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What 28 owners told NHTSA about the 2017 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 (28)Crash / fire / injury (6)Transmission & drivetrain (8)Brakes (7)Airbags (5)Electrical system (5)Engine (4)Visibility & wipers (4)Fuel system (1)Lights (1)Seat belts (1)Seats (1)

Newest first · 28 complaints · page 2 of 2

Jul 25, 2017BrakesCrash1 injury

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2017 CHEVROLET SPARK. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE BRAKES SUDDENLY MALFUNCTIONED AND THE DRIVER CRASHED INTO A PARKED BULLDOZER. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED A LEFT KNEE INJURY, WHICH DID NOT REQUIRE MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER AND LOCAL DEALER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,000.

NHTSA ODI 11010588

Feb 21, 2017AirbagsCrash1 injury

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*LJ *CN

NHTSA ODI 10956035

Feb 21, 2017Seat belts

I JUST RETURNED A LEASED SPARK EV AND PURCHASED A 1LT SPARK. THE 2017 MODEL YEAR HAD CHANGES, BUT THE ISSUE IS THAT THE SEAT BELT HEIGHT IS NO LONGER ADJUSTABLE! I AM VERY SHORT, AND THE SEATBELT CROSSES MY THROAT OR COLLAR BONE AREA, WHICH WOULD INJURE ME UNDULY IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH. I ORDERED THE CAR, AND STILL WANT IT... BUT I WANT A FIX FOR THIS PROBLEM FROM CHEVROLET. THIS IS VERY UPSETTING -- I HAVE NEVER HAD A CAR WITHOUT SOME SORT OF MANUFACTURER'S ADJUSTMENTS FOR SHORT AND TALL DRIVERS. ONE SIZING DOESN'T SAFELY FIT EVERYONE. I AM UPLOADING A PICTURE OF THE NON-HEIGHT ADJUSTABLE SAFETY BELT, AND ONE OF HOW IT FITS A SHORT PERSON (ME....62 INCHES TALL) WHICH I BELIEVE IS UNSAFE. FOR ALL THE SAFETY RECALLS I HAVE RETURNED CARS FOR IN THE PAST, THIS IS AS GOOD OR BETTER A REASON FOR A RECALL AS ANY OTHER.

NHTSA ODI 10956193

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Working with the data? Download all 28 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 2017 Chevrolet Spark EV verdict →