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2017 Fiat 124 Spider
Solid pick. The complaint record is strong for its age. It does carry safety recalls, so confirm every one shows "remedy completed" on the VIN before money changes hands.
32 owner complaints · 1 recalls · data verified July 21, 2026 · source: NHTSA
Why buy?
Complaints are still coming in strong late in this car's life, a chronic-problem pattern, not early teething.
Airbags problems dominate (44% of complaints).
Very few owner complaints for its age and sales volume.
Complaints are overwhelmingly minor: almost none involve crashes, fires, or injuries.
Score breakdown, by factor
Full methodology →#81 of 477Among the 2017 models with a matured record, the 2017 Fiat 124 Spider ranks #81, scoring higher than 82% of them. See the 2017 ranking →
Complaints filed per year
Fading = early teething worked out. Climbing = problems aging in.
How it crashes
NHTSA’s own crash tests, separate from the reliability score above.
NHTSA crash-tested this model year but didn’t publish an overall star rating for it.
Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings. Star ratings compare vehicles within the same class and size, not across every car on the road.
The road ahead
What breaks on a 2017 Fiat 124 Spider, plotted where owners report it happening.
Also reported (mileage varies): Airbags (14) · Electrical system (6)
Mileage medians come from owners who mentioned an odometer reading in their NHTSA complaint, a rough guide, not a schedule.
Airbags
44%14 complaints · 14 in the last 2 years
“The contact owns a 2017 Fiat 124 Spider. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V694000 (AIR BAGS); however, the part to do the recall repair wa…”
Electrical system
19%6 complaints · 1 in the last 2 years
“ALARM KEEPS RANDOMLY GOING OFF, DOESN'T MATTER HOW FAST YOU ARE GOING, WHAT GEAR, WHAT TYPE OF ROAD, WENT OFF 15 TIMES ONE DAY, 5 TIMES THE NEXT DAY”
Engine
13%4 complaints · 2 in the last 2 years
“Vehicle has been consuming excessive amount of oil & has affected my engine and turbo. When the oil is low, car will just turn off and stop running.”
Seat belts
6%2 complaints
“SEAT BELTS DON'T FULLY RETRACT AND COULD NOT PROTECT IN AN EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT AS THEY ARE NOT TIGHT AGAINST THE BODY.”
Check it against this car’s mileage
Type the odometer reading on the actual car you’re looking at to see which of these problem areas owners tend to report before it, around it, or after it.
Too few owners named a mileage on this model to place issues against an odometer yet.
Read all 32 owner complaints in their own words → · just the 1 crash/fire/injury reports →
Recalls (1)
Safety recall repairs are free at the brand’s franchised dealers. Before buying, run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and make the seller show the work was done.
Air Bags · 24V694000
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."
Risk: An air bag that deploys with excessive force can increase the risk of injury.
Fix: 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.
Questions to ask the seller
Questions worth asking the seller of this Fiat before you buy, drawn from its public record:
- NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2017 Fiat 124 Spider. Can you run this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and confirm each one shows "Remedy Completed"?
- Owners of this model report airbags problems more than anything else. Has this car shown any airbags symptoms, and are there repair records for it?
- Owners of this model report electrical system problems more than anything else. Has this car shown any electrical system symptoms, and are there repair records for it?
- Has this car been in any accident or had any structural, airbag, or flood-related repair? Do you have a clean title and a recent history report (Carfax / AutoCheck)?
- How many owners has it had, do you have the maintenance records, and why are you selling it?
- Are you open to me having an independent mechanic inspect it before we settle on a price?
Before you hand over money
Verify the recall work was done
NHTSA’s free lookup shows whether this exact car had its recall remedies completed.
Free NHTSA VIN check ↗Get a pre-purchase inspection
A $150 to $250 independent inspection of this exact 2017 Fiat 124 SPIDER beats every score on the internet, including ours.
What to ask forNot set on the 2017? See how every 124 Spider model year scores →
Cross-shopping? Compare the 2017 Fiat 124 Spider against another car →
What owners say
Real owners of this exact model-year, shown separately from the NHTSA score. If they disagree, that’s worth knowing.