2016 Chevrolet Spark EV

The defect

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2014-2016 Buick Lacrosse and Chevrolet Spark EV, Caprice PPV and SS vehicles, 2014-2017 Buick Encore and Chevrolet Corvette, Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles, 2015-2016 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Tahoe, Trax, Suburban and Silverado 2500 and 3500 and GMC Yukon and Yukon XL vehicles, and 2015-2017 GMC Sierra HD 2500 and 3500 vehicles. While being previously remedied for recall 16V-651, the affected vehicles may not have received the complete software update necessary to remedy the recall condition. Without the update, certain driving conditions may cause the air bag sensing and diagnostic module (SDM) software to activate a diagnostic test. During this test, deployment of the frontal air bags and the seat belt pretensioners would not occur in the event of a crash.

The risk

A failure of the front air bags or seat belt pretensioners to deploy in the event of a crash necessitating deployment increases the risk of injury to the driver and front passenger.

The remedy

GM will notify owners, and dealers will reflash the SDM software. Vehicles that have had a previous air bag deployment will have the SDM replaced. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on August 4, 2017. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 17287.

General Motors LLC · up to 40,683 vehicles across all model years covered

The defect

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015-2017 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD, 3500 HD, Tahoe, Suburban, GMC Sierra 2500 HD and 3500 HD, GMC Yukon, GMC Yukon XL, Cadillac Escalade and Cadillac Escalade ESV vehicles and 2014-2017 Chevrolet Corvette, Silverado 1500, Trax, Caprice Police Pursuit Vehicle, GMC Sierra 1500, Buick Encore, and 2014-2016 Buick Lacrosse, Chevrolet Spark EV and SS vehicles. In the affected vehicles, certain driving conditions may cause the air bag sensing and diagnostic module (SDM) software to activate a diagnostic test. During this test, deployment of the frontal air bags and the seat belt pretensioners would not occur in the event of a crash.

The risk

A failure of the front air bags or seat belt pretensioners to deploy in the event of a crash necessitating deployment increases the risk of injury to the driver and front passenger.

The remedy

GM will notify owners, and dealers will reflash the SDM software. Vehicles that have had a previous air bag deployment will have the SDM replaced. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on October 13, 2016. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 16007.

General Motors LLC · up to 3,640,162 vehicles across all model years covered

Closed defect petition · opened January 27, 2023 · closed August 7, 2023 · led to recall 22V063000

the electrical system

NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after March 1, 2021.On January 27, 2023, NHTSA opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject matter described in the petition. On June 24, 2023 and as supplemented on June 25, 2023, the petitioner notified NHTSA he was withdrawing his petition. The petitioner indicated that, based on his review of data, there is no justification for asserting potential benefits that could be derived from actions sought by my petition. Based on the petitioner's withdrawal, DP22-005 is closed. Closure of this DP does not represent a determination by NHTSA regarding the subject matter of the petition.

Still open engineering analysis · opened September 17, 2021

the air bags

From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited. The rapid burning can cause the inflator to rupture during deployment, potentially causing serious or even fatal injury to vehicle occupants. See 2016 Blomquist Report at www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/documents/expert_report-hrblomquist.pdf.Consequently, all frontal inflators using propellant 2004 that do not contain a "desiccant" (a substance that traps and holds moisture) in US vehicles are under recall. These "non-desiccated" inflators either have been or are required to be replaced.In some cases, the remedy part for these recalled inflators was, or will be, an inflator using either propellant 2004 or 2004L that does contain a desiccant. None of these "desiccated" remedy parts (which were installed in older model year vehicles) are currently under recall for a degradation concern. Certain subsets of desiccated PSAN inflators using propellant 2004 for use as original equipment, however, have been recalled for a degradation concern. All Takata inflators produced with propellant 2004L contain desiccant, and none of these desiccated inflators using propellant 2004L are under recall for a degradation concern. There have been no reported field ruptures in any non-recalled desiccated PSAN inflators.It is understood that desiccants fully saturate at some threshold, at which point any additional moisture will not be captured. This means the degradation process observed in non-desiccated inflators using propellant 2004 may also occur in non-recalled desiccated inflators using propellant 2004, assuming additional moisture enters the inflator and high temperature cycling occurs. Based on available information, desiccant saturation can occur within the first five years in the worst environments, and the time required for full saturation is affected by multiple factors. While no present safety risk has been identified, further work is needed to evaluate the future risk of non-recalled desiccated inflators using propellant 2004.Three entities -- Takata (now known as TK Global), the Independent Testing Coalition, and Exponent -- have been studying the long-term behavior of Takata desiccated PSAN inflators using propellant 2004L (as well as 2004) in the presence of moisture and temperature cycling. The research efforts, which include development of predictive modeling techniques and field sample analysis, are ongoing. To date, none of the researchers have identified field evidence showing that propellant 2004L is undergoing a degradation process that leads to aggressive deployment and potential rupture. However, the time in service of such inflators remains short compared to that of the inflators using propellant 2004. Further study is needed to assess the long-term safety of desiccated inflators using propellant 2004L.The Office of Defects Investigation is opening this investigation to examine whether a safety defect related to propellant degradation exists in non-recalled desiccated PSAN frontal inflators manufactured by Takata. This investigation will require extensive information on Takata production processes and surveys of inflators in the field. Lists of recall actions that may have used desiccated PSAN inflators as remedy parts, as well as the makes and models originally manufactured with them, is available with the downloadable version of this document (see nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=EA21002 -- note this information is subject to change/revision as the investigation proceeds). This investigation does not supersede EA15-001, which remains open.

crash · 4,500 miles

GOTTEN INTO A MINOR ACCIDENT AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND THE SEAT BELT TENSIONER DID NOT WORK. NO INJURIES SINCE IT WAS UNDER 15MPH, BUT I AM CONCERNED THAT THIS WAS CAUSED FROM THE DEFECT BEFORE THE RECALL EFFORT.

NHTSA complaint 10908345. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

18,031 miles

I WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH AND HIT A POT HOLE WHICH RESULTED IN THE PASSENGER AND DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG CURTAINS DEPLOYING. THERE IS NO VISIBLE DAMAGE TO TIRE OR CAR

NHTSA complaint 11099255. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

11,000 miles

I WAS DRIVING A 2016 CHEVROLET SPARK EV ON A CITY ROADWAY WHEN I HAD A COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE AND ALMOST WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION. AT THE START OF MY COMMUTE, I TURNED THE VEHICLE ON WHICH WAS PARKED ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE GARAGE. I NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A LOUD SOUND COMING FROM THE FRONT LEFT PORTION OF THE VEHICLE AS THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS PULSATING. AS I PULLED OUT ONTO THE ROADWAY THE PULSATING AND THE LOUD SOUND CONTINUED AS A SET OF WARNING LIGHTS TURNED ON. THE WARNING LIGHTS WERE (ABS WARNING, STABILITRAK AND SERVICE BRAKES). I BEGAN TO SLOW DOWN TO APPROX. 30 MPH IN A 50 MPH ZONE AS I CAME TO AN INTERSECTION. AS I CAME TO A BUSY INTERSECTION I APPLIED THE BRAKE TO STOP FOR A RED …

NHTSA complaint 11034167, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

14,029 miles

THE CAR WAS STOPPED AND WAS HIT FROM THE REAR ON A CITY STREET. THE IMPACT SPEED WAS APPROXIMATELY 15MPH (ESTIMATED). THE DRIVER SEAT SLID BACK UPON IMPACT AND APPEARED TO DERAIL AND WAS STOPPED BY THE REAR SEAT. AFTER THE ACCIDENT, THE SEAT WOULD NOT SLIDE FORWARD. I AM CONCERNED THAT THIS IS A MAJOR VEHICLE SAFETY ISSUE THAT SHOULD BE DOCUMENTED..

NHTSA complaint 11033389. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SUDDEN AND STRONG BRAKE PEDAL APPLICATIONS OCCASIONALLY RESULTED IN SIGNIFICANTLY MORE PEDAL TRAVEL, SIGNIFICANTLY LESS BRAKING FORCE, AND SIGNIFICANTLY LONGER STOPPING DISTANCES THAN TYPICALLY EXPERIENCED DURING SIMILAR BRAKE PEDAL APPLICATIONS. EACH EVENT OCCURRED ON WARM, DRY SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA STREETS DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS, TRAVELING BETWEEN 30-40 MPH. ON EACH OCCASION, THE BRAKES -- INCLUDING REGENERATION -- FUNCTIONED AS EXPECTED JUST PRIOR TO AND JUST AFTER THE EVENT, AND THE BATTERY WAS IN A STATE OF PARTIAL DISCHARGE, BUT DURING EACH EVENT THE PEDAL FEEL WAS SIMILAR TO THE FEEL EXPERIENCED JUST AFTER CHARGING TO 100% (WHEN REGENERATIVE BRAKING IS NOT YET AVAILABLE.) I SUSPECT THAT …

NHTSA complaint 11022827, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

3,006 miles

4 TIMES WHILE DRIVING, 1 TIME WHILE STATIONARY, THE CAR'S BRAKE ASSIST (POWER BRAKING SYSTEM) HAS GONE OUT. EACH TIME, IT WAS DIFFICULT TO SLOW THE VEHICLE AND BRING IT TO A STOP. THERE WAS A "SERVICE STABILITRAK" WARNING FOLLOWED IMMEDIATELY BY A "SERVICE BRAKE ASSIST" WARNING. CONCURRENTLY, THE ABILITY TO BRAKE IS EXTREMELY DIMINISHED. THE BRAKE PEDAL GOES MOST OF THE WAY TO THE FLOOR WITH VERY LITTLE BRAKING CAPACITY. IT FEELS LIKE THERE ARE NO POWER BRAKES, ONLY MANUAL BRAKES THAT REQUIRE A GREAT DEAL OF EFFORT. EACH OF THE FIRST THREE TIMES IT WENT INTO THE DEALERSHIP, THEY TOLD ME THEY FULLY REPLACED THE PEDAL ASSEMBLY. AS OF THE FOURTH TIME IT WENT IN (JAN 13), WHERE IT STILL IS NOW …

NHTSA complaint 10947113, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

1,773 miles

4 TIMES WHILE DRIVING, 1 TIME WHILE STATIONARY, THE CAR'S BRAKE ASSIST (POWER BRAKING SYSTEM) HAS GONE OUT. EACH TIME, IT WAS DIFFICULT TO SLOW THE VEHICLE AND BRING IT TO A STOP. THERE WAS A "SERVICE STABILITRAK" WARNING FOLLOWED IMMEDIATELY BY A "SERVICE BRAKE ASSIST" WARNING. CONCURRENTLY, THE ABILITY TO BRAKE IS EXTREMELY DIMINISHED. THE BRAKE PEDAL GOES MOST OF THE WAY TO THE FLOOR WITH VERY LITTLE BRAKING CAPACITY. IT FEELS LIKE THERE ARE NO POWER BRAKES, ONLY MANUAL BRAKES THAT REQUIRE A GREAT DEAL OF EFFORT. EACH OF THE FIRST THREE TIMES IT WENT INTO THE DEALERSHIP, THEY TOLD ME THEY FULLY REPLACED THE PEDAL ASSEMBLY. AS OF THE FOURTH TIME IT WENT IN (JAN 13), WHERE IT STILL IS NOW …

NHTSA complaint 10947104, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.