2016 Chevrolet Spark Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Spark years
- More complaints than other years 5th of 10 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 28 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 Chevrolet Spark. That ranks 5th out of 10 Spark model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is service brakes (10 complaints, 36%), typically at around 35,233 miles. Complaints mention 1 crash, 1 fire, 1 injury. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
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- 28owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 1complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2016 Chevrolet Spark problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes | 10 | 36% | 35,233 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 5 | 18% | 25,500 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 5 | 18% | 57,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 4 | 14% | 90,889 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 2 | 7% | 49,157 | — | — |
| Engine | 2 | 7% | 55,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 2 | 7% | — | — | — |
| Steering | 2 | 7% | 64,553 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 2 | 7% | 24,753 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 1 | 4% | 35,233 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 4% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2016 Chevrolet Spark recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module
Problem: 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. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Risk: In the event of a crash with a frontal air bag deployment, an unbelted child in the front passenger seat has an increased risk of injury.
Fix: 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.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture (EA21002) — opened Sep 17, 2021, still open.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
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…
I am the owner of a 2016 Spark EV, and the driver was my family member. The vehicle was charged and had a remaining driving range of 51 miles when the vehicle suddenly shut down on a major city road without any prior warning or symptoms of a problem. The vehicle did not restart immediately, and…
The contact owned a 2016 Chevrolet Spark. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 MPH, the vehicle was T-bone crashed into on the driver's side by a second vehicle. During the crash, the driver-side curtain air bags did not immediately deploy. The contact indicated that the air bag…
I was driving downhill with the car in L on a highway and brakes failed. I could not engage the brakes at all but somehow the car slowed to a stop and I managed to pull into a parking spot and park. Two lights came on: Service Intellitrak and Service Brake Assist. The car has been inspected by the…
The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Spark. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, the transmission was slipping, and the cruise control was not operating correctly. Additionally, the RPM was elevated with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer and…
Other Chevrolet Spark years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 Spark | 3 | 0 |
| 2021 Spark | 6 | 0 |
| 2020 Spark | 19 | 0 |
| 2019 Spark | 14 | 1 |
| 2018 Spark | 9 | 0 |
| 2017 Spark | 29 | 1 |
| 2016 | 28 | 1 |
| 2015 Spark | 76 | 5 |
| 2014 Spark | 172 | 6 |
| 2013 Spark | 146 | 5 |
See all Chevrolet Spark problems by year, every Chevrolet model, or the Chevrolet VIN decoder.
Similar Chevrolet models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2016 Chevrolet Spark?
Owners most often report service brakes, electrical system, unknown or other problems. The top one, service brakes, accounts for 10 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2016 Chevrolet Spark?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2016 Chevrolet Spark a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Spark model years, the 2016 has more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.