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2018 Chevrolet Spark

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2018 Spark.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic (variable gear ratios)

The 2018 Chevrolet Spark is a passenger car equipped with an automatic (variable gear ratios) transmission, an engine-oil capacity of 4.2 qt, and a specified viscosity of 0W-20. EPA fuel-economy ratings come in at 30 mpg city, 38 mpg highway, and 33 mpg combined. Within the 2013–2022 Spark complaint history, the 2018 model sits near the lower-complaint end of the spectrum, with only 9 owner complaints, zero recalls, and Service Brakes flagged as the top complaint area — a marked improvement over the 175 complaints recorded for 2014, though not as quiet as the 3 logged for 2022.

Model year202220212020201920182017201620152014

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity4.2 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type0W-20OEM · verified
Lug nut torque103 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy30/38/33 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 140R · 375 CCA battery, OE oil filter 25206377. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 140R · 375 CCAOEM · verified
Tire sizeP185/55R15OEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter25206377
Engine air filter95238310
Spark plug12637197
Battery88866103
Front wiper blades95391363 alt 95391365
Serpentine belt12654488
Thermostat12649163 alt 12673413
Cabin air filter42666227

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic (variable gear ratios)

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length143.3 in
Overall width63 in
Overall height58.3 in
Wheelbase94.1 in
Curb weight2247 lb
Track (front / rear)54.3 / 54.3 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)64/36

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined30 / 38 / 33 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume86 cu ft
Cargo volume11 cu ft
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Spark of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

10.7–10.8 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 10.70 sec — 2016 2LT Hatchback
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
20162LT Hatchback 1.4L I-410.70 sec18.00 sec98 hpFWD
20162LT Hatchback 1.4L I-410.80 sec18.20 sec98 hpFWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 4.2 qt of 0W-20 engine oil, DOT 4 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 103 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-4-2. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission FluidUse GM CVT fluid GM part number 19260800
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity6.5
Brake FluidDOT 4
Clutch FluidDOT 4
Engine Coolant Capacity5.0
Engine Oil0W-20
Engine Oil Capacity4.2 qt
Manual Transmission FluidUse GM part number 19351859

Engine torques

Crankshaft Position (CKP) Sensor Bolt(s)7.4 ft-lbs
Camshaft Position (CMP) Sensor Bolt(s)7.4 ft-lbs
Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs106 inch lbs. ft-lbs
Oxygen (O2S) Sensor Bolt(s)31.0 ft-lbs
Knock Sense (KS) Bolt(s)18.0 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts7.4 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts16 ft-lbs
Oil Pan to Block Bolts7.4 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts103 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2
Cylinder Firing Order1-2-3-4-5-6
Cylinder Firing Order1-8-7-2-6-5-4-3
Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2
Spark Plug ManufacturerAC Delco
Spark Plug Gap.031 - .035 in
Spark Plug Torque13 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

Standard BCI Group Number140R
Standard BCI Cranking Performance375 cca

Service checks

RPM43.0-58.0 @ Idle rpm
Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)50.0-60.0

Brakes

Brake Caliper Bolt to Carrier TorqueFront: 21
Brake Caliper Carrier to Hub Bolt TorqueUse New Bolts: 72 ft-lbs
Vented Rotor Minimum Thickness for ReplacementFront: .709
Vented Rotor Minimum Thickness after RefinishFront: .748
Variation from Parallelism Thickness VariationFront: .0004
Maximum Rotor RunoutFront: .002
Maximum Drum DiameterRear: 7.913

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Front Wheel Hub — tightening sequence 1 stages
1111.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: Back off 45.0 degrees, Step 3: 185.0111 ft. lbs
Camshaft Sprocket and/or Gear Bolt(s) — tightening sequence 1 stages
115.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 9015 ft. lbs
Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 2 stages
118.0 ft. lbs.18 ft. lbs
275.0
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
174.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 180 degrees. Use new bolt.74 ft. lbs
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 2 stages

Prep Do not re-use old bolts.

122.0 ft. lbs.22 ft. lbs
2240 degrees240 degrees
Engine Flywheel Bolts — tightening sequence 2 stages
122.0 ft. lbs.22 ft. lbs
270.0
Main Bearings — tightening sequence 2 stages

Prep Lower crankcase crankshaft bolts

111.0 ft. lbs.11 ft. lbs
2180 degrees; Lower crankcase perimeter bolts180 degrees
144.0 inch lbs.44 in
289.0 inch lbs.89 in

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 mi; spark plugs every 97,500 mi.

Every 7,500 miAccelerator Pedal (inspect) · Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (lubricate) · Brake Shift Interlock Solenoid (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (inspect fluid level) · Engine Oil (inspect fluid level)
Every 22,500 miCabin Air Filter (replace)
Every 45,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (replace) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System (inspect)
Every 97,500 miSpark Plug Wires (inspect) · Spark Plugs (replace) · Transmission Assembly (drain & refill)
At 150,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The federal record shows a general decline in complaints from a peak of 175 in 2014 to a low of 9 in 2018, followed by a modest increase to 14 in 2019 and 19 in 2020 before falling again to 3 by 2022. Recalls followed a similar pattern, dropping from eight in 2014 to zero in 2018, with only a single recall recorded in 2019 and none thereafter. Investigations also reached zero in 2018 after being present in most prior years. For the 2018 model year, the top complaint areas were Service Brakes (two reports), Air Bags (one), Vehicle Speed Control/Engine/Lane Departure (one), and Service Brakes‑Hydraulic (one), with no crash‑ or fire‑related complaints. This places 2018 at the trough of the complaint and recall arc, indicating comparatively fewer field issues than surrounding years. Consequently, the 2018 Chevrolet Spark appears to be a favorable choice among used models based on the available federal data.

0
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
755
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
9
Owner complaints
0 involved a crash · 0 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent
’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 9 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Service Brakes2
Air Bags1
Vehicle Speed Control,Engine,Lane Departure1
Service Brakes, Hydraulic1
Power Train1
Power Train,Vehicle Speed Control,Engine1
Vehicle Speed Control,Fuel/Propulsion System1
Engine,Fuel/Propulsion System1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

No recall campaigns on record with NHTSA for this vehicle as of the last data refresh.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 755 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
PIT3271Q2026-04-01Unknown Or OtherThis preliminary information communicates information about how to determine if a wheel…
PIP61042026-03-09Unknown Or OtherThis Preliminary information communicates the steps on how to save a GDS2 Session Log and…
PIP4902V2026-03-09Unknown Or OtherThis preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into…
PIP4902U2026-01-08Unknown Or OtherThis preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into…
PIT5214G2025-11-20Unknown Or OtherThis Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Spark. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Group 140R batteryVehicles taking 4.2 qtEngine oil filter 25206377Engine air filter 95238310Spark plug 12637197Battery 88866103

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Vehicle recalls & TSBsOBD-II trouble codesTorque specificationsMaintenance schedulesFluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2018 Spark take?

4.2 qt of 0W-20 Use GM Dexos 1 Oil or equivalent, per the factory manual.

Does the 2018 Spark have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 0 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Spark get?

EPA figures are 30 city / 38 highway / 33 combined mpg.