Back in 2014, the new C7 Corvette had just been released, Interstellar was the hot new movie, and hoods were flying open on Chevy Sparks at highway speeds. A latch that held the hood down corroded and couldn’t keep the opening in position. A recall was issued to address it. Fast forward to 2022 and it turns out the issue wasn’t really fixed. According to a NHTSA recall issued Aug. 25: “The secondary hood latch may corrode at the latch pivot, preventing the hood latch from properly engaging.” Total throwback. It’s like winding the clock back eight years.
More than 120,000 2013-2015 Spark hatchbacks will be recalled for the same issue. Yes, even if your Spark was already fixed, it needs to be fixed again. The ill-fated Spark EV is also affected. In other words, if you have an older Spark, it’s probably best to enter your VIN on the NHTSA’s website and check if your vehicle’s hood may fly open.
In September 2014, the first recall was issued for 89,294 Sparks. GM has now expanded the scope of the vehicles affected by the problem. Owners of Sparks will receive letters in the mail by Oct. 10 if their vehicles must be repaired. According to GM, 22 crashes with one minor injury were caused by the faulty latch.
The 2015 Chevy Spark is currently affected by seven recalls, including the two for the hood latches. Other recalls include two for the airbags and three others that affect various electrical systems.
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