Home · 2014 Chevrolet Spark EV · Complaints

What 168 owners told NHTSA about the 2014 Chevrolet Spark EV

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (168)Crash / fire / injury (14)Engine (48)Transmission & drivetrain (43)Electrical system (38)Speed control (22)Fuel system (17)Airbags (13)Brakes (12)Body & structure (10)Electronic Stability Control (esc) (9)Latches & locks (7)

2 of 168 complaints match · Brakes · crash/fire/injury only · clear filters

Dec 29, 2016Brakes1 injury

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 SAME ERROR WAS DISPLAYED AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS NEARLY USELESS. I CALLED THE DEALER AND THEY TOLD ME TO CALL CHEVY ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE. THEY HAD ME WAIT 90 MINUTES IN THE COLD WITH A CAR WITH NO HEAT FOR THE TOW TRUCK TO ARRIVE. I WAS ONLY A FEW BLOCKS FROM WHERE I WOULD HAVE BEEN GETTING ON THE FREEWAY. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED ON THE FREEWAY THEN I AM CERTAIN THAT SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH WOULD HAVE RESULTED. THE CAR IS NOW AT WENTWORTH CHEVY IN PORTLAND, OR. I HAVE HAD OTHER BRAKE ISSUES WITH THIS CAR BEFORE. LAST YEAR THE ELECTRONIC PARKING BRAKE WAS FAILING TO RELEASE ON ONLY ONE WHEEL, WHICH WOULD BECOME EVIDENT AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS WHEN THE CAR WOULD START SHAKING VIOLENTLY AND ONE REAR WHEEL WOULD GET VERY HOT. IT TOOK 3-4 VISITS FOR THE DEALER TO REPAIR IT, MOSTLY BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T BELIEVE ME THE FIRST FEW VISITS.. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10938668

Nov 4, 2015SteeringSuspensionBrakesCrash2 injuries

I WAS DRIVING ON THE TURNPIKE NEAR WEST PALM BEACH AND I LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY. THE BRAKES WAS NOT WORKING AND THE STEERING LOCKED ON ME PREVENTING ME TO TURN THE WHEEL RESULTING IN THE VEHICLE CRASHING INTO THE GRASS TO A GUARD RAIL. ALSO THE AIR BAGS IN THE FROM DID NOT DEPLOY. ONLY THE SIDE AIR BAGS. I INJURED MY HEAD AND HAD TO GET STITCHES BECAUSE OF THIS.

NHTSA ODI 10788298

Working with the data? Download all 168 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 26, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2014 Chevrolet Spark EV verdict →