There are 2 owner-reported fuel system complaints for the 2013 Chevrolet Sparkin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
I GET THIS LOUD ANNOYING HIGH PITCHED RINGING SOUND COMING FROM BACK WHEELS. THE SOUND IS SO LOUD AT TIMES THAT PEDESTRIANS CAN HEAR IT AS I AM DRIVING DOWN THE STREET. IT DOES THIS AFTER I HAVE BEEN DRIVING THE CAR FOR 30 MINUTES OR MORE. ONCE THE RINGING SOUND STARTS IT WILL NOT STOP NO MATTER WHAT SPEED I'M GOING OR WHETHER I AM SITTING IN IDOL, PARK OR IN ANY GEAR. CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP REPAIR DEPARTMENT DOESN'T KNOW WHAT IT IS BUT SAID IT MAY BE THE FUEL PUMP. WHAT CONCERNS ME IS THAT THE DEALERSHIP REPAIR DEPARTMENT WILL NOT AT LEAST CHECK THE FUEL PUMP WHICH WOULD ELIMINATE THIS AS THE POTENTIAL PROBLEM. IT DEFINITELY IS NOT A FUNCTIONAL SOUND AND IT MAY BE DANGEROUS TO CONTINUE TO DRIVE THE CAR WHEN IT IS MAKING THIS SOUND. *TR
MY HUSBAND WAS PULLING THE CHEVY SPARK INTO A PARKING PLACE WHEN FOUR PEOPLE DECIDED TO CROSS OVER IT. WHEN THE BRAKE WAS APPLIED TO ALLOW THEM TO SAFELY PASS, THE CAR ACCELERATED INSTEAD. THE BRAKES PRESSED BACK AGAINST HIS FOOT HE SAID AND CAR EVENTUALLY STOPPED. WE WERE BOTH CONFUSED, SURPRISED AND AFRAID! THE CAR WAS NOT DRIVEN AGAIN UNTIL I TOOK IT OUT TWO DAYS LATER. IT HAPPENED ONCE MORE WHEN I WAS BRAKING AT A RED LIGHT BEHIND A LARGE TRUCK AT A VERY LOW SPEED. I PRESSED THE BRAKE HARDER A SECOND TIME AND THEN TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE. THIS TIME THE ACCELERATION CONTINUED EVEN AFTER MY FOOT WAS TAKEN OFF THE BRAKE. I SHOVED THE CAR INTO PARK TO GET IT TO STOP. I SUSTAINED A BROKEN TOE AND FRACTURED ANKLE FROM THE FORCE OF TRYING TO STOP THE CAR. A FEW MONTHS BEFORE THIS, WHEN APPLYING THE GAS, THE CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE AT TWO CONSECUTIVE RED LIGHTS. ENGINE WAS VERY SLOW AND CAR WAS NOT ABLE TO ACCELERATE TO THE SPEED LIMIT AND HESITATED ALL THE WAY HOME. THE CAR HAS A FACTORY RECALL ON THE AIR CONDITIONER RIGHT NOW AS WELL, WHICH WE RECEIVED FROM GM. WE ARE TERRIFIED TO DRIVE THIS CAR NOT KNOWING IF THESE DEFECTS WILL CONTINUE! THE CAR IS IN THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND WE ARE IN CONTACT WITH THE DEALERSHIP ABOUT A BUY BACK FROM GM. WE BOUGHT THE SPARK AUGUST 30, 2013, SO IT IS NOT EVEN A YEAR OLD. I HAVE DONE A SEARCH FOR OTHERS WHO MAY BE HAVING THE SAME OR SIMILAR ISSUES. THERE ARE REPORTS OF VERY SIMILAR INCIDENTS ON SITES FOR COMPLAINTS FOR BOTH ISSUES OF BRAKE ACCELERATION AND THE GAS PEDAL HESITATION ALSO REPORTS OF THE SPARK ENGINE STOPPING IN TRAFFIC. THIS IS VERY CONCERNING AND DANGEROUS. WE HOPE THIS IS TAKEN SERIOUSLY AND INVESTIGATED. *TR
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026