Problems · NHTSA complaints

2020 Chevrolet Spark problems

Owners filed 20 complaints about the 2020 Chevrolet Spark with NHTSA between Apr 2020 and Oct 2026. The most-cited component is air bags (7).

Complaints
20
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
6
Reported by owners
Fires
2
Reported by owners
Injuries
10
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Air bags7
  2. Electrical system6
  3. Engine3
  4. Service brakes1
  5. Fuel/propulsion system1
  6. Tires1
  7. Seat belts1
  8. Forward collision avoidance1
  9. Steering1
  10. Other / unknown5

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20203
20216
20221
20235
20241
20253
20261

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Air bags

7 reports6 crashes
“The contact was a passenger in a 2020 Chevrolet Spark. The contact stated that, while the owner was driving at an undisclosed speed through an intersection, another vehicle failed to yield for a red light. As a result, the other vehicle collided with the passenger side front quarter panel of the vehicle. The air bags did deploy, which the contact held responsible for the injuries she sustained. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a storage facility and deemed a total loss by the owner's insurance provider. A police report was filed, and injuries were reported. Both the driver and the contact were transported to an area hospital by EMT. The driver was treated for whiplash, back pain, and shortness of breath. The contact was treated for an injured sternum, injured left knee, injured left ankle, injured right hip, broken right hand middle finger, and whiplash. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was unknown.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 29, 2025Air bagsCrash reportedODI 11696452

Electrical system

6 reports2 fires
“The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Spark. The contact stated that while driving at 15 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle lost motive power. The contact exited the vehicle, unlatched the hood, and wiggled the battery cable, and the vehicle worked as intended. No warning light was illuminated. An independent mechanic and the dealer were contacted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and was inspected, and the contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed, and it was determined that the battery cables needed to be replaced. The transmission was replaced; however, the battery was not replaced. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 243,656.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 4, 2025Electrical systemODI 11697462

Engine

3 reports
“The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Spark. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The contact was able to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle was able to restart. After restarting the vehicle, the vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 38,000. The VIN was not available.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 21, 2025EngineODI 11655775

Service brakes

1 report
“Two times in the last two years my vacuum pump has failed. First time it happened in Dec 2024. It happened again in July 2026. With the failure my breaks were very difficult to push to slow the vehicle down. No lights or alarms just one minute I had breaks second they weren’t working properly. Luckily I was on a high way and had time to slow down so an accident didn’t occur. First repair my partner did second I took to a local garage to fix it.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 22, 2026Service brakesODI 11772925

Fuel/propulsion system

1 report
“The fuel line or a component which is part of the fuel system was chewed through by a rodent and the gas was pouring out of the rear of the car. My safety was at risk because if I didn't first smell the gas and then see the dripping gas, something may have sparked and caused the car to catch on fire or explode. The problem was confirmed by the dealer who sold me the car and who repaired the problem. The problem was not inspected by the manufacturer, etc. There were no warning lights that could have warned about the problem until the tank ran dry. I did see online that there is a class action against Toyota and Honda because the wires in their cars are coated with a soy material which is attracting rodents. My 2020 Chevy Spark was purchased new. The car I had previously sat out in the same parking area for 9 years and I have never had rodents attracted to the wires or fuel system.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 23, 2023Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11528584

Tires

1 report
“The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Spark equipped with Kumho Tires, Tire Line: Solus TA31, Tire Size: 185/55/R15, DOT Number: Y0MBYAY1. The contact stated that the driver's and passenger's side front tires and the passenger's side rear tire had chunks of rubber separating from the tread. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed that the driver's and passenger's side front tires and the passenger's side rear tire needed to be replaced. The tires were not replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that the tires were not covered under warranty. The failure mileage was 22,817.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 3, 2023TiresODI 11499991
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.