Airbag complaints by model year
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
The contact was a passenger in a 2020 Chevrolet Spark. The contact stated that, while the owner was driving at an undisclosed speed through an intersection, another vehicle failed to yield for a red light. As a result, the other vehicle collided with the passenger side front quarter panel of the vehicle. The air bags did deploy, which the contact held responsible for the injuries she sustained. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a storage facility and deemed a total loss by the owner's insurance provider. A police report was filed, and injuries were reported. Both the driver and the contact were transported to an area hospital by EMT. The driver was treated for whiplash, back pain, and shortness of breath. The contact was treated for an injured sternum, injured left knee, injured left ankle, injured right hip, broken right hand middle finger, and whiplash. …
All of the airbags were too strong. The doctor thought my leg was broken from the leg airbag. I was even wearing ugg boots to my knees, so I would have had a worse injury without them. I got a concussion from the airbag that hit my face and my nose was broken. My left hand was severely bruised almost covering the whole hand, my legs were bruised with cuts all over. There were bruises as if pieces were flying at my legs from within the airbags. One circular bruise on my leg lasted almost a year. Also, the seatbelt was too harsh. It pulled at my shoulder and the injury has lasted until now. My passenger had cuts on her legs and severe bruises on her stomach from the seatbelt. We were in a head-on accident with the other car going about 45 at us and going faster and faster.
The contact owned a 2019 Chevrolet Spark. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 50 MPH, the contact had lost consciousness. The contact stated that an emergency services vehicle was behind her and had observed her go through an intersection, crash through and guardrail, and roll down an embankment. The contact was removed from the vehicle, still unconscious, and transported to the hospital by ambulance. The contact stated that she had bruising on her sternum, ribs, and arms. The contact stated she was not advised about why she had lost consciousness. The contact stated that the vehicle had been towed to an impound lot and her insurance provider had written the vehicle off as a total loss. The contact had been advised by a police officer that her driver's side air bags had not deployed. The contact was not sure that a police report had been issued. …
Friday morning, on June 16th I went out to start my car and I noticed an I code 95 on my dashboard. It also showed my ABS light, traction light, and airbag/seatbelt light. When I researched the I code 95 it said that my car had been in an accident and the airbag and seatbelt needs to be replaced. When I came home the previous night on June 15th there were no lights showing on my dashboard and I hadn't been in an accident. I also had pulled into my designated parking spot with my front tires facing the curb. When I checked my car I noticed no dents or scratches on my car. I then went to Bob Hook Chevrolet which is the dealership where I purchased my car, and they ran a quick diagnostic with one of those sensors that you plug into your car. …
During morning rush hour on the highway, (I was driving in the left lane), traveling around 50mph. I was about 3 car lengths behind, when the vehicle in front of me stopped abruptly, and promptly drove away. I slammed my brakes to the floor and simultaneously swerved to the emergency lane to avoid an impact. With both of my feet on the brake pedal, my car kept sliding like it was on ice for around 80 feet, because the ABS system failed. The only thing that stopped me were the 2 vehicles that were illegally parked in the emergency lane. While skidding, I hit the cement highway divider (on the driver's side). I then slammed into the 1st parked car, which was pushed into the 2nd vehicle. I was subsequentially rear-ended by another vehicle, which followed my same path. Only the steering wheel and knee airbags deployed. …
Tl* the contact owned a 2017 Chevrolet Spark. The contact stated that while driving at 50 MPH, the contact lost control of the vehicle and crashed into an embankment. The driver side air bag did not deploy. A police report was filed. The contact sustained injuries to the torso, head and neck. Medical attention was required. The vehicle was not diagnosed for the failure. The vehicle was destroyed the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 1,240. Updated 05/09/17
I was driving a Chevy Spark 2015 to my local supermarket, less than 3 or so miles from my home. I was several miles under the 40 MPH speed limit. I was in the right lane of a two lane road. I could see stopped traffic quite a ways ahead of me ' also in the right lane. There were at least 6-7 cars in front of me and a truck in front of the cars. I could see the cars/truck were stopped for the stoplight but they were quite a ways ahead of me. There was no one in the left lane so I decided to make a lane change as there was plenty of room ahead of me to do so. The next thing I knew I lost control of my car and it seemed to accelerate and slammed hard into the car in front of me. The police officer called to the scene said I couldn't have been making a lane change because I hit the car in front of me. …
The contact owns a 2014 Chevrolet Spark M300. The contact stated that the air bag and the seat belts warning lights were illuminated, and a message stating that the air bags would not deploy in the event of a crash was displayed. The contact stated while at a complete stop at the traffic light, the vehicle stalled and failed to restart. The vehicle was pushed to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to an unknown dealer by roadside assistance, who purchased a new battery for the vehicle from the dealer; however, the dealer informed the contact that Roadside assistance could not install the battery because it would interfere with the business operations. The dealer advised the contact that she would need to pay the battery installation and diagnostic testing fee. The contact declined. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. …
Related recalls (3)
Air bags › Air bag/restraint control module
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2019 Buick Encore, Chevrolet Spark, Traverse, and Trax vehicles. The Sensing Diagnostic Module (SDM) on these vehicle may not have been turned off of "manufacturing mode," preventing the air bags from deploying in the event of a crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the SDM module to the correct mode, free of charge. The recall began November 6, 2018.
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Chevrolet Spark vehicles. In the event of a crash, if a young child is seated improperly and not wearing a seat belt while in the front passenger seat, deployment of the front passenger air bag may injure the occupant's neck.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger air bag module, free of charge. The recall began July 5, 2017. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 17199.
Air bags
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013 Buick Encore vehicles manufactured April 10, 2013, to May 8, 2013, and Chevrolet Spark vehicles manufactured December 30, 2012, to March 1, 2013.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger side front air bag, free of charge. The recall began on July 30, 2014.
NHTSA investigations
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited.
Frequently asked questions
Which Chevrolet Spark years have airbag problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2013 (13), 2014 (13), 2019 (7), 2020 (7) and 2015 (5) model years. Airbag complaints make up 9% of all complaints for the 2013.
Is there a recall for Chevrolet Spark airbag problems?
Yes — 3 recalls, including 18V-774 (air bag/restraint control module, Nov 1, 2018); 17V-307 (inflator module, May 9, 2017); 14V-298 (air bags, Jun 6, 2014). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Chevrolet Spark airbag problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 38,000 miles; 75% happened before 50,000 miles.
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.