2015 Chevrolet Spark: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
83 NHTSA owner complaints · 5 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Owner complaints: 83 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 7.55
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
The contact owns a 2015 Chevrolet Spark. The vehicle was purchased from a private seller. The contact became nauseated after driving the vehicle for the second time. The contact’s throat, chest, and eyes hurt, and his head was pulsating; the contact was unable to think clearly. No medical attention was received. The contact used an air quality meter to test the inside of the vehicle, which showed "Seriously bad air q…
This report concerns a known CVT defect and subsequent TCM failure that left the vehicle unsafe and inoperable. The vehicle suffered internal CVT failure consistent with GM Special Coverage N192271110. After the first transmission failed in May 2024 (and the second time October 5 2025), the TCM failed again shortly after the second failure—consistent with GM Preliminary Information Bulletin PIP5525A. Critical Safety …
Vehicle began slipping out of gear between 1st & 2nd, then started losing power at 74,760 miles. Extended service coverage has been issued for model for CVT transmission pulley system, however only covers 10 years or 100,000 miles, whichever comes first. Mine apparently timed out in February, so they are trying to make me get a new transmission which basically totals out the car I spent a fortune on to buy & in repai…
Recalls: 5 campaigns (3 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 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… |
| 15V416000 | Equipment:Electrical:Radio/Tape Deck/Cd Etc. | General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 Chevrolet Spark vehicles manufactured April 30, 2014, to May 20, 2015, and 2015 Chevrolet Sonic vehicles manufactured June 18, 2014, to June 10, 2015. In the affected vehicles, equipped with the base radio and OnStar, the radio may lock up due to a software issue, causing the display to go… |
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 33 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $1,850
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.
- Power Train26 complaints · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair (7.0 h labour + parts)$1,290–$4,040
- Engine11 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Electrical System9 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Service Brakes9 complaints · typical job: Pads, rotors and caliper service, both axles (3.0 h labour + parts)$580–$1,140
- Vehicle Speed Control7 complaints · typical job: Throttle body, pedal sensor or cruise module replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$520–$1,150
- Fuel/Propulsion System7 complaints · typical job: Fuel pump or injector replacement (3.5 h labour + parts)$680–$1,620
Other Chevrolet Spark years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2015 Chevrolet Spark?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Power Train (26 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2015 Chevrolet Spark a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is CAUTION with a reliability score of 52/100, computed from 83 NHTSA complaints and 5 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2015 Chevrolet Spark's most common problem?
26 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2015 Chevrolet Spark sit in the Power Train group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is transmission service or clutch-pack repair: about 7.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $1,290–$4,040 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 2015 Chevrolet Spark cost to run per year?
About $4,203 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $21,015 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 2015 Chevrolet Spark have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 5 recall campaign(s) for the 2015 Chevrolet Spark, 3 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 10/06/2016. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other economys of about the same age.
What will a 2015 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 — 83 complaints, 5 recalls on record
- 83 NHTSA complaints on record (7.5/yr of exposure) — worse than a typical year of this model (3.2/yr)
- 5 recall campaigns, 3 touching safety-critical systems