Electrical complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
The contact owned a 2020 Chevrolet Spark. The contact stated that the police department informed them that the vehicle caught on fire. The contact stated that the fire may have started under the instrument panel and air bags had deployed. The vehicle was severely burned and only the contact's vehicle was burned. The fire department was able to extinguish the fire. A police report was filed. The vehicle was not diagnosed. No one was injured. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was contacted, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was 19,000. The contact stated the vehicle has been totaled out.
The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Spark. The contact stated that while driving at 15 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle lost motive power. The contact exited the vehicle, unlatched the hood, and wiggled the battery cable, and the vehicle worked as intended. No warning light was illuminated. An independent mechanic and the dealer were contacted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and was inspected, and the contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed, and it was determined that the battery cables needed to be replaced. The transmission was replaced; however, the battery was not replaced. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 243,656.
Electrical : First instance in 2020. There are instances when you stop the car, and it appears the vehicle has no electrical charge (it is a gas vehicle). Happened once while parked (2020)- service request August 2020, and another while waiting for a green light (2021). My concern is this occurs and causing an accident. Suspension: First instance in 2021: The vehicle has less than 50K miles. The car rattles loudly. Service request Aug 2021. I went into the dealership and was told that the suspension on the driver side right needed replacement with another part. I had to go to the dealership three times for correction. Was told the car was safe to drive at the time. June 2022, the car is making the same cricket noises, and is unstable. It is my concern that the strut mounts/ suspension are defective and poses a risk. …
105000 miles: Lost Brakes extremely hard to push brake pedal. Lost vacuum, enabling to stop car safely. Took brake vacuum line off vacuum pump and plug pump so oil don't leak out pump. Then join the line to an existing vacuum line. Problem solved no issues since. 205000 miles: Repeatedly theft mode, flickering dashboard, and dead battery issues. Battery was good charged, alternator charging right. To lead with fusebox circuit board needed to be re-soldered. Have no idea how it happened but no problem since. I still have all factory parts on car. This is a stick shift 5 speed. Get 40ish bit more miles a gallon. Keep oil changed as normal. I float gears when putting around. Leaving less stress for clutch issues. As I'm 208000 so miles still have few miles before replacing factory clutch brake pads belts plugs etc... …
While driving in early 2025, my 2016 Chevrolet Spark EV suddenly lost all ability to accelerate. The vehicle remained powered on but would not respond to the accelerator, and I was unable to fully shut it off. This created a safety hazard because I could not properly control or secure the vehicle, and it required towing. I replaced the 12V battery at my own expense. The issue briefly disappeared, but the same failure occurred again within weeks. The replacement 12V battery also failed to hold a charge, indicating the problem was not related to the 12V system. I brought the vehicle to Harbor Chevrolet. Their technicians confirmed the problem was caused by a failure of the high-voltage battery system. They also informed me that the required EV battery is unavailable from the manufacturer with no estimated availability. …
Tl* the contact owned a 2016 Chevrolet Spark. While driving approximately 45-50 MPH, there was an abnormal smoke odor in the cabin of the vehicle. Suddenly, the vehicle caught fire. The fire department was notified and extinguished the fire. The vehicle was destroyed. The contact stated that the fire started from inside the vehicle and spread throughout the vehicle. A fire report was filed. The contact was informed by the fire department that the fire might have been caused by an electrical issue, but was unable to substantiate the claim. The vehicle was towed to baker's recovery and towing. There were no injuries sustained. Paul-richard GMC (769 w main st, peru, in 46970, [phone]) was notified. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The VIN was unknown. The approximate failure mileage was 44,000.
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 contact owns a 2015 Chevrolet Spark. The contact stated that while driving 45 MPH, the vehicle began to shake uncontrollably and veered off the road. The contact was able to take control of the vehicle and placed the vehicle in park. The contact stated that there was no audio or visual warning at the time of the failure. The contact alerted OnStar who was unable to diagnose the failure. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where the contact was unaware of the diagnostic result. The vehicle was repaired but the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer where it was repaired, however, the contact was concerned about an OnStar software update. The contact became aware of NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V416000 (Equipment) and related the failure to the recall. …
Related recalls (2)
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 leaves the key in the ignition.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will update the radio software, free of charge. The recall began on July 22, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 45340.
Electrical system › Software
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 leaving the key in the…
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will update the radio software, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020.
Frequently asked questions
Which Chevrolet Spark years have electrical problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2014 (39), 2013 (34), 2015 (9), 2020 (6) and 2016 (5) model years. Electrical complaints make up 23% of all complaints for the 2014.
Is there a recall for Chevrolet Spark electrical problems?
Yes — 2 recalls, including 16V-422 (software, Jun 10, 2016); 16V-257 (software, Apr 28, 2016). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Chevrolet Spark electrical problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 36,000 miles; 68% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the instrument cluster/panel (2 mentions), followed by the instrument panel › fuel gauge (1).
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.