Flatbed towing

[gulfcoast6 0]

Has anyone had their stranded Spark pulled onto a flatbed truck? Recently my daughter's car would not start and she called OnStar. They sent a Flatbed wrecker truck. When he arrived he tried to find the "tow eye" tool. He said he could see a storage spot for one under the mat (where the tire sealant is located) but the tool was not there. He said he would not attempt to pull the car onto the flatbed without the tool so as to not risk damaging the car. In the end, he ended up calling another driver with a type of truck that just lifts the front wheels off the ground.

I'm pretty sure that I have not removed any tools from the spare tire bay. Has any other Spark owner come across this issue? Are the vehicles supposed to be equipped with an eyebolt that screws into the bumper in front of the passenger side bumper?

[WaltK 305]

I've never had the need to be towed, but to the best of my knowledge, the Sparks don't come with an eyebolt, although there is a knockout for one on the front bumper cover. I've seen this knockout on quite a few foreign cars, as a matter of fact, my Mazda also had the same knockout, and it also didn't come with an eyebolt. You can get some information on towing your vehicle, in the owners manual, in section 10-65. I guess in a way you were lucky to get a diligent driver, as the old saying goes,"better safe than sorry".

[Schaltz 27]

The Spark does come with an eye-bolt in the wheel well. I have not yet seen one without. So contact your dealer - it has to be there.

[bluer101 241]

The American Spark does not have one that I know of.

[leighmaxwell 6]

Mine was towed on a flatbed when it got stuck in park and would not start. He pulled it up rear first and I did not pay attention to what he attached the wench to. He didn't seem to have any trouble though.

[lespoole 4]

How did he pull it up rear first if it was stuck in park? Wouldn't the front wheels drag?

[leighmaxwell 6]

He popped off a panel near the gear shifter and was able to release the gears. He stuck the key in and depressed a button and was able to shift into neutral I guess.

[ctasmith 1]

I had mine pulled up on a flat bed too. I didn't pay much attention to what he was doing, but he pulled it up with the car facing forward, and seemed to just hook it under the front side. We just put the car in neutral (it's a manual) and it went up with no issues.

[jibb3r 29]

I had my compressor and patch kit out today, and noticed the blank spot in the styrofoam for a piece that was missing. I wasn't sure what it was, or why it was missing.

Now that I see this post, it's clearly where the eye bolt is supposed to be.

So, no, mine doesn't have it either.

[bluer101 241]

How did he pull it up rear first if it was stuck in park? Wouldn't the front wheels drag?

All vehicles produced today have a access to manually real ease the car from park. If the battery dies or no electric whatsoever then there has to be a bypass. The child safety shift lock is electric controlled.