sparkfanatic

There's no real shifting on the CVT though some use computer generated virtual gears to mimic shifting . It doesn't work like a conventional automatic . It's just a belt riding on pulleys that change size to create a gear.ratio up and down as needed . The majority of times customers bring their cars in for service there's nothing wrong but just the way it functions . You may hear the motor rev high and think the trans is slipping but that just normal . Hopefully yours is fine and your just interpreting it as an issue .. If not then your under full warranty anyway. 

Nice looking car. Judging by the tires..looks like about 30-40Kmi on it? Also looks like time for a tire rotation. I have close to 150Kmi on my 2013 4Sp-Auto tranny...I drive it hard and no issues at all. I use synthetic oil and sometimes go 1.5 yrs between changes..I only change the oil when the oil life % reading is at 10%. Burns no noticeable oil between changes. Still get the same gas mileage when it was new...So..you will probably enjoy this car for some years to come.

The metal insert inside the nipple where it fails has been removed in the revised tank . Time will tell if it holds up better than the original design 

What Bobby said is right . You really need to buy using your VIN number as there may have been running changes during a model year . If you buy from Ebay there's no guarantee it's the correct part or where it's from . You may get the  old original failure prone  part instead of a revised one . I Would go to  GM parts online and get another tank .

The hubcaps look a little like the Fit alloy wheels . 

Last time I looked a 1 LT automatic was Less than $16K sticker not $20k that you quote. Bob ,on any other forum you already would have been banned for posting endless nonsense simply to run down a car you have never owned and obviously know very little about .

The only Spark discontinued here in the US is the electric version . The oil filters are readily available but I would recommend using the OEM filter as some of the aftermarket filters are of different capacity and you will find your oil level overfilled..

The list price on the tank is $42 so even at full list price plus if they added  a coolant flush and the install labor which as ROG stated is really nothing in labor   , I can't imagine how they arrive at $400. 

Tom Gill is, well, lets just say he wants to overcharge you by at least well over $300...You can buy the tank online..if you are not comfortable to install yourself..any good garage will do that for you..about 1/2 hr labor..so under 100 bucks. You can also go to your trusted mechanic ..they will order the part and install around for $100. Or..Order the correct part and have one of your 'car guy/girl' friends do it in return for a lunch....Lots more info on the tank leak issue on this site..just do a search...K?

The coolant tank is only $30 and 10 minutes labor but they probably added a top end cleaning  and some other stuff plus purging of air in the system , coolant ect . You should update this post with what they did for $500 . Without the cap you have no pressure in the cooling system to keep the coolant cool . I wouldn't be surprised if you need engine work now . The dealer would be liable for any damage and repair . 

Did you ever try replacing the battery ? If not , that's the first thing I would have tried . All the weird electrical things , warning lights  illuminating, sounds are all things that occur with many modern cars as the battery begins to fail .   There have been a bunch of us that had our battery replaced earlier than what you expect it to last . I just did mine not long ago .

I was at 106Kmi..and yup...I did inquire about the dealer or GM giving me a warranty break...but first off he is not too happy that I bought the Rover as I have been buying from him for years and secondly he would have to lie to GM about the mileage or he would have to absorb the cost..anyways, $700 is not hard to absorb after 106Kmi and it was my own fault. No, car still runs great and even though it is a low cost unit I still pretty well look after it proactively from a mechanical standpoint, keep the engine clean inside and out and all underside rust free, calipers and other area get a regular tire shine spray as it acts as a safe on rubber rust proofing..engine is shiny and calipers and rear drums shiny...just habit I guess..I'm like that with with all mechanical stuff and my boat engine is so clean you could...well you get my drift. Actually the Spark surprised me in that it runs like new at my mileage and still handles better than I expected..no rattles and the tranny is very responsive and the engine idles very smoothly..original battery still good and stops on a dime now on my second set of pads and rotors and drum shoes replaced once. No mods other than tires at 195/55/15 only because that size is a bit easier on the butt when driving on a rough, pitted road. Still get between 36 and 50mpg mostly because the compression is good and even and I use synthetic oil changed at about 5% or less oil life monitor and at that point I have burned about 1/2 Qt oil. I do agree with you that this is a very easy to drive car, handles and parks well and I actually drive it more than the Rover..I originally bought the Spark for my wife who had the nice Impala, but complained about parking and driving in tight traffic and narrow streets when she and her friends would often go to Miami Beach impossible parking and traffic on the mostly narrow streets...now I have put on more miles than she has but it's her car and she gets first choice when she needs it. I would buy another 2013 4sp auto tranny but not the newer ones with the CVT..that or a Sonic 6sp auto..for me it is all about size as the Rover takes us on the longer or only hyway trips...OK...TMI..'Nuff said.

Were you already past the 100K powertrain warranty ? I wonder if GM would have covered it as a goodwill if you weren't far past it . You certainly have put the Spark through its paces over the years and I would say it's held up real well . I'm looking forward to see how your Spark does over time as you seem to rack up the miles pretty fast . . Mine is still running like brand new as I near 50K . I'm surprised I have put that many miles on but I find myself driving the Spark much more than I originally intended . It's just so easy and hassle free to drive , very enjoyable ride .

That's only partially true . I agree it's a probably a tuning issue , at least in some cases and under certain conditions  The gearbox is nothing more than a couple planetary gears used to widen the ratios . The issue would be with the clutch or possibly the converter . The lockup not changing smoothly from high to low speed . Unfortunately as  I mention before   these issues apply to GM transmissions across the board and not limited to the CVT at all . Beyond that not everyone is affected by it or least bothered by it . The problem compounds when somebody isn't used to a CVT not to mention computer generated artificial shift points .

Well..I think it was around +60mph and in that gear I think it is redlined..drove about 20min then went to pass. Couldn't hear the engine rev due to loud music and then all hell broke loose. Not far from my mechanics shop..called him and my tow and he was right on it as I am a good customer mostly with the work he has done on my boat over the last 20 yrs. Only reason he shaved the head was just to be safe and it would be very clean..checked it all out, new stainless gasket, oil, coolant..compression is a tiny bit higher due to the shave but that's fine. One year warranty as always. Two Cuban brothers run the place and they have for over 20yrs...they sure know how to fix rather than replace...they do hi-end cars mostly and due to the small space they have a waiting list for customers.
     I have driven 50mi or more in the proper gear on the 4sp auto at the max speed I could get foot on the floor the whole time..so maybe those tests had something to do with it...runs perfect and smoother idle now...I was told by him that the 1.2L Spark engine is rock solid and a gasket going..well, mine was the first he had seen....His parting words: "Senior, some times you can be not very wise for your experience and now I worry about your boat"....Ha..

First off, did you change the OEM wheel or tire for another size? This can put uneven or more stress on the bearings...specially bigger wheels and lower profile tires. If not, then this is maybe some axle or instal error. You most likely had one of the two GM sourced bearing sets...at one point during a ramp up there was a shortage of bearings for the 2013 and some were sourced from another factory...2 kinds...same specs but one was a red spacer and the other a blue and I am still not sure which of the two was the problem. Still, there is something more than just the bearings going on here...My take is that it is axle or not a proper install. They should be replacing the entire hub..cheaper (labor) and the bearing is factory fitted.

yesterday i got my electric blue spark LS CVT. the engineer at IMPEX did an excellent job in explaining all the stuff in the car. i just didnt want the ride home to end, the car is so beautiful. 

I just bought a new 2016 LT2 toasted marshmellow. The interior on mine is black with a tan leather insert. I think it's pretty nice. I got a 2015 brochure from the dealer, they had no 2016's. Looks like they took away from the 2015 model like the directionalsin the mirrors and the roof rack. Wheels are different too.  

I have to question whether the transmission is even at fault . My conventional  automatic spark has done the same thing as Stevens 3 different times as have a bunch of other owners of 2013 automatic  Sparks . Will rev freely in neutral and will barely move at all in drive  . The PRNDL indicator will also disappear at that time . In my case a restart corrects the issue until it happens again . Just like some people had engines replaced when the fault was really a defective PCV valve , I'm wondering if CVTs are being misdiagnosed when the fault is elsewhere .

Good post 'sparkfanatic'! I can't disagree with anything you say and you seem to be up-to-date with vehicle issues and knowledgeable on the CVT principal workings. Keep in mind that your 4sp auto tranny is part of the powertrain and is under warranty...not sure what your issues are but the conventional 4sp auto unit has a very large knowledge-base and most issues are easily fixed by a tranny tech. Sometimes a simple adjustment of the 'bands' via the external adjustment ports will fix an out of sync unit. As you probably know, low tranny fluid will cause slipping while all four gears have 'band' adjustments on the exterior access ports fitted with adjustment square heads...Just an FYI in case you were not aware.

The transmission uses different names by the respective OEMs  but transmissions except for programming are the same in the Spark , Note and Mirage across the board . The Spark for the US market  specifically got a revamped engine 1.25 vs 1.2 to increase the torque curve. The conventional transmission we got on the 13 model was just a stop gap , the CVT was already planned and  in the works . I agree CVTs tend to like to torque or have improved feeling  but some of these issues people complain about happen on many transmissions including my own Spark with non CVT and it still hasn't been resolved and probably won't ever be . I would suspect the complaints are so few that GM doesn't deem it worth the expense to look deeper into the matter .We are into the new generation of Sparks and hopefully programming issues have been resolved . For those having serious mechanical issue or a defect , they can only hope for s recall . I should also mention these same very same complaints Spark owners have on their 14-15 CVT also afflict Camaro owners along with other GM vehicles and none of them use a CVT . 

There's several of us that had the tank leak , and I agree it's a defect probably in design . I wouldn't pay a dealer when the part is dirt cheap and simple to install . Only issue I could see is if you lost so much fluid that the radiator got low . Then air could be introduced to the system and would need to bleed it . The dealers price might seem excessive because of that . They are supposed to follow protocol but you would need to ask if they plan on bleeding otherwise that's quite a high price for 10 minutes work 

I bought a full size spare steel rim and tire from discount tire online  . Also bought the proper jack from harbor freight . There are donut tire kits out there on eBay if u prefer that or you could order one through Chevy as the 2016 comes with a spare and uses same size as the previous generation . I also keep a permanent tire repair kit in the car . I don't depend on the inflator kit that comes with the car as that won't repair a large hole . There are also adapter pads to fit the pinch welds that the spark and most cars use . This makes it easy and safe to use hydraulic jacks ect that are not made for pinch welds . You can buy those on Amazon .

I'm getting close to 50K mile mark . It runs just fine on the highway , comfortable and handles well . It's not bothered by trucks or blown around as people might assume . It's been very reliable , starts with a flick of the key in any weather ,doesn't matter if it's below zero or 110 . I can drive off immediately after starting with no hesitation or stutter . I have had  several recalls and all have been done quickly while I had my oil changed , so not a big inconvenience . I have had only 2 problems . One was a pedal position sensor that shorted out , putting the car in low power mode . The car never left me stranded , I drove it back home though at reduced top speed ( 25-30 mph ) and called Onstar the next morning and let them tow it to the dealer . After it was fixed the dealer sent someone to come and get me at my house so I could pick up the car . That repair was under warranty or I would have just did it myself as its a quick fix . The other issue was s leak on the coolant surge tank which wasn't covered so did it myself . Again a 10 minute repair . If I did both repairs myself , it would have only cost less than $60 in parts . You may want to refer to some of member gearheads posts about his pizza drivers as to the Sparks durability . I think he said one of them was close to 180K miles with no issues .

So surprised that some owners don't like the CVT . I have driven other cars that use the same exact transmission as the Spark and it works just fine . Jatco is always pushing the envelope in CVT development, making them more efficient and using software to mimic the shifting of conventional automatics . The gearbox added to the the CVT should be aiding the Sparks acceleration not hindering it . There's no rocket science involved in the CVT or anything unusal about the Spark that precludes it from benefiting from a CVT . In fact the spark should benefit the most of the applications this transmission is used in, better acceleration , mpg , and durability . Aside from defective parts this sounds more of a software programming issue , some owners may also have other problems with the car that compound the issue .