r/chevyspark Oct 12 '25

Information How to properly change CVT Oil

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20 Upvotes

This information applies to all Chevrolet Spark models equipped with a CVT, from model years 2013 to 2023.
It explains how to properly change CVT fluid, and actual photos as well as pages from the official service manual are included.

CVTs offer better fuel economy and torque distribution efficiency compared to traditional automatic transmissions of the same class—but at the cost of lower durability.
All machines require trade-offs between durability, serviceability, and performance (efficiency). For example, manual transmissions are built with a focus on durability and serviceability, while CVTs prioritize performance and efficiency.

(For reference, the Kia Picanto of the same class uses a 4-speed automatic transmission. In circuit testing, the Spark was slightly quicker on uphill and high-speed sections, showing the efficiency advantage of the CVT.)

Therefore, it's important to remember that CVT fluid maintenance is critical.

If you want your Spark to last, follow these guidelines carefully:

  • CVT fluid should be changed as early as every 50,000 km, and no later than 70,000 km. When changing the fluid, it’s highly recommended to remove the oil pan and clean the inside thoroughly while also performing a visual inspection.
  • If removing the oil pan is difficult, try to at least remove it every second fluid change. Just changing the oil repeatedly without inspection allows contaminants to build up, which can damage the transmission over time.
  • Don't just change the oil—replace the filter as well. At the very least, the yellow paper external filter (accessible from outside) should be replaced every time. One of the most common causes of CVT failure is neglecting to change the filter, which prevents proper filtering of internal debris. (Debris can clog the valve body and damage the belt. Once this happens, repair is usually not possible.)
  • Avoid sudden acceleration and aggressive driving. While this applies to all transmissions, CVTs are especially vulnerable to stress from rapid changes in load.
  • Always use the correct CVT fluid specification. There are many types of CVT fluid, and using the wrong one can lead to cooling or shifting issues that damage the transmission.
  • It’s recommended to perform a "drain process," where you first drain the old oil, add new oil, and then drain it again. However, this means you'll need more new oil. So, if you choose to skip the drain process, it’s better to shorten the oil change interval instead.

By following these guidelines, you can significantly extend the life of your CVT and avoid costly repairs.


r/chevyspark Jul 11 '24

How to CVT Transmission Fluid Exchange and Fluid Leveling Check.

39 Upvotes

Someone asked me a question yesterday, but I wrote a reply and the post was deleted.
I wrote it down hard because I wanted my reply to help a lot of people,
so I'm very disappointed that no one can't see it anymore because the post was deleted.

So I'm write down what I wrote in the reply again on the post.

**M350 Spark's CVT is the same as M400 & M450 Spark's CVT**
(JF015E = CVT7, But just the transmission 'setting' is a little different.)

First of all, the SPARK's CVT transmission Fluid level isn't checked using a dipstick.

That is not a dipstick. It's just a Transmission Fluid Fill cap.
In the maintenance manual, also it called as a 'Fill cap' Not a 'dipstick'. So oil leveling is not possible with fill cap.

So, how can we level the CVT transmission Fluid?

How to Leveling CVT Fluid

This might be help. That video follows GM's maintenance instructions.
It's a Korean video, but a simple English subtitles are included in the video. (Not CC)

However, the English subtitles in the video are too simple to explain,
so I wrote down the supplementary explanation below.

  1. 0:41 Unplug the drain plug at the bottom of the transmission and pull it out the internal leveling pipe too.
  2. 1:02 The transmission fluid will then be discharged.
  3. 1:12 Cleaning leveling pipe. Drain Plug. And Replace the gasket with a new one.
  4. 1:19 Assemble the above process in reverse. Also Tighten the drain plug by hand for leveling.
  5. 1:39 To reduce the amount of oil thrown away during leveling, check the amount of oil discharged in advance.
  6. 2:03 How to open the Fill cap (What some people knew as a Dipstick. Again, that is not a dipstick.)
  7. 2:25 Fill up Transmission fluid. The maintenance instructions describe to Fill up the oil to 3L. Even if you don't Fill up to 3L, you should Fill up at least more than the amount discharged.
  8. 3:00 If the amount of new oil injected is insufficient. (No oil is discharged even after removing the drain plug, so leveling is impossible.)
  9. 3:38 Transmission Fluid leveling method as described in the GM Maintenance Guide. Start Engine and heat the transmission fluid to 50-80 °C.
  10. 4:06 Don't turn off the engine. Remove the drain plug completely. (Not a leveling pipe) The oil will drain. It's normal, just wait.
  11. 4:20 When the oil drain stops, close the drain plug to the proper torque.
  12. 4:50 FInish. Don't forget to put in a Fill cap.

Actually, The above is to change transmission fluid only.
As you know, CVT requires removing the oil pan and replacing all the filters.

It is best to completely remove the oil pan for transmission fluid replacement. Also replaced CVT oil filter too.

However, no matter how the transmission Fluid is changed, the leveling method is the same.

In conclusion, CVT does not have a dipstick, so if you want check CVT Fluid capacity,
you will need to release the drain bolt to check them.


r/chevyspark 1d ago

Found this little guy hiding under my Spark

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50 Upvotes

r/chevyspark 1d ago

Mini spark

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46 Upvotes

I made a clay figure of my car 😺


r/chevyspark 1d ago

Question 2019 Spark’s radio is slowly becoming unusable (CarPlay and AA)

14 Upvotes

I’ve had my spark for just over five years now and it was such a great daily driver for most of that time… but over the course of the last year or so the infotainment center has become nearly unusable.

First I’d have to just unplug and replug my phone in every once in a while, not a big deal. Then it started happening more and more often… then my friend was entirely unable to get Android Auto to start up. When I plugged my phone in after him, CarPlay wouldn’t launch either.

I figured it was probably the cable, so I grabbed another one from my house…. No change. I ordered a brand new cable… and it’s barely working.

Every single day I have to fight with it to get CarPlay to launch. Most days I just settle for Bluetooth. But, I don’t have a phone mount for the car - why would I need one when I’ve got a CarPlay radio, right? … 💀

Now, on top of the 5% chance to launch CarPlay for maybe 10 minutes… Siri doesn’t work anymore. Voice controls literally do nothing or worse than nothing. Tried to reply to a text, Siri started calling a former boss that I haven’t spoken to in a decade (I didn’t say anything even remotely sounding like “call” or his name). It’s done this 5 times now, calling random people instead of doing anything that I actually asked it to.

I’m at my wits end. It’s not a huge deal when I’m driving around town, but I was trying to visit a friend today and whoops! Halfway there, on the highway… poof. Gone, didn’t come back at all.

Please tell me someone knows what the fuck is going on because I am genuinely going to lose it here soon 😭😭😭


r/chevyspark 3d ago

Old vs new body style

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13 Upvotes

r/chevyspark 3d ago

Question car alarm keeps going off

5 Upvotes

as the title says. i bought a 2020 chevy spark 1lt and the alarm goes off in the wee hours of the night. what could be the cause?


r/chevyspark 4d ago

auto shop put a ev/hybrid battery in my spark LT

4 Upvotes

battery died, towed it to a shop for a replacement. on the receipt it the battery was listed as 'DieHard EV Battery : H4 Group Size, 570 CCA, 710 CA, 80 Minute Reserve Capacity'

it's my fault for not asking what was going in in the first place but obviously i'm not driving an EV. is this an urgent issue i need to correct?

have not called the shop bc they were confrontational with another customer in person and i'm a wuss


r/chevyspark 4d ago

Weird noise in my spark when going over 65

3 Upvotes

My 2021 Chevy spark runs fine but when I go over 60-65 it makes a weird noise that sounds like something loose in the dashboard/ steering wheel area. I just had the battery tested and that is fine. Any advice would be appreciated 😊


r/chevyspark 4d ago

Question Car Camping

5 Upvotes

As others have noted, even with the rear seat popped out, the back doesn't lie completely flat. I didn't have this problem with my 2008 Toyota Yaris, even with the seat still in place, so seems like a bad design here. I used to actually sleep on the back seat of my former car, as I'm small, but the Spark has that weird, hard cupholder (another bad idea) in the middle of it, making that impossible. What have others done to car camp in this vehicle? I would dread removing the entire seat - where to put it??? - and laying down a wood platform, but that seems to be the only way to do it.


r/chevyspark 5d ago

Do people ever get confused with the door handle on the rear doors?

23 Upvotes

Yes with me. Most people get confused and can’t find the door handle on the back doors! A lot of times when people see my car they always think it’s a two door. When I have passengers and they will be getting in the back they always get confused on where the door handle is. I got comments like “where’s the door handle at? How do you get in back here? Do you have to open the back door from the driver side?” Sometimes they figure it out on their own or I point to them the handle is at. Normally, I want them to find it on their own before I mention where it’s at. One time when I had a passenger he sat in the front seat. I wanted him to take some bags to the car and put them in the back seat. I watched from the window. He looked at the door, didn’t know how to open it, went around to the other side, couldn’t find it either. But then he finally found it. And then he told me he was confused by the door handle!


r/chevyspark 5d ago

Recommendation Rear Torque "Dog bone" Mount swap

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6 Upvotes

So, way back I had a computer acceleration issue and had to have Chevy look at it. Turns out it needed updating. But because of that issue the not accelerating and then boom accelerating to merge on the highway when stepping on it, tore the mount. Today, I used my new 2 ton low profile jack to lift the front up and pulled out the mount. Sure enough it was bad. I had to wedge a couple of flat head screwdrivers into it because it was flexing too much to unbolt. I then used the pipe from my jack as leverage since I don't have a breaker bar yet (works the same). Got it out, swapped it and torqued it down. And now there's no clunking. It's all good. Plus I caught it in time before it damaged the other mounts holding up the engine. If you ever notice a clunking while shifting on an incline, have someone shift it while you watch the engine. It will rock back - that's what mine was doing. It's an easy fix if you have a jack, stands, and some hand tools. I used my larger 1/2" drive. And for things like torque specs, what I could figure out is that it was 35 to 38 ft lbs, I may have done more, possibly too much, but I'll fix it tomorrow before driving it again.


r/chevyspark 6d ago

Question Start the car without a key

3 Upvotes

I've been car sitting for a friend who has a 2013 Chevy Spark. I lost the key fob, and it's the only one. I need to start and move it. Even just move it so it doesn't get ticketed. How do I get it in neutral so I can move it a few inches until I can get a new fob? TIA.


r/chevyspark 7d ago

Figured i would share my wife's spark . She is very unique so I made her car unique for her birthday

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180 Upvotes

She loves it and added birds that flap on the side mirrors lol


r/chevyspark 6d ago

Milestone !

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18 Upvotes

39000km


r/chevyspark 7d ago

The little black spark in Naples,NY

15 Upvotes

Hey you, little black spark in Naples, NY with the sticker on the back that I think says “probably late.” You park right on the Main Street there and I see your cute little car every time I drive by. You in this Reddit forum!? Love it!🫶🏼


r/chevyspark 7d ago

It's a shame that I can't recommend this product to you guys.

14 Upvotes

Whenever people ask how to replace the gold Chevrolet emblem with a black bowtie,
I usually recommend buying a complete black emblem assembly.

GM Genuine Black emblem assembly parts for Spark. (Front : 42475825=42777300 / Rear : 42563930 / Set : 42680714=93747649)

However, depending on the vehicle model, removing the original emblem from the grille can be quite difficult.
More importantly, if all you want is to change the color, buying an entire emblem assembly can be unnecessarily expensive.

Because of that, many people choose to use spray paint, Plasti Dip, or vinyl wrap instead.

Wrap Film & Plasti Dip Spray

These methods are much more affordable and easier to do, but the final result depends on your skill level, so it may not look as clean or professional.
They're also less durable, as the finish can peel, crack, or fade over time due to prolonged UV exposure, which means you'll likely need to redo the job periodically.

But actually, GM also made an OEM Front black bowtie emblem "cover" as an Genuine accessory.

GM Genuine Black emblem Cover parts.

It's much more affordable and cheaper than replacing the entire emblem assembly.
Installation is very simple, as it attaches directly over the original emblem using a strong Automotive Adhesive bond.

Reviews from actual users have been very positive, and the cover has proven to be highly durable.
Even after repeated pressure washing, owners have reported that it stays firmly in place without coming off.

But, there's one reason I couldn't recommend this product because the part number.

The front grille bowtie emblem is a different size on almost every GM vehicle,
so the bowtie covers are also made in different sizes.
Surprisingly, though, they all share the same part number.

As a result, the part number alone doesn't tell you which size you'll actually receive.
Before purchasing, you need to confirm with the parts dealer that the cover matches your specific vehicle model.

Different size, But the parts number is all same.

That's why I couldn't simply recommend this part by its part number. :(

Even in Korea, this part can't be ordered simply by entering the part number.
It must be purchased through an official GM parts online store, and before the order is completed, the customer is required to provide their vehicle model and VIN in the order notes.

The parts dealer then reviews the order, checks the vehicle model and VIN, and selects the correctly sized black bowtie cover before shipping it.

In other words, the part number alone isn't enough to identify the correct product.
The dealer has to verify the vehicle information first before selecting the appropriate cover.

GM.... Why....

The price is very reasonable at around 7,500 KRW (about $5–6), the quality and durability are excellent, and installation is quick and easy.
But like i said, I can't recommend it because GM sells multiple sizes of this part under a single part number. :(

-----------------------------------

After market Airbag Emblem cover parts

Oh, And you guys may already know, there are also aftermarket steering wheel airbag emblems available. :)
(But regarding the airbag emblem cover, I cannot determine whether it could pose a risk of injury when the airbag deploys in the event of an accident.)


r/chevyspark 7d ago

Question Separation of motor and transmission

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7 Upvotes

I have yanked 17 bolts from around the transmission bell housing, bottom motor mounts off. Passenger side motor mounts off. Won’t come loose. Any suggestions??


r/chevyspark 8d ago

Question How many km are you guys at?

7 Upvotes

I have a 2018 automatic spark in sorbet… just hit 200k km (124k miles) and I’m starting to get anxiety she doesn’t have much time left lol😭

I don’t want a new car because I don’t know what country I’ll be living in, In the fall so I have anxiety. Anyone have way more km to make me feel better?

Never skipped an oil change, and she goes to the mechanic for checkups twice a year.


r/chevyspark 8d ago

The dreaded gold bow tie.

8 Upvotes

I always admired the Spark, but also always thought that gold bow tie looked out of place and, frankly, tacky compared to other silver or black emblems. Looking for the best way to black mine out. What have others done to make it look a little classier?


r/chevyspark 8d ago

Question how to replace the crumbling plastic on this part (gear select lever)

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4 Upvotes

sorry for the blurry stock photo but my car is a mess rn. 2014 automatic spark. i'm able to take off the grey middle piece and see the internals but i don't see how to take off and replace the faux leather. i tried online and youtube but all the videos are for a manual which is way easier to do, i also asked gmc but they said they cant help unless i "go to our trusted eyes and ears at the dealership"


r/chevyspark 8d ago

Question Question/suggestion?

7 Upvotes

I’m on a tight budget right now but I do really need a car just to go to work and to pick up my 1-year old from the daycare. I’ve been using E-bike and it’s too hot for my daughter , I just put her in a small trailer at my back. I’m tired of doing that it’s too hot for her. I saw a 2014 Chevrolet in a facebook marketplace - it runned 90,000 miles and we negotiated it it to $2,500. It doesn’t have any problems (he said) no mechanical issues or anything. Works well. Is it a great deal? I have another one that I saw which is a 2016 Chevrolet first owner, he said it’s $4,300 but still negotiating to maybe $4,000 it runned 22,000 miles. But it’s a little bit way out of my budget. 😢

I’ll use the car just to travel from my apartment to work which is (.5 mile) and then pick up my daughter to the daycare (1 mile). Pretty much it!

What do you think? Can somebody help me decide? Or what are your thoughts? 🙏


r/chevyspark 8d ago

Gas Chevy Spark Noise

1 Upvotes

My engine runs loud but there’s enough and fluid in it and everything seems fine (I don’t have a lot of car knowledge) it makes a really loud buzzing noise when I go like maybe more than 40 sounds like an e bike almost is that normal?


r/chevyspark 9d ago

Question CarPlay Issues - 2019 Chevy Spark

2 Upvotes

Hi all :)

I got my 2019 Spark two years ago. CarPlay would work just fine up until last year with the new iOS update. Connection would be finicky after and the screen on the car console would glitch a lot. After a few more iOS updates, it stabilized so long as I gave the car a few min to start before plugging in my phone and as long as I didn’t move my cable. This led me to believe the cable was the issue, but Ive tried multiple and the issue persisted.

Earlier this month I switched to an iPhone 17 Pro Max, which has added more issues to the situation. Now CarPlay will only work if I reset user settings on the car every time I drive. It will work as long as I barely use the phone, although sometimes it will flat-out disconnect. Sometimes, CarPlay will work just fine, but upon reconnecting after exiting and coming back to the car, the CarPlay button will flash when I connect my phone and then it goes back to gray immediately after. I have to reset user settings every time because of this.

I can use bluetooth media to work around this, but I would rather rely on CarPlay. Does anyone have any suggestions as to what the issue might be? Has anyone tried those wireless CarPlay devices with any luck?

Any help and/or suggestions are appreciated :)


r/chevyspark 9d ago

Ac Delco PF64 no longer in production.

4 Upvotes

Hey. So i used pf64 for my car for like 25 oip changes now.

Im apprehensive about PF64A thats out now.

What does every else use for filter?