Problems · by component
2013 Chevrolet Spark engine problems
35 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2013 Chevrolet Spark cite engine, 24% of all 146 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
35
24% of all complaints
Crashes
2
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
What owners say about the engine
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“Vehicle stalls when started, after vehicle is up to temp the rpm’s fluctuate and vehicle misfires. I was driving down the road when all of a sudden the car went into limp mode I couldn’t do anything and me and my son almost got run off the road but after a few minutes of pressing the gas pedal it finally started to move. Dealership is unable to fix problem because they can’t even figure out what it is $7000.00 later and no one can figure out the problem. This is a lemon and Chevy should be recalling all Chevy spark before someone gets hurt.”
“I'm coming to a stop or slowing down the car shuts off. Even when making a turn in front of another car across traffic my car has turned off in the middle of crossing the street and I almost got hit twice now. This affects the cruise control coming on as well the speedometer fluctuates back and forth the whole time I'm driving. This happens every day and at most times when I'm coming to a stop or coming out of a stop. I just have to test the gas before I make a turn in front of oncoming traffic to cross the road to make sure that I have power and then I go as fast as I can across so that hopefully I'll gain enough speed so that the car doesn't shut off again. So usually it's every time I come to a red light which is at least at the very least from my work to home is four lights and at every light it will do it. Oftentimes I cross traffic and it will do it. I just had to be very careful”
“I do not know what system affects the problem my car is having it stalls in front of oncoming traffic on left turns it's done this to me 3 to 4 times and it scares me. It will start right back up and go but it'll still continuously throughout the day when I slow down or come to a red light. The speed control sensor went out and I replaced it and there seem to be middle or something on that. I've read different reports or seen on YouTube that people have reported the same problem with their cars it is definitely a safety issue had it not started up or had I panicked like I did the first time and almost not get it started but a car could crash into me because my car stalled in front of traffic the problem has not been reproduced for anybody and there has been no report to dealership insurance police anything like that. I have checked periodically to see if there is a recall on it and there hasn't been this is the first time I'm seeing where you can report something like this so I thought I would”
“ENGINE REMAINS RUNNING AFTER IGNITION IS TURNED OFF WHEN PARKED AFTER DRIVING MORE THAN 20 MILES ON THE HIGHWAY. DAUGHTER REPORTS THIS HAS OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES IN THE PAST SIX MONTH. THE ENGINE IS GROWLING WHEN DRIVING INDICATING SOME TYPE OF FAILURE OF COMPONENTS. THIS OCCURRED ON OUR STREET AT APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH. .”
“CAR WILL START TO JERK WHEN ACCELERATING AND LOOSE POWER AND NOT SHIFT. ENGINE LIGHT FLASHES AND SOMETIMES TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT STAYS ON AS WELL DURING THIS. IF YOU SHUT OFF ENGINE WAIT FOR FEW MINUTES THEN START IT'S OK. HAPPENS WHEN EVER. JUST HAPPENED YESTERDAY AND TODAY.”
“USED CAR W/36,000 MILES AND/OR 1 YR WRNTY. UNDER A YR, BUT OUTSIDE OF MILEAGE, CHECK ENG LIGHT STARTS COMING ON TO THE DAY, FROM FEB 28, 2017 TO MAY 28, 2017. FROM FEB 28 TO MAR 27 TO APRIL 27 HAVE HAD TO DO OIL CHANGE. CHECK ENG LIGHT WOULD NO LONGER BE ON AFTER OIL CHANGE. THEN CAR STARTED MAKING EXCESSIVELY LOUD NOISE AT 77,000 MILES SO LOUD NO ONE COULD HEAR ME WHILE ON MY BLUE TOOTH. CHEVY DEALER & A SHOP RAN A DIAGNOSTIC BUT NO ERROR CODES IN APRIL & MAY. SHOP TELLS ME TIRES ARE CUPPING, I NEED NEW TIRES THAT WERE PRETTY MUCH NEW AT USED CAR DEALER. CHEVY DEALER TELLS ME NO ERROR CODES ON DIAGNOSTIC PLUS I NEED WHEEL HUB BEARINGS, TIRE SHOP TELLS ME THE TIRES NEED REPLACING, DOES A THOROUGH INSPECT WHILE CAR IS ON LIFT, SAYS PROBLEM IS STRUTS IN FRONT NEED REPLACING IMMEDIATELY & SHOCKS NEED REPLACING SOON ON BACK THEN SAYS WHEEL HUB BEARINGS ARE FINE, IT'S THE HUB BRACKET THAT IS LOOSE & MAKING RATTLING NOISE ALONG WITH BAD TIRE NOISE. THIS IS AT 80,000 MILES. GOT TIRES, NO MONEY TO DO OTHER WORK. SMALL LOCAL SHOP NEAR HOME CONFIRMS BIG O IS CORRECT, TIRES ARE CUPPED & IT'S DUE TO BAD FRONT SHOCKS. HIGHLY UNUSUAL FOR 80,000 MILES MAY 3 DEALER LOOKS AT…”
Showing 6 of 35 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.