Retired old Gearhead

Indeed, I have read your initial post where you found the oil consumption and indicators flashing as well as rough idle and hard start..etc. In my opinion, they did not replace the very fouled #4 plug the is, IMO, the cause of your current issue. Just ask them to check at least the #4 plug, but better to check all 4. I would also have them check the current PCV valve and before you go in..just double check that the replacement PCV part # is in fact the correct #25193675 PCV. It is grey in color as apposed to the faulty one which is black in color. The short rubber hose from black plug cover to

Insane! You paid for a car they refuse to deliver until a part of it is rebuilt. If it were me, well, lets no go there, but you should definitely contact GM Customer Service/Retention after asking for a full refund and taking your business elsewhere..that or buy a used one with low mileage. Basically you bought a car that the dealer says is not safe to drive. You could also ask to sign a waiver of sorts indicating you are aware of the problem and don't give a shit. Then, wait for the actual recall notice, which, due to the absurdly simple nature of the issue, Ignore it as some simple periodic

The best gas mileage I have ever had (2013 Spark Auto) was on a long highway trip, cruise control set at 70mph for 300miles.> 42mpg using 93 Octane. Same trip at same speed using 87 Octane-> 38mpg. In town I get 29mpg with 87 Octane and 33mpg with 93 Octane. 87 Octane contains 10% Ethanol. 93Octane contains no Ethanol. Dollar wise I find it the same or cheaper to use the 93 Octane given the xtra mileage and power the 93 gives. I do notice more carbon in the oil with constant 93Octane use as the Ethanol burns a little cleaner. I have not done the math, but someone who is better at math ma

I've had that happen twice. Back in the '70's on a Plymouth Road-Runner and once in the late '80's on a BMW. Same thing..rusted hood lock sliders stuck open..easy to fix with some lube, but scary when it happened. That was before auto makers would issue recalls for stuff like that...I think we are seeing more recalls with all makes as auto-makers are more proactive as even a single death as a result of a defect can have a big monetary penalty that can offset the cost of a recall. I had a look at the Spark hood latching system and it is virtually unchanged in design from the '70's. Not a big de

Very professional and practical mods..Nice job Schaltz! Did you lower on the back or both?

I live in Miami. It is always hot and humid in the summer...at least as hot as in Israel and a lot more humid, so we tend to drive with the A/C on all the time. The highway speeds here are always exceeded and it is not unusual to take a 100mi round trip at a constant 90mph with the A/C on. I have an oil pressure gauge on my Spark that I installed as an early warning system for a variety of issues. When running 5W30 synthetic oil, the pressure always reads a little high (70psi) before the engine is at operating temp and then levels out when the engine is at operating temp. (55psi). With the 5w2

Recently I have been using the higher Octane (93) fuel that contains no Ethanol. It is more expensive, but after a few tanks I calculated the xtra mileage I was getting (as well as performance) and found it actually saved me about $3 per tank due to the xtra mileage with premium gas. I think the xtra mileage is more viable on this car due to the small engine and the 10.5/1 compression ratio. 10.5/1 compression is just on the border of having to use higher Octane to avoid 'pre-combustion' (knocking), but since this engine has a 'knock' sensor it compensates for lower Octane use by advanci

The indicated gas mileage varies too widely among posters with similar cars, fuel type and driving habits to be mathematically accurate. Why? Consider the following. •The DIC has a menu option for 'Units'. 1 is Imperial units, 2 is US units, and 3 is metric units. Those that have it set to #1 in units are getting their mpg readings for imperial units rather than US units. An imperial gallon is bigger than a US gallon, thus it will read a higher mpg than your actual miles per US gallon. To see the difference, look at your average mpg and now switch between 'unit 1' and 'unit 2' and you wi

I have a 2013 auto with 28kmi and have never seen the oil level drop at all between 5Kmi changes. I use a Valvoline 5w20 synthetic and find it very clean after 5Kmi with the level on the dipstick unmoved. 1 Qt between changes is way too much on a tiny engine that only holds 3.7Qt. Even my big V8 Chevy uses only a few oz. between changes and it has well over 140Kmi on it.

Interesting topic! Now that ownership can be at the evaluated at the 2yr. mark we should get some accurate feedback on this. I may be a bit of an aberration on this topic as I am a little older, retired and financially in a position to buy just about any vehicle I want. For me what it boiled down to was a small, practical car with some useful features like hands free, voice activated phone connection (Samsung Rugby II voice recognition) with unlimited phone volume control, easy parking and driving and tight turning radius in the craziest Miami Beach traffic. I don't care about the crappy sound

Indeed nice to see GM is being proactive. The latch issue involves rust on the locking slides that may cause it to bind and not close, leaving only the secondary latch securing it..Just oil that area to prevent rust on the 2 sliding clasps..fairly simple and if the rust is not binding it..well no need to act on that IMO.

I have not seen any documented or symptomatic evidence of pistons or rings being too small. In a 10.5/1 compression small engine that would result in immediate problems such as overheating, poor gas mileage & excess oil consumption from day one.

bluer101 writes: "I'm still deciding to let them finish it." Bluer, you seem to have a good grasp on electro-mechanical work. It might be a better idea to let them finish and then have them show you or detail the work. My dealer allows me into the shop area as I have been with them for purchases since 1984 and the service manager knows I have a mechanical background and a good understanding of the workings of internal combustion engines..mind you, I'm not too good with electrical. Still I feel more comfortable when 'kids' change the oil and have caught mistakes like wrong weight oil and wrong

Bluer101 Asks: "If someone can tell me where the PCV valve is so I can check because I don't think that was done." The PCV valve is located under the drivers side of the black plastic spark plug cover. Right below the hose leading to the air intake main hose. Circular rubber disk. I believe the new model PCV valve has a small ramped vent on the edge. Part # 25193675, but not entirely sure if there are variations on this part #. While your at it, maybe you could snap a pix for other users info. My dealer indicated that on one occasion they were shipped the old part (defective) and si

Just got the 14110 recall and now I find another recall is in the wind for a defective hood latch. Called GM and my dealer to get more info. I get the impression that the recalls are for all 2013 and some 2014 for the 14110 as well as a serious 'loose steering control arm bolts for the 2014's. I will get the recalls done and sell the car cheap for a quick sale. The problems with the engine and PCV as well as other sensors are way too many serious issues to keep the car past warranty. Is there anyone with a 2013 unit that has not received the PCV recall notice? My dealer says every 2013 h

It's kinda used widely now but I do agree that the old style PCV was simple and work and it would work on the Spark or any 4 stroke engine larger than 800cc. Talking to the GM mechanical guys/gals/whatever their PC sexual orientation or whatever... the part is workable if it is manufactured correctly..the outsourced manufacturer had a defective spec resulting in a thinner spring and lip component on the bad pcv rubber units that seem to fail after about 25-40K.. but some have failed after 1K. If your component is not the corrected one you wont know..don't wait for problems..just take it

Since the first sign of of this 14110 issue is rough idle, your plugs are probably OK and indeed, if your car was running OK and not burning oil, you may not have needed the PCV job done at this time. The fact that you received a recall letter does indicate that your VIN was flagged as being associated with the problem that may not present itself until a higher mileage. So, bottom line is: it was a wise decision to have the part replaced before symptoms..makes it less likely that a future problem could mess up some engine sensors/plugs/etc. I had no recall notice for my VIN but had it checked

According to your posted service record, the PCV part number (25193675) is indeed the new and supposedly corrected unit. If it were me, I'd go back and have them check the plugs for fouling as that did not seem to have been done. If all, except the possible fouled plug(s), is now correct, the oil fouling may burn off on its own. As long as the engine idles smoothly you should be OK. Just check under your oil fill cap for any sludge as they did not change the oil since it is not directed by the 14110 Emission Program 'recall' and depending on the amount of time the issue was present, there may

• I would not spend time worrying about the engine problems reported by some as I did some work finding out exactly what the issues and root causes were by talking to both GM, the head of service at my dealership (a good and large service area with a very good reputation) and one other GM mechanic and in all cases they have seen on the Spark, the engine oil consumption problem was caused by a defective 'new generation' type PCV valve system sending actual oil instead of excess gases to the intake thus burning the oil and resulting in fouled plugs, sensors etc and other associated problems.

•Nice work on the spare purchase TonySpark! At least you won't be stuck when a 'non-sealable' flat occurs when you are in the countryside with no cell signal or any assistance. Also looks like you seem to know how to stretch a buck and stay within your car budget. I would do the same but most of our Spark's use is in and around Miami and populated areas with cell and both GM and private roadside assistance. As a retired airline employee we get highly discounted air fare so no very long trips by car.

I get 38mpg at 70mph on cruise control longer hyway trips and get about 24-27mpg in city driving. (2013 1LT Auto)

Could you post a pix of where the issue with the loose bolts are? This may be a common issue and I would like to inspect mine.

Well, at $10,500, I don't think you could get a better 'bang for the buck' for a new car. If you are knowledgeable about cars/mechanics and were willing to spend some time you could probably find a 'higher end' used car in great condition with some warranty left. I'm fairly knowledgeable about cars & mechanics but chose to go with the Spark as we needed a small second car with some features, long powertrain warranty, easy to park and drive in crowded city setting. We have about 26K on the 2013 1LT/auto and have not had any of the reported issues and found the car easy to get around in city

Nice work Bob! Great price & looks like the time spent on research before a purchase paid off. I'll miss your 'old school' wisdom in your common sense posts. FYI: Our 2013 Spark auto now has about 26K on it and is driven hard and even with the several longer trips cruising at 75-85mph in the Florida heat with A/C on we have had no issues and it uses almost no oil between changes. I think your Sonic (at about the same price as a new Spark) is a smarter buy according to your needs as indicated in your posts. Hope you can pop in from time to time and give us some feedback on your experience

Big-Bob writes: "Plus, the Spark is advertised as a "city" car. I don't think it is really designed for high speed freeway cruising. I drove my Samurai at 50 mph on the freeway, but it was badly worn due to abuse by the previous owner. A new Spark should be able to handle 60 mph ok. My rental Spark with a CVT was maxed out at not much more than that. A good rule of thumb is never operate an engine at more than 80% of it's max rpm......" --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------