2018 Fiat 124 SPIDER: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
16 owner complaints analyzed
2 distinct recall campaigns
6,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2018 model year. Data snapshot: . 3 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Air Bags is the most frequently named component, appearing in 8 of 16 complaints (50.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical and battery issues | 2 | 12.5% |
| Fuel system concerns | 2 | 12.5% |
| Transmission and shifting | 1 | 6.3% |
| Engine operation | 1 | 6.3% |
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 | 8 |
| Seat Belts | 3 |
| Engine | 2 |
| Electrical System | 1 |
| Electrical System:12v/24v/48v Battery | 1 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Fuel Pump | 1 |
| Lane Departure: Blind Spot Detection | 1 |
Air Bags: 8; Seat Belts: 3; Engine: 2; Electrical System: 1; Electrical System:12v/24v/48v Battery: 1; Fuel System, Gasoline: 1; Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Fuel Pump: 1; Lane Departure: Blind Spot Detection: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 2 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 1 |
| 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: 2; 25,000 to 49,999: 1; 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 (2). 13 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 |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 2 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2024 | 4 |
| 2025 | 7 |
| 2026 | 1 |
2020: 1; 2021: 2; 2022: 1; 2024: 4; 2025: 7; 2026: 1
Pattern summary
Air Bags leads the component reports. Electrical and battery issues appears in 2 complaint narratives. Fuel system concerns appears in 2 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 1 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.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 11337137 · 2020-07-02 (July 2, 2020)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 FIAT 124 SPIDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 35-40 MPH, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL RATTLING SOUND COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT, KEYFOB, AND TPMS WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO CLASSIC CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP RAM FIAT OF ARLINGTON (1111 I-20 FRONTAGE RD, ARLINGTON, TX 76018, [phone removed]) TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE SHIELD NEEDED TO BE TIGHTENED AND KEYFOB REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURE WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE B…
Owner-reported narrative. 500 miles reported. Look up ODI 11337137 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11419660 · 2021-06-04 (June 4, 2021)
The seat belt retractors, BOTH PASSANGE SIDE AND DRIVER Side are failing at an alarming rate according to FIAT Forums (and my personal experience). Mine was diagnosed by Ramsey FIAT (Authorized Dealer and Service Center) in Oct or Nov of 2020. I purchased car new, only owner. I was advised by technician that it would be unsafe to drive car in that condition and that both assemblies should be replaced. Dealer said it would be a couple weeks to get the part. However as of June 4th, 2021 dealer has only received assembly for one side. I was giv…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11419660 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11421682 · 2021-06-21 (June 21, 2021)
The driver's side (left) seat belt does not properly retract when unbuckling and exiting the vehicle, making it difficult to use on a daily basis. I have not yet taken the car in for service, because apparently this issue is widespread for this model and the replacement parts are not available / are on backorder.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11421682 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11479895 · 2022-08-18 (August 18, 2022)
The Blind spot warning which illuminates on the side mirrors is indicating false positives, staying on for prolonged periods even one no other vehicle or object is within the blind spot. Also, the warning does not always illuminate when another vehicle is in the blind spot this would be a false negative response. This resulted in a near miss crash. This started one week ago and is continuous issue. On line forums demonstrate the same an/or similar problems.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11479895 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11578929 · 2024-03-22 (March 22, 2024)
Both the drivers side and passenger side have to be hand pushed back up into their retreival mechanism after use, or they end up hanging down into the path of the closing doors. My car had less than 18,000 miles on it when I bought it, and it was already a problem. This is a known problem in the (2017 - 2020) Fiat 124 Spider world. Fiat should repair these free of charge. I have a 2006 Toyota Matrix that the seatbelts still work perfectly. It has 180,000 miles on it.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11578929 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 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 ↗
Recall history
2 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
19V068000 · Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Control Module (Tcm/Pcm/Tecm)
Reported: 2019-02-05 (February 5, 2019)
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Fiat Spider 124 vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions. Due to incorrect programming of the Transmission Control Module (TCM), certain conditions may cause the vehicle to unexpectedly downshift and abruptly decelerate.
Consequence: If a downshift occurs, the vehicle will suddenly decrease speed, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will update the TCM software, free of charge. The recall began March 28, 2019. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is V20.
NHTSA campaign record ↗24V694000 · Air Bags: Air Bag/Restraint Control Module:Software
Reported: 2024-09-18 (September 18, 2024)
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2017-2020 Fiat 124 Spider vehicles. A software error in the air bag control module may cause the front air bags to deploy with excessive force during a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Consequence: An air bag that deploys with excessive force can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will update the air bag control module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 26, 2025. Owners may contact FCA customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA's number for this recall is A3B.
NHTSA campaign record ↗