2016 Chevrolet Spark EV recalls and problems

The 2016 Chevrolet Spark EV has 2 safety recalls and 14 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at any Chevrolet dealer.

Recalls

Complaints

Crashes / fires

2 / 0

Injuries / deaths

1 / 0

Recalls may cover only some 2016 Chevrolet Spark EV vehicles. Check your VIN at NHTSA ↗ to see open recalls for your exact car.

2016 Chevrolet Spark EV recalls

Recall 17V-437: Seat Belts, Air Bags

Reported Jul 10, 2017 · 40,683 vehicles affected · General Motors LLC

Problem: 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, Suburban and Silverado 2500 and 3500 and GMC Yukon and Yukon XL vehicles, and 2015-2017 GMC Sierra HD 2500 and 3500 vehicles. While being previously remedied for recall 16V-651, the affected vehicles may not have received the complete software update necessary to remedy the recall condition. Without the update, certain driving conditions may cause the air bag sensing and diagnostic module (SDM) software to activate a diagnostic test. During this test, deployment of the frontal air bags and the seat belt pretensioners would not occur in the event of a crash.

Risk: A failure of the front air bags or seat belt pretensioners to deploy in the event of a crash necessitating deployment increases the risk of injury to the driver and front passenger.

Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reflash the SDM software. Vehicles that have had a previous air bag deployment will have the SDM replaced. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on August 4, 2017. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 17287.

Recall 16V-651: Seat Belts, Air Bags

Reported Sep 8, 2016 · 3,640,162 vehicles affected · General Motors LLC

Problem: 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 Police Pursuit Vehicle, GMC Sierra 1500, Buick Encore, and 2014-2016 Buick Lacrosse, Chevrolet Spark EV and SS vehicles. In the affected vehicles, certain driving conditions may cause the air bag sensing and diagnostic module (SDM) software to activate a diagnostic test. During this test, deployment of the frontal air bags and the seat belt pretensioners would not occur in the event of a crash.

Risk: A failure of the front air bags or seat belt pretensioners to deploy in the event of a crash necessitating deployment increases the risk of injury to the driver and front passenger.

Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reflash the SDM software. Vehicles that have had a previous air bag deployment will have the SDM replaced. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on October 13, 2016. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 16007.

2016 Chevrolet Spark EV problems reported by owners

Problem area	Reports
Service Brakes	10
Air Bags	3
Seats	1

Typical mileage at the time of the problem: 3,006 miles (median of owner reports).

Problems that are not covered by a recall are paid repairs; labor rates follow local mechanic pay — see what auto mechanics earn in each state.

Recent 2016 Chevrolet Spark EV complaints

Owner reports filed with NHTSA, as written (personal details removed). Complaints are not verified by NHTSA.

Air Bags · at 18,031 miles · reported Jun 1, 2018

I was driving approximately 25 MPH and hit a pot hole which resulted in the passenger and driver side air bag curtains deploying. There is no visible damage to tire or car

Service Brakes · at 11,000 miles · reported Oct 17, 2017

I was driving a 2016 chevrolet spark EV on a city roadway when I had a complete brake failure and almost was involved in a collision. At the start of my commute, I turned the vehicle on which was parked on the outside of the garage. I noticed that there was a loud sound coming from the front left portion of the vehicle as the brake pedal was pulsating. As I pulled out onto the roadway the pulsating and the loud sound continued as a set of warning lights turned on. The warning lights were (Abs warning, stabilitrak and service brakes). I began to slow down to approx. 30 MPH in a 50 MPH zone as I…

Seats · at 14,029 miles · reported Oct 14, 2017

The car was stopped and was hit from the rear on a city street. The impact speed was approximately 15mph (Estimated). The driver seat slid back upon impact and appeared to derail and was stopped by the rear seat. After the accident, the seat would not slide forward. I AM concerned that this is a major vehicle safety issue that should be documented..

Service Brakes · reported Sep 12, 2017

Sudden and strong brake pedal applications occasionally resulted in significantly more pedal travel, significantly less braking force, and significantly longer stopping distances than typically experienced during similar brake pedal applications. Each event occurred on warm, dry southern california streets during daylight hours, traveling between 30-40 MPH. On each occasion, the brakes -- including regeneration -- functioned as expected just prior to and just after the event, and the battery was in a state of partial discharge, but during each event the pedal feel was similar to the feel…

Service Brakes · at 3,006 miles · reported Jan 23, 2017

4 times while driving, 1 time while stationary, the car's brake assist (Power braking system) has gone out. Each time, it was difficult to slow the vehicle and bring it to a stop. There was a "service stabilitrak" warning followed immediately by a "service brake assist" warning. Concurrently, the ability to brake is extremely diminished. The brake pedal goes most of the way to the floor with very little braking capacity. It feels like there are no power brakes, only manual brakes that require a great deal of effort. Each of the first three times it went into the dealership, they told me they…

Other Chevrolet Spark EV years

20162015 2014

Compare all Chevrolet Spark EV years · All Chevrolet models

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2016 Chevrolet Spark EV have any recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 2 recalls for the 2016 Chevrolet Spark EV: 17V-437 (seat belts, air bags), 16V-651 (seat belts, air bags). Not every vehicle is affected, so check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What is the most common problem with the 2016 Chevrolet Spark EV?

Owners report service brakes problems most often (10 reports), followed by air bags (3). The typical mileage when problems were reported is about 3,006 miles.

Are Chevrolet recall repairs free?

Yes. Safety recall repairs are free at authorized Chevrolet dealers, whether you are the first owner or bought the car used.