A method for early detection of a stochastic preignition (SPI) in an internal combustion engine includes monitoring sensor data from a sensor that is coupled to the internal combustion engine of a vehicle, determining whether a SPI event will occur using the sensor data and a Hankel Alternative View of Koopman (HAVOK) model, and commanding the vehicle to take a corrective action before the SPI event occurs to prevent the SPI event from happening in response to determining that the SPI event will occur.