Acceleration complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (accelerator pedal, throttle, sudden acceleration, cruise control).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
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
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 contact owns a 2015 Chevrolet Spark. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would intermittently hesitate upon depression of the accelerator pedal with a high-pitched, squeaking noise coming from the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle had jolted forward after multiple attempts to accelerate. The contact stated that while his spouse was driving 55 MPH, the vehicle hesitated as she attempted to pass a slow-moving vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle remained stuck in gear. The vehicle was driven to a dealer, but the mechanic was unable to retrieve a fault code. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 30,000.
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. …
The contact owns a 2014 Chevrolet Spark. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the vehicle had not been diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 81,833.
The vehicle experiences intermittent loss of power and unstable acceleration while driving at normal speeds (approximately 45-55 mph). The vehicle will surge, hesitate, and fail to maintain consistent speed, creating an unsafe condition in traffic. While driving, the vehicle does not consistently respond to throttle input and may unexpectedly lose acceleration. This creates a risk of being rear-ended or being unable to safely merge into traffic. The condition occurs during normal driving and has progressively worsened over time. Diagnostic testing indicates transmission-related faults involving pressure control and internal speed monitoring. This issue affects the safe operation of the vehicle and appears consistent with known transmission problems reported for this vehicle model. …
I do not know what system affects the problem my car is having it stalls in front of oncoming traffic on left turns it's done this to me 3 to 4 times and it scares me. It will start right back up and go but it'll still continuously throughout the day when I slow down or come to a red light. The speed control sensor went out and I replaced it and there seem to be middle or something on that. I've read different reports or seen on YouTube that people have reported the same problem with their cars it is definitely a safety issue had it not started up or had I panicked like I did the first time and almost not get it started but a car could crash into me because my car stalled in front of traffic the problem has not been reproduced for anybody and there has been no report to dealership insurance police anything like that. …
I'm coming to a stop or slowing down the car shuts off. Even when making a turn in front of another car across traffic my car has turned off in the middle of crossing the street and I almost got hit twice now. This affects the cruise control coming on as well the speedometer fluctuates back and forth the whole time I'm driving. This happens every day and at most times when I'm coming to a stop or coming out of a stop. I just have to test the gas before I make a turn in front of oncoming traffic to cross the road to make sure that I have power and then I go as fast as I can across so that hopefully I'll gain enough speed so that the car doesn't shut off again. So usually it's every time I come to a red light which is at least at the very least from my work to home is four lights and at every light it will do it. Oftentimes I cross traffic and it will do it. I just had to be very careful
Frequently asked questions
Which Chevrolet Spark years have acceleration problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2014 (25), 2013 (14) and 2015 (7) model years. Acceleration complaints make up 15% of all complaints for the 2014.
Is there a recall for Chevrolet Spark acceleration problems?
No. NHTSA lists no speed control & acceleration recall for any Chevrolet Spark model year. A widespread problem may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin, so ask a dealer.
At what mileage do Chevrolet Spark acceleration problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 39,000 miles; 69% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the accelerator pedal (1 mentions).
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.