Total Complaints
5 filings
CHEVROLET SPARK EV · model year
5 NHTSA complaints, and 3 active recalls for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2014CHEVROLETSPARK EV carries 5 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injury, and 0 fatalities. For crash performance, NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gave this cohort an overall Not Rated/5 rating, with Not Rated/5 front crash, Not Rated/5 side crash, and Not Rated/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 2014 SPARK EV is service brakes with 3 filings, followed by electronic stability control (esc) (1) and power train (1). 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 3 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 2014 SPARK EV, 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.
Total Complaints
5 filings
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| SERVICE BRAKES | 3 |
| ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN | 1 |
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.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2014-2016 Buick Lacrosse and Chevrolet Spark EV, Caprice PPV and SS vehicles, 2014-2017 Buick Encore and Chevrolet Corvette, Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles, 2015-2016 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Tahoe, Trax, Subur
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015-2017 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD, 3500 HD, Tahoe, Suburban, GMC Sierra 2500 HD and 3500 HD, GMC Yukon, GMC Yukon XL, Cadillac Escalade and Cadillac Escalade ESV vehicles and 2014-2017 Chevrolet Corvette, Silverado 1500, Trax, Caprice Poli
WHILE DRIVING ON A CITY STREET, REGEN STOPPED WORKING AND BRAKING STOPPED FUNCTIONING TO A POINT OF ALMOST CRASHING. ALMOST IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE REGEN ISSUES, THE SERVICE STABILITRACK WARNING DISPLAYED ON THE DASH ALONG WITH THE ABS AND BRAKE LIGHTS GOING ON. EVEN AT LESS THAN 5MPH IN A PARKING LOT TO REACH THE TOW TRUCK, TRYING TO STOP WAS A LESSON IN FEAR AND FRUSTRATION. THIS IS NOW THE 3RD TIME THIS VEHICLE IS AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR THIS CATASTROPHIC PROBLEM. 1ST TIME WAS MARCH 2018 WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, 2ND TIME FEBRUARY 2019 AND NOW APRIL 2019.
Mileage: 21,700
WHEN ATTEMPTING TO PARK THE VEHICLE I PLACE IT IN PARK WITHOUT ISSUE WHILE THE VEHICLE IS ON. ONCE I THEN ATTEMPT TO TURN THE VEHICLE OFF AN ERROR APPEARS STATING "SHIFT TO PARK. THIS IS DESPITE THE FACT THAT IT HAS BEEN IN PARK WITHOUT ANY ISSUE PRIOR TO ATTEMPTING TO TURN THE VEHICLE OFF. THE VEHICLE REFUSES TO FULLY SHUT DOWN, DRAINING THE ACCESSORY 12V BATTERY AS IT REMAINS CONNECTED TO BLUETOOTH, THE TAIL LIGHTS REMAIN ON, AND AN INTERIOR WARNING NOISE CONTINUES TO RING. THE CAR HAS LESS THAN 12K MILES.
Mileage: 11,500
I WAS DRIVING MY SPARK EV TO THE DEALER AROUND 1:45PM ON 12/29/2016 FOR THEM TO FIX THE NON-FUNCTIONING HEAT, THE AIRBAG PRETENSIONER RECALL, AND FAILURE TO FAST-CHARGE. I WAS TRAVELING STRAIGHT AT ABOUT 25 MPH ON A RESIDENTIAL STREET. WHEN THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME STOPPED I TRIED TO STOP BUT THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND THE CAR FAILED TO STOP. IN AN INSTANT I CHECKED TO BE SURE I WASN'T PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR, THEN PUSHED WITH ALL MY MIGHT EVEN HARDER ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE CAR EVENTUALLY STOPPED BUT ONLY AFTER COMING WITHIN AN INCH OF THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. MY CAR SOUNDED A WARNING "DING," AND THE DASH ILLUMINATED THE SERVICE LIGHT, THE STABILITRAK LIGHT, AND THE PARKING BRAKE LIGHT, AND THE MESSAGE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DISPLAY SAID "SERVICE STABILITRAK MODULE." SEE ATTACHED IMAGE FOR WHAT WAS DISPLAYED. I PUT THE CAR INTO LOW AND MOVED IT INTO THE PARKING STRIP. IT WAS STILL INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT TO STOP. I POWER CYCLED THE CAR AND WITHIN 5 SECONDS OF STARTING UP THE SA
Mileage: 12,790
THE BRAKES ON THE CAR STOPPED WORKING AT FULL POWER, IT TOOK 5X LONGER FOR THE CAR TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. TOOK TO DEALER, DID RECALL REPAIRS. SAME SYMPTOMS RETURNED AFTER SEVERAL DAYS OF NORMAL OPERATION. WHEN THE BRAKES START TO LOOSE FULL BRAKING POWER THERE ARE MANY WARNING LIGHTS THAT APPEAR ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THIS CAR IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND IS AGAIN ACKNOWLEDGE AT THE DEALER AWAITING DIAGNOSES. THE CAR IS UNDER FULL WARRANTY, IT HAS 26K MILES. I WAS GOING ABOUT 50MPH
THE BRAKES ON THE CAR STOPPED WORKING AT FULL POWER, IT TOOK 5X LONGER FOR THE CAR TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. TOOK TO DEALER, DID RECALL REPAIRS. SAME SYMPTOMS RETURNED AFTER SEVERAL DAYS OF NORMAL OPERATION. WHEN THE BRAKES START TO LOOSE FULL BRAKING POWER THERE ARE MANY WARNING LIGHTS THAT APPEAR ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THIS CAR IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND IS AGAIN ACKNOWLEDGE AT THE DEALER AWAITING DIAGNOSES. THE CAR IS UNDER FULL WARRANTY, IT HAS 26K MILES. I WAS GOING ABOUT 50MPH
Loss of motive power due to engine failure
Loss of Motive Power due to the Battery Energy Control Module
Electric Vehicle Battery Fires
Outboard Front Seat Belt Anchor Cable Failure
Fuel Line Leak
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.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.