Fiat 124 SPIDER problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
65 owner complaints analyzed
3 distinct recall campaigns
5,300 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2017 to 2020 model years. Data snapshot: . 19 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Air Bags is the most frequently named component, appearing in 30 of 65 complaints (46.2%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel system concerns | 3 | 4.6% |
| Transmission and shifting | 2 | 3.1% |
| Engine operation | 2 | 3.1% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 2 | 3.1% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Air Bags | 30 |
| Seat Belts | 8 |
| Electrical System | 7 |
| Engine | 7 |
| Unknown Or Other | 6 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 4 |
| Visibility/Wiper | 3 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 2 |
Air Bags: 30; Seat Belts: 8; Electrical System: 7; Engine: 7; Unknown Or Other: 6; Fuel/Propulsion System: 4; Visibility/Wiper: 3; Fuel System, Gasoline: 2
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 17 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 2 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 0 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 17; 25,000 to 49,999: 2; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (17). 46 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2017 | 3 |
| 2018 | 8 |
| 2019 | 3 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2021 | 5 |
| 2022 | 5 |
| 2024 | 8 |
| 2025 | 29 |
| 2026 | 2 |
2017: 3; 2018: 8; 2019: 3; 2020: 2; 2021: 5; 2022: 5; 2024: 8; 2025: 29; 2026: 2
Pattern summary
Air Bags leads the component reports. Fuel system concerns appears in 3 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 2 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 2 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 11621474 · 2024-10-23 (October 23, 2024)
The contact owns a 2018 Fiat 124 Spider. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the vehicle stalled and failed to return to normal operation. No warning light was illuminated. The contact researched and was made aware of an undisclosed NHTSA Campaign however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the fuel pump and the battery needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 6,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 6,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11621474 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11625934 · 2024-11-18 (November 18, 2024)
The contact owns a 2018 Fiat 124 Spider. The contact stated that on several occasions, the vehicle failed to start. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle had been towed to the dealer several times where battery, spark plugs, starter, and other engine parts were replaced; however, the failure reoccurred approximately one year later. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. Upon investigation, the contact linked the failure to the fuel pump. The vehicle was repaired. The failure mileage was approximate…
Owner-reported narrative. 25,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11625934 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11104732 · 2018-06-29 (June 29, 2018)
THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION SHIFTS OUT OF 4TH GEAR BY ITSELF. THIS HAS OCCURRED ON A HIGHWAY AS WELL AS IN STREET TRAFFIC
Owner-reported narrative. 50 miles reported. Look up ODI 11104732 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11582633 · 2024-04-12 (April 12, 2024)
We purchased a 2018 Fiat Spider from a dealer as a new vehicle. It apparently had recalls but the dealers never notified Fiat that we were the new owners and the dealer has been listed as the owner all of this time so we never received notifications. The vehicle is only used as a summer vehicle and the clutch just went out at 9000 miles. We have multiple manual transmission vehicles in the household and none have ever gone out before 120,000 miles. Additionally, we found out that there were recalls related to the transmission. In regard to…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11582633 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11217536 · 2019-06-03 (June 3, 2019)
VEHICLE WILL STALL WHILE DRIVING - TYPICALLY THE VEHICLE WILL DISPLAY THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL (ETC) WARNING LIGHT PRIOR TO STALL. STALL WILL HAPPEN WHILE ACTIVELY DRIVING. ENGINE INDICATOR LIGHT ALSO ILLUMINATES. DEALER HAS ATTEMPTED 5 TIMES TO CORRECT. EACH TIME THE DEALER DELIVERS VEHICLE. WITHIN 24 HOURS OF DELIVERY, THE ENGINE AGAIN BEGINS TO HESITATE AND STALL, ETC AND CEL LIGHT COME ON.
Owner-reported narrative. 5,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 11217536 at NHTSA ↗
Recalls by model year
All campaigns in the snapshot affecting each model year, including recalls announced years later.
Recall campaigns
Shared campaigns appear once in each affected model year.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2017 | 2 |
| 2018 | 2 |
| 2019 | 3 |
| 2020 | 1 |
2017: 2; 2018: 2; 2019: 3; 2020: 1