2013 Chevrolet Spark: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
146 NHTSA owner complaints · 5 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Owner complaints: 146 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 11.23
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
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 …
The contact owns a 2013 Chevrolet Spark. The contact stated while driving approximately 60 MPH, the vehicle started to lose motive power. The contact stated that the vehicle was not able to accelerate above 30 MPH. The contact stated that there were no warning lights illuminated. The contact was able to drive the vehicle to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission pump had f…
The contact owns a 2013 Chevrolet Spark. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V257000 (Equipment, Electrical System) and would like to be removed from the recall distribution list. The local dealer and manufacturer were contacted.
Recalls: 5 campaigns (3 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 14V298000 | Air Bags | General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013 Buick Encore vehicles manufactured April 10, 2013, to May 8, 2013, and Chevrolet Spark vehicles manufactured December 30, 2012, to March 1, 2013. In the affected vehicles, an improper weld on the passenger side front air bag inflator may result in the air bag not deploying. |
| 16V422000 | Electrical System:Software | General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Chevrolet Sonic and Trax, and 2013-2015 Spark vehicles equipped with a Bring Your Own Media radio. The affected radios may fail to provide an audible warning chime when the driver fails to fasten their seatbelt or if the driver leaves the key in the ignition. |
| 14V593000 | Latches/Locks/Linkages:Hood:Latch | General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Chevrolet Spark vehicles manufactured January 17, 2012, to July 29, 2014. The secondary hood latch may prematurely corrode at the latch pivot causing the striker to get stuck out of position, preventing it from properly engaging the hood latch. |
| 22V640000 | Latches/Locks/Linkages:Hood:Latch | General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2013-2015 Chevrolet Spark and 2014-2015 Chevrolet Spark EV vehicles. The secondary hood latch may corrode at the latch pivot, preventing the hood latch from properly engaging. |
| 16V257000 | Equipment:Electrical:Radio/Tape Deck/Cd Etc. | General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2016 Chevrolet Sonic and Trax vehicles and 2013-2015 Chevrolet Spark vehicles equipped with a Bring Your Own Media radio. The affected radios may fail to provide an audible warning chime when the driver, after turning off the ignition and leaving the key in the cylinder, waits 10 minutes or longer… |
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a city car of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 31 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $2,000
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
What this car's problems cost to fix
Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.
- Engine35 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Electrical System34 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Power Train34 complaints · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair (7.0 h labour + parts)$1,290–$4,040
- Unknown Or Other20 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Vehicle Speed Control14 complaints · typical job: Throttle body, pedal sensor or cruise module replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$520–$1,150
- Air Bags13 complaints · typical job: Airbag module, clockspring or sensor replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$600–$1,700
Other Chevrolet Spark years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2013 Chevrolet Spark?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Engine (35 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2013 Chevrolet Spark a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is AVOID with a reliability score of 40/100, computed from 146 NHTSA complaints and 5 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2013 Chevrolet Spark's most common problem?
35 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2013 Chevrolet Spark sit in the Engine group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is cooling-system or timing-drive repair: about 6.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $1,040–$2,220 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.
What does a 2013 Chevrolet Spark cost to run per year?
About $4,563 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $22,815 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.
Does the 2013 Chevrolet Spark have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 5 recall campaign(s) for the 2013 Chevrolet Spark, 3 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 06/06/2014. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other economys of about the same age.
What will a 2013 Chevrolet Spark really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData sources
Complaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-10-04.
Moderate evidence — 146 complaints, 5 recalls on record
- 146 NHTSA complaints on record (11.2/yr of exposure) — worse than a typical year of this model (3.2/yr)
- 5 recall campaigns, 3 touching safety-critical systems