Common problems
Chevrolet Spark common problems
What MOT testers find on the Chevrolet Spark: the parts that fail or get advisories most often at each age, against all cars of the same age. From 59,796 DVSA MOT tests taken 2022 to 2025.
MOT data updated
At 12 years, the most tested age
What stands out
- Brakes fails show up on 16.5 of every 100 MOTs of a Chevrolet Spark at 12 years old (n=14,596), against 8.2 for all cars of that age (n=7,303,151).
- Exhaust, emissions and leaks fails are less common: 2.6 per 100 MOTs against 3.7 for all cars at the same age.
- The fail item testers record most often at 12 years: side/position light not working, on 8.5 per 100 MOTs (all cars 4.1).
- The most common advisory or minor defect: rigid brake pipes: corroded, covered in grease or other material, on 28.6 per 100 MOTs.
Problems by part at 12 years
How many of every 100 MOTs found a fail, or an advisory or minor defect, in each area. A test with faults in two areas counts in both.
| Area | Fails | All cars | Advisories | All cars |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lights and electrics | 22.5 | 15.4 | 10.7 | 9.3 |
| Brakes | 16.5 | 8.2 | 41.6 | 24.0 |
| Suspension | 13.6 | 13.4 | 24.9 | 24.9 |
| Windscreen, wipers and mirrors | 8.0 | 5.2 | 4.0 | 4.4 |
| Tyres | 6.8 | 7.1 | 28.0 | 27.7 |
| Body and structure | 4.8 | 4.3 | 10.9 | 6.5 |
| Exhaust, emissions and leaks | 2.6 | 3.7 | 9.1 | 6.9 |
| Steering | 1.8 | 2.8 | 4.0 | 3.1 |
| Seat belts and airbags | 1.5 | 1.0 | 2.1 | 0.6 |
| Number plates and VIN | 0.6 | 0.4 | 4.0 | 2.8 |
| Road wheels | 0.1 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 1.1 |
What testers fail most on the Spark at 12 years
| Item | Area | Per 100 MOTs | All cars | Typical repair (estimate) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Side/position light not working | Lights and electrics | 8.5 | 4.1 | £10 to £47 per lamp |
| Brake light not working | Lights and electrics | 7.2 | 2.8 | £10 to £47 per lamp |
| Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded | Brakes | 6.4 | 0.8 | £137 to £392 per car (rough guide) |
| Coil spring broken | Suspension | 4.8 | 3.9 | £64 to £236 per spring (rough guide) |
| Service brake performance: excessively binding | Brakes | 4.4 | 0.9 | £55 to £267 per wheel (rough guide) |
| Wipers not clearing screen | Windscreen, wipers and mirrors | 4.4 | 2.0 | £15 to £30 per blade |
| Dipped headlight not working | Lights and electrics | 4.2 | 2.1 | £18 to £86 per lamp |
| Tyre tread below 1.6 mm | Tyres | 3.5 | 2.9 | £88 to £145 per tyre |
| Registration plate lamp(s): inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps | Lights and electrics | 2.6 | 1.7 | £10 to £47 per lamp |
| Exhaust system: has a major leak of exhaust gases | Body and structure | 2.1 | 1.0 | £182 to £263 per section |
Early warnings: advisories and minor defects at 12 years
Advisories and minor defects are recorded, but the car still passes. Across all cars, a part with an advisory or minor defect failed at the next MOT 5.5 times in 100 (n=88,666,940 pairs of consecutive MOTs), against 0.3 times in 100 when the same part had none (n=12,936,860,350).
| Item | Area | Per 100 MOTs | All cars | If it needs replacing (estimate) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rigid brake pipes: corroded, covered in grease or other material | Brakes | 28.6 | 4.5 | £137 to £392 per car (rough guide) |
| Tread depth: worn close to legal limit/worn on edge | Tyres | 16.9 | 18.0 | £88 to £145 per tyre |
| Tyre condition: slightly damaged/cracking or perishing | Tyres | 11.2 | 8.9 | £88 to £145 per tyre |
| Registration plate lamp(s): inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources | Lights and electrics | 9.1 | 4.6 | |
| Engine oil leaks: leak, but not excessive | Exhaust, emissions and leaks | 8.1 | 6.0 | |
| Macpherson strut pins and bushes: pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement | Suspension | 6.5 | 0.5 | |
| Service brake performance: binding but not excessively | Brakes | 6.0 | 1.8 | £55 to £267 per wheel (rough guide) |
| Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened | Brakes | 5.6 | 10.4 | £148 to £376 per axle (rough guide) |
| Exhaust system: has a minor leak of exhaust gases | Body and structure | 5.1 | 2.6 | £182 to £263 per section |
| Brake pads: wearing thin | Brakes | 5.0 | 7.6 | £72 to £174 per axle (rough guide) |
Repair estimates are a guide for an independent garage: labour at the national median local garage rate (median £78 an hour from 65 garages, ONS price quotes) times estimated labour hours, plus a parts band. Labour hours and most parts bands are estimates, not quotes, and prices vary by model, engine and region. A warning light fault shows the cost of the diagnosis only.
How problems change with age
| Age | Tests (n) | Lights and electrics | Brakes | Suspension |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 years | 4,909 | 18.9 | 20.8 | 11.7 |
| 10 years | 8,693 | 21.0 | 18.9 | 13.3 |
| 11 years | 12,400 | 22.3 | 16.7 | 13.0 |
| 12 years | 14,596 | 22.5 | 16.5 | 13.6 |
| 13 years | 10,185 | 24.4 | 15.9 | 14.4 |
| 14 years | 6,289 | 23.8 | 17.1 | 14.5 |
| 15 years | 2,724 | 24.0 | 15.9 | 17.1 |
Mileage
At 12 years, Chevrolet Spark cars showing 30,000 to 60,000 miles failed 40.2% of MOTs (n=5,004); the band that failed most, 90,000 to 120,000 miles, failed 50.4% (n=2,231). For pass and fail rates by age, see Chevrolet Spark MOT fail rates.
What to check on a viewing
On the Chevrolet Spark, testers most often record side/position light not working; brake light not working; rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded. Look at these first, then the areas below.
Lights and electrics
- With someone outside, try every light: dipped and main beam, indicators, brake lights, fog lights and number plate lamps.
- Check that the warning lights come on with the ignition and go out once the engine runs.
- Look for misted, cracked or yellowed headlamp lenses.
Brakes
- On the test drive the car should stop in a straight line without pulling, juddering or grinding.
- Look at the discs through the wheels for a deep lip, heavy rust or scoring.
- Check that the handbrake or electronic parking brake holds the car on a slope.
- Ask when the pads, discs and brake fluid were last changed, and for the receipts.
Suspension
- Listen for knocks or clonks over speed bumps and rough roads on the test drive.
- Push down hard on each corner: the car should settle at once rather than keep bouncing.
- Look behind the wheels for broken or heavily rusted coil springs and split rubber bushes.
- Check that the car sits level and that no tyre is worn on one edge only.
Ask for the car's MOT history and service record: advisories that repeat from one year to the next show what has been left. GOV.UK MOT history.
Questions
What are the most common problems on the Chevrolet Spark?
At 12 years, the age with the most MOT tests (14,596), the fail items testers record most often on the Chevrolet Spark are side/position light not working (8.5 per 100 MOTs), brake light not working (7.2 per 100 MOTs), rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded (6.4 per 100 MOTs). The most common advisories or minor defects are rigid brake pipes: corroded, covered in grease or other material (28.6) and tread depth: worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (16.9).
Which parts of the Chevrolet Spark fail more often than on other cars?
At 12 years: brakes (16.5 per 100 MOTs against 8.2 for all cars); lights and electrics (22.5 per 100 MOTs against 15.4 for all cars); windscreen, wipers and mirrors (8.0 per 100 MOTs against 5.2 for all cars). Compared with 7,303,151 MOTs of all cars the same age.
Chevrolet Spark problems by area
More on the Chevrolet Spark
Other Chevrolet models
The all cars figures cover all class 4 vehicles (cars and light vans) tested at the same age.
Looking at a Chevrolet Spark?
These figures describe the model, not the car in front of you. Found one you might buy? See what the VetTheCar Buying Report covers, or use the tools that work without a registration.
See a sample report Car tools · MOT fail rates by model · Compare models by MOT record
Repair estimates: ONS consumer price quotes for local garage labour (09/2025 to 08/2026), the MOT inspection manual for defect wording, and estimated labour hours and parts bands. Not affiliated with or endorsed by ONS.
Source
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: DVSA anonymised MOT test data, class 4 normal MOT tests, 2022 to 2025. MOT data updated 28 September 2026.
Not affiliated with or endorsed by DVSA. How we calculate these figures · Data sources