 2022

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Driver assistance

Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.

3
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

Okay, I can press the gas and try to go one speed.And my car will go either way, too slow for that gear or way too fast.For that gear , I have almost been several wrecks , because it's either going too slow , went when i'm supposed to be going to certain speed or it's going to fast one supposed to be going to certain speed

NHTSA ID 11733470 · filed Apr 23, 2026

WHEN I TRY TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP, THE CAR CAN'T DECIDE IF IT WANTS TO MOVE OR NOT AND IT WILL JUST SIT AND REV AND HAS ALMOST CAUSED SEVERAL ACCIDENTS AS I AM PULLING OUT INTO TRAFFIC

NHTSA ID 11307905 · filed Feb 8, 2020

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Engine

Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.

3
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

Okay, I can press the gas and try to go one speed.And my car will go either way, too slow for that gear or way too fast.For that gear , I have almost been several wrecks , because it's either going too slow , went when i'm supposed to be going to certain speed or it's going to fast one supposed to be going to certain speed

NHTSA ID 11733470 · filed Apr 23, 2026

WHEN I TRY TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP, THE CAR CAN'T DECIDE IF IT WANTS TO MOVE OR NOT AND IT WILL JUST SIT AND REV AND HAS ALMOST CAUSED SEVERAL ACCIDENTS AS I AM PULLING OUT INTO TRAFFIC

NHTSA ID 11307905 · filed Feb 8, 2020

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Fuel system

Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.

2
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

MY CHEVROLET SPARK CANNOT DECIDE WHAT GEAR IT WANTS TO BE IN, CAUSING DELAYS THAT ARE DANGEROUS WHEN PULLING OUT IN TRAFFIC OR TURNING ACROSS LINES OF TRAFFIC. FOR INSTANCE, I SLOW DOWN TO GET INTO THE CENTER TURNING LANE OF A 5-LANE STREET AND THEN WHEN CLEAR, I ACCELERATE TO MAKE THE TURN. THE CAR FEELS LIKE IT MAKES A SHORT STALL AS IT CAN'T DECIDE IF IT NEEDS TO GET INTO A HIGHER OR LOWER GEAR. IT CLEARLY TAKES A LONG TIME AND GOES UP AND DOWN WHICH PLACES ME UNCOMFORTABLY TOO CLOSE TO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. OTHER TIMES WHEN I PULL OUT IN TRAFFIC, THE SAME SCENARIO REPEATS. I WONDER IF IT SHIFTS INTO A TOO HIGH A GEAR TOO SOON THEN DOWN SHIFTS ONE GEAR AND THEN UPSHIFTS AS THE CAR STARTS TO ACCELERATE. SEVERAL TIMES A DAY WHEN I SLOW TO ADJUST TO TRAFFIC CONDITIONS AND THEN ACCELERATE AFTER SLOWING, THE CAR LAG/STALL HAPPENS AS THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS UP AND DOWN THROUGH THE GEARS. THE CAR JUST CAN'T DECIDE WHAT IS THE BEST GEAR TO BE IN. I FEEL THAT THIS IS DANGEROUS. IT CERTAINLY MAKES ONE VERY UNEASY WHEN YOU PULL OUT IN TRAFFIC AND THEN THE CAR BARELY MOVES FOR A VERY CRITICAL SECOND OR TWO.

NHTSA ID 11181644 · filed Feb 21, 2019

THIS IS A PERIODIC OCCURANCE WHEN GOING STARTING AT 0MPH AT ANY POINT DURING A TRIP. NORMALLY THE ENGINE WILL REV SMOOTHLY BUT THERE ARE TIMES WHEN GOING FROM A COMPLETE STOP TO GETTING TO AT LEAST 30MPH IT FEELS AS IF THE ENGINE IS JUST TAKING IN AIR AND IT JUST REVS UP AND THE CAR STARTS TO ROLL BUT DOESNT ACTUALLY ACCELLERATE PROPERLY AND THIS CAN RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT IF YOU HAVE TO MOVE SUDDENLY TO AVOID BEING HIT. I HAVE THE LT1 MODEL SPECIFICALLY.

NHTSA ID 11128735 · filed Sep 11, 2018

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Powertrain (other)

Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.

2
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

AT A COMPLETE STOP.. IT SEEMS LIKE IT DOESN'T WANT ACCELERATE

NHTSA ID 11376447 · filed Nov 26, 2020

WHEN I TRY TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP, THE CAR CAN'T DECIDE IF IT WANTS TO MOVE OR NOT AND IT WILL JUST SIT AND REV AND HAS ALMOST CAUSED SEVERAL ACCIDENTS AS I AM PULLING OUT INTO TRAFFIC

NHTSA ID 11307905 · filed Feb 8, 2020

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Airbags

Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

I have received a Code 95 error message for my 2018 Chevrolet Spark, which per the GM owner's manual means that there is an air bag problem. But, the alert does not appear consistently when operated. When driving, it does not appear. The problem has not been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center. The code only comes on after the car has been idling and not being driven (for example, it takes 2-3 minutes while in park but the engine being on for the code to come up on the screen). If the car is put into drive a minute or less after turning the ignition, the code does NOT appear; it only does when parked and the engine is running after a few minutes. The car is available for inspection upon NHTSA/DOT request. My safety is put at risk if the air bag does not deploy; if the alert code does not consistently appear when the car is in operation, it puts my safety at risk because I would not have any indication that there is a possible problem. The car has not been inspected by the manufacturer (to my knowledge), police, insurance representatives, or others. This has occurred at least three times since the start of 2026, with the most recent occurrence in June 2026.

NHTSA ID 11748573 · filed Jul 6, 2026

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

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.

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .