CHEVROLET SPARK · model year

2015 CHEVROLET SPARK

101 NHTSA complaints, 6 crash reports, and 5 active recalls for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

4 / 5 ★

New Car Assessment Program

The 2015CHEVROLETSPARK carries 101 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 6 crashes, 1 fire, 13 injuries, and 0 fatalities. For crash performance, NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gave this cohort an overall 4/5 rating, with 4/5 front crash, 5/5 side crash, and 4/5 rollover scores derived from standardized barrier and dynamic tests.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2015 SPARK is power train with 24 filings, followed by engine (11) and electrical system (9). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability. This model year has 5 active recall campaigns, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.

NHTSA currently has 57 investigation files overlapping the 2015 SPARK, and 2 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

101
Complaints
6
Crashes
1
Fires
13
Injuries
0
Deaths
2015 CHEVROLET SPARK — NHTSA crash-test profile NHTSA NCAP crash-test star ratings for the 2015 CHEVROLET SPARK. Overall composite: 4.0 of 5 stars across 3 safety dimensions. Front CrashSide CrashRollover 4.0 NHTSA NCAP of 5 stars
  • Front Crash 4.0 ★
  • Side Crash 5.0 ★
  • Rollover 4.0 ★
NHTSA overall 4.0/5 stars, with front-crash, side-crash and rollover ratings from standardized NCAP barrier and dynamic tests.

Total Complaints

101 filings

Crashes Reported

6 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

NHTSA NCAP overall: 4/5 — Strong NCAP rating · Front: 4/5 · Side: 5/5 · Rollover: 4/5

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
POWER TRAIN24
ENGINE11
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM9
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM7
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL7
UNKNOWN OR OTHER6
AIR BAGS5
STRUCTURE:BODY4
SERVICE BRAKES4
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES4
SEAT BELTS3
EXTERIOR LIGHTING2
SEATS2
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)2
WHEELS2

Recalls (5)

15V41600030/06/2015

EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC.

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 Chevrolet Spark vehicles manufactured April 30, 2014, to May 20, 2015, and 2015 Chevrolet Sonic vehicles manufactured June 18, 2014, to June 10, 2015. In the affected vehicles, equipped with the base radio and OnStar, the radio may l

16V25700028/04/2016

EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC.

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

22V64000025/08/2022

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH

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.

14V59300024/09/2014

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH

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

16V42200010/06/2016

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE

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 leave

Recent Complaints

20260112VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

INCIDENT SUMMARY In February 2025, while driving on the freeway, my vehicle experienced a sudden and complete loss of power. The battery rapidly depleted without warning, causing the vehicle to decelerate dangerously in moving traffic. A Stabilitrak warning appeared on the display. I was fortunate to reach the shoulder safely, but this failure created an extremely hazardous situation that could have resulted in serious injury or death. Following this incident, the vehicle became completely inoperable and required towing to Stewart Chevrolet for diagnosis. DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSIS Stewart Chevrolet performed a diagnostic evaluation (cost: $700) and provided the following official findings: Problem Identified: Battery 1 with voltage variance beyond specifications Variance Measured: In excess of 0.07V discrepancy in battery cells GM Document Referenced: #17-NA-131 Recommended Repair: Labor operation 9102972 - Drive Motor Replacement and Shipping Preparation (high voltage battery replacement)

20260112FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

INCIDENT SUMMARY In February 2025, while driving on the freeway, my vehicle experienced a sudden and complete loss of power. The battery rapidly depleted without warning, causing the vehicle to decelerate dangerously in moving traffic. A Stabilitrak warning appeared on the display. I was fortunate to reach the shoulder safely, but this failure created an extremely hazardous situation that could have resulted in serious injury or death. Following this incident, the vehicle became completely inoperable and required towing to Stewart Chevrolet for diagnosis. DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSIS Stewart Chevrolet performed a diagnostic evaluation (cost: $700) and provided the following official findings: Problem Identified: Battery 1 with voltage variance beyond specifications Variance Measured: In excess of 0.07V discrepancy in battery cells GM Document Referenced: #17-NA-131 Recommended Repair: Labor operation 9102972 - Drive Motor Replacement and Shipping Preparation (high voltage battery replacement)

20260112ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

INCIDENT SUMMARY In February 2025, while driving on the freeway, my vehicle experienced a sudden and complete loss of power. The battery rapidly depleted without warning, causing the vehicle to decelerate dangerously in moving traffic. A Stabilitrak warning appeared on the display. I was fortunate to reach the shoulder safely, but this failure created an extremely hazardous situation that could have resulted in serious injury or death. Following this incident, the vehicle became completely inoperable and required towing to Stewart Chevrolet for diagnosis. DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSIS Stewart Chevrolet performed a diagnostic evaluation (cost: $700) and provided the following official findings: Problem Identified: Battery 1 with voltage variance beyond specifications Variance Measured: In excess of 0.07V discrepancy in battery cells GM Document Referenced: #17-NA-131 Recommended Repair: Labor operation 9102972 - Drive Motor Replacement and Shipping Preparation (high voltage battery replacement)

20251122POWER TRAIN

Vehicle: 2015 Chevrolet Spark, odometer <79,000 miles Component that failed: Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) – pulley damage causing complete loss of propulsion.What happened: While driving, the vehicle suddenly lost all motive power with no ability to accelerate. The transmission would not engage in any gear and the car became inoperable in traffic. This is the exact failure described in GM Special Coverage Bulletin N192271110 (pulley damage in 2014–2015 Spark CVT). Safety risk: Complete and unexpected loss of propulsion created an immediate safety hazard. The vehicle could not accelerate from a stop or maintain speed, placing my 15-year-old son and other motorists at risk of rear-end collision or stranding in active traffic lanes.Dealer confirmation: RK Chevrolet in Virginia Beach, VA has inspected the vehicle and confirmed the failure matches N192271110 – full transmission replacement required (quote $6,637.19). Vehicle remains at the dealership and is available for i

20251122FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

Vehicle: 2015 Chevrolet Spark, odometer <79,000 miles Component that failed: Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) – pulley damage causing complete loss of propulsion.What happened: While driving, the vehicle suddenly lost all motive power with no ability to accelerate. The transmission would not engage in any gear and the car became inoperable in traffic. This is the exact failure described in GM Special Coverage Bulletin N192271110 (pulley damage in 2014–2015 Spark CVT). Safety risk: Complete and unexpected loss of propulsion created an immediate safety hazard. The vehicle could not accelerate from a stop or maintain speed, placing my 15-year-old son and other motorists at risk of rear-end collision or stranding in active traffic lanes.Dealer confirmation: RK Chevrolet in Virginia Beach, VA has inspected the vehicle and confirmed the failure matches N192271110 – full transmission replacement required (quote $6,637.19). Vehicle remains at the dealership and is available for i

20251119ENGINE

This report concerns a known CVT defect and subsequent TCM failure that left the vehicle unsafe and inoperable. The vehicle suffered internal CVT failure consistent with GM Special Coverage N192271110. After the first transmission failed in May 2024 (and the second time October 5 2025), the TCM failed again shortly after the second failure—consistent with GM Preliminary Information Bulletin PIP5525A. Critical Safety Details: Both failures occurred while driving on highways with heavy traffic, where speed limits were 75 mph. On each occasion, the vehicle lost power and became unable to accelerate safely, presenting a serious safety risk to me and other drivers. GM is refusing coverage despite widely documented cases and their own bulletins describing this exact failure chain.

20251023ENGINE

Vehicle began slipping out of gear between 1st & 2nd, then started losing power at 74,760 miles. Extended service coverage has been issued for model for CVT transmission pulley system, however only covers 10 years or 100,000 miles, whichever comes first. Mine apparently timed out in February, so they are trying to make me get a new transmission which basically totals out the car I spent a fortune on to buy & in repairs at under 75,000 miles. This is unacceptable.

20251022POWER TRAIN

My 2015 Chevy Spark has had repeated transmission failures related to GM Special Coverage N192271110. The first failure happened in May 2024, I was driving on 1-25 when the transmission went out and I lost all speed and my car was in the shop for five months before I finally got it back in October 2024. Unfortunately, on October 5, 2025, the transmission failed again. I was driving on I-76 speed limit of 75 MPH when my car transmission went out and I lost speed.

20250808ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The contact owns a 2015 Chevrolet Spark. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V257000 (Equipment, Electrical Systems). The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and the contact was informed that the radio software needed to be updated. The dealer informed the contact that to complete the software upgrade, the dealer had to reprogram the radio USB portion to complete the upgrade. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the radio image was inoperable. The contact stated that the radio image appeared blank. Additionally, the Bluetooth feature failed to function properly. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact was concerned about the failure of the vehicle and that it was related to the recall. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 129,173.

Mileage: 129,173

20250808EQUIPMENT

The contact owns a 2015 Chevrolet Spark. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V257000 (Equipment, Electrical Systems). The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and the contact was informed that the radio software needed to be updated. The dealer informed the contact that to complete the software upgrade, the dealer had to reprogram the radio USB portion to complete the upgrade. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the radio image was inoperable. The contact stated that the radio image appeared blank. Additionally, the Bluetooth feature failed to function properly. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact was concerned about the failure of the vehicle and that it was related to the recall. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 129,173.

Mileage: 129,173

20250702ENGINE

Transmission issue. During heavy traffic at stop lights car wouldn't shift into drive to move forward. Was stuck in the middle of the road with a passenger. Engine light came on but it's not an engine problem. Car was smoking under the hood. I burned my hand when popping the hood. When the car cooled the engine light went out and car would shift gears and it's drivable again. This has happened 3 times. Mechanic pulled up at P0700 Code on computer. It's the CVT transmission but not sure which part. I can't get the car to the dealership to inspect transmission. It won't drive that far.

20250323STRUCTURE:BODY

Ever since I bought the vehicle in 2021, I have had problems with the car jerking and air conditioning problems, mostly during the colder months. I took the car in multiple times on different occasions throughout the years. They would "fix" the problems with the transmission, then a month or two down the line the issues would come back. This last time, the car started stalling on the and turned off completely. The air conditioner never worked because of the transmission as well.

20250323POWER TRAIN

Ever since I bought the vehicle in 2021, I have had problems with the car jerking and air conditioning problems, mostly during the colder months. I took the car in multiple times on different occasions throughout the years. They would "fix" the problems with the transmission, then a month or two down the line the issues would come back. This last time, the car started stalling on the and turned off completely. The air conditioner never worked because of the transmission as well.

20250117SUSPENSION

Compass car center LLC 3433 Brooklyn Ave Fort Wayne Indiana 46809 is unsafe vehicles with suspension noise and broken parts know transmission control system mil problems eont addressed the issue either

20250117FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL

Compass car center LLC 3433 Brooklyn Ave Fort Wayne Indiana 46809 is unsafe vehicles with suspension noise and broken parts know transmission control system mil problems eont addressed the issue either

20241224UNKNOWN OR OTHER

UNKNOWN—My car’s been doing this thing where it feels like the wheels "stick" for a second every so often while driving, but yesterday it was the worst it's been, doing it every few seconds. I thought maybe my gearshift was stuck between gears or something so I tried to make sure it was in Drive, but it slipped into Neutral for a second, & after that, my check engine light came on & my car started taking forever to get up to speed after coming to a stop—like, I was flooring it & it was crawling. It started doing this while I was in an intersection turn lane, & my car was moving so slow I had to wait for a protected turn & I still barely made it out of the intersection in time. My code reader said it was a transmission issue & there’s a recall on other Sparks for the transmission. I had my car towed to my apartment but I haven’t been able to find anybody to come inspect or work on it yet. I sent a message to my local Chevy dealer so they could check whether it’s under re

20241018LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES

See attached document for complaint.

20241018SEAT BELTS

See attached document for complaint.

20241018SEAT BELTS:FRONT

See attached document for complaint.

20240809SEAT BELTS

Hello, I submitted a complaint to a local GM dealership requesting an investigation be placed into the seat belt bucks failing. I am being informed that the car is out of warranty, which is understandable. However, this is a huge safety concern as the seatbelts were not sewn into the car but rather glued or clamped. This could have resulted in serious injury and/or death to my young child who routinely rides in the back seat.

Compare 2015CHEVROLETSPARK to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 2 Open

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2015 CHEVROLET SPARK have?
The 2015 CHEVROLET SPARK has 101 NHTSA complaints, 6 crashes, 1 fires, 13 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What is the safety rating for the 2015 CHEVROLET SPARK?
The 2015 CHEVROLET SPARK received an overall NHTSA safety rating of 4/5, front crash rating of 4/5, side crash rating of 5/5, and rollover rating of 4/5.
Are there any recalls for the 2015 CHEVROLET SPARK?
Yes, the 2015 CHEVROLET SPARK has 5 recall(s). The most common affected component is EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC.. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2015 CHEVROLET SPARK?
The most-complained component for the 2015 CHEVROLET SPARK is POWER TRAIN with 24 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE and ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.
Is the 2015 CHEVROLET SPARK safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. The 2015 CHEVROLET SPARK has an NHTSA safety rating of 4/5. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.