What 84 owners told NHTSA about the 2018 Alfa Romeo Giulia

I RECENTLY PURCHASED THIS 2018 ALFA ROMEO GUILIA USED. I WAS NOT TOTALLY FAMILIAR WITH THE FUEL SYSTEM WARNING, AND I BELIEVED I HAD AT LEAST 20-25 MILES OF FUEL REMAINING. I MAY HAVE MISCALCULATED MY MILEAGE, BUT IN ANY EVENT, I RAN OUT OF FUEL (I WAS CLOSE TO A GAS STATION AS WAS ABLE TO GET THE FUEL AND START THE CAR WITHIN 20 MINUTES OVERALL). THE CAR STOPPED, AND THE IT AUTOMATICALLY ENTERED PARK MODE, PREVENTING IT FROM BEING PUT INTO NEUTRAL AND PUSHED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, AS REQUIRED BY LAW, OR PICKED UP FOR ROAD SERVICE UNLESS THE TOWER HAD A WHEEL DOLLY, TO HANDLE A 4-WHEEL DRIVE CAR. I THINK THIS IS A CRITICAL SAFETY HAZARD. I RESEARCHED THE ISSUE. THE ONLY SOLUTION I COULD FIND, NOT DOCUMENTED IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL, IS A LEVER ON THE TRANSMISSION, LOCATED UNDER THE CAR, WHICH CAN BE PUSHED UP ONLY WITH A PARTICULAR MACHINE SCREW. OBVIOUSLY THIS CANNOT BE DONE WITH A CAR STUCK ON THE ROAD. I CALLED ZF, THE MAKER OF THE TRANSMISSION, WHICH IS USED IN MILLIONS OF CARS. ZF ADVISED THAT I WAS CORRECT, AND THAT MANUFACTURERS CAN PUT IN IN-CAR ACCESS TO THE LEVER OR SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS TO PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL, BUT THAT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF EACH MANUFACTURER. I CALLED FCA, THE MANUFACTURER, AND THEY INDICATED THAT I HAD TO CALL A DEALER. I CALLED MY LOCAL DEALER, ALFA ROMEO WHITE PLAINS (NY). THE SERVICE MANAGER, WHO IS AN ALFA ROMEO MASTER MECHANIC, INDICATED THAT HE HAD ENCOUNTERED THIS SITUATION SEVERAL TIMES, AND HAD ASKED FCA TO FIX THIS. HE HAS RECEIVED NO USEFUL RESPONSE OR SOLUTION. ALTHOUGH THIS SITUATION MAY BE RARE (IT APPLIES NOT ONLY TO OUT OF FUEL, BUT MANY OTHER SITUATIONS OF ELECTRICAL OR OTHER FAILURES), IT IS A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD. I WAS LUCKY. I WAS STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF A LITTLE TRAVELED LOCAL STREET. WHAT IF IT HAD BEEN ON A HIGHWAY? PLEASE ISSUE A RECALL TO REQUIRE DOCUMENTATION OR A FIX TO CORRECT THIS DEFECT.

NHTSA ODI 11231930

THE CLIMATE CONTROL SYSTEM HAS MALFUNCTIONED SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. HOT AIR BLOWS OUT THE DRIVER'S SIDE REGULARLY, AND ALFA ROMEO, AND THE DEALERSHIP I ACQUIRED IT FROM, J STAR MOTORS IN ANAHEIM, CA., DON'T APPEAR INTERESTED IN CORRECTING THE PROBLEM, EVEN AFTER FOUR VISITS. THE ISSUES IS MORE OF A COMFORT ONE, THAN A SAFETY ISSUE, BUT ALL THE SAME, A RECALL MIGHT BE IN ORDER. MY CONTACT AT AF HAS STATED THAT SHE HAS DEALT WITH THIS ISSUE A NUMBER OF TIMES.

NHTSA ODI 11184945

ON FEB 9, 2019 WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT 70 MPH, I HEARD A LOUD EXPLOSION AND SAW THAT THE SUNROOF HAD EXPLODED OUTWARD. THE SUN GUARD WAS PULLED CLOSED AT THE TIME SO THE SHATTERED GLASS DID NOT ENTER THE VEHICLE AND LAND ON MY FAMILY MEMBERS. THE SHATTERED GLASS FLEW OFF THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE AND SCRATCHED ALL THE PAINT ON THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE. UPON INSPECTION FROM THE DEALERSHIP THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE THAT A ROCK OR OTHER OBJECT HIT THE SUNROOF. WE WERE VERY FORTUNATE NO ONE WAS INJURED BY THE SHATTERED GLASS.

NHTSA ODI 11179865

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 ALFA ROMEO GIULIA. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, A LOUD ABNORMAL NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE SUN ROOF WAS SHATTERED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO HERITAGE ALFA ROMEO (11216 REISTERSTOWN RD, OWINGS MILLS, MD 21117, (855) 529-3222) WHERE THE SUN ROOF WAS REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,900.

NHTSA ODI 11160811

SINCE PURCHASING THE CAR IN JAN 2018, I'VE HAD TO REPLACE THE WINDSHIELD TWICE DUE TO CRACKING. I HAVE DRIVEN THE SAME ROUTE FOR 10 YEARS IN VARIOUS CARS AND NEVER HAS THIS HAPPENED SO IT'S NOT AN ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUE. THE CRACKS APPEAR SUDDENLY AND TRAVEL ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD QUICKLY (FROM THE BOTTOM UPWARD OR FROM THE EDGES) WHEN THE CAR IS STATIONARY OR THERE'S A CHANGE IN WEATHER.

NHTSA ODI 11155265

AFTER SEVERAL ISSUES WITH PADDLE SHIFTERS THE RIGHT REAR SEAT BELT FAILED. IT WOULD NOT RETRACK PROPERLY AND THEN TOTALLY LOCKED IN THE MID POSITION MAKING IT TOTALLY UNUSABLE TO SECURE MY 8 YEAR OLD CHILD. THE CAR IS ABOUT THREE WEEKS OLD WITH APPROX. 700 MILES

NHTSA ODI 11149659

AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BREAKING OCCURRED WITH NO WARNING ON A ROAD, THAT WHILE LANES WERE CLOSED DUE TO CONSTRUCTION, HAD NO OBSERVABLE OBSTRUCTIONS INCLUDING STEEL PLATES, ETC. THE WARNING OCCURRED A FRACTION OF A SECOND PRIOR TO THE BRAKING AND I ONLY NOTICED IT IN RETROSPECT. THE CAR WAS TRAVELING 25 - 30 MPH ON A CITY STREET THAT HAD ITS RIGHT LANE BEING RESURFACED. THERE WERE NO CARS IMMEDIATELY IN FRONT OF ME AND THE CAR BEHIND ME WAS SEVERAL CAR LENGTHS BACK. THERE WERE TEMPORARY LANE MARKERS DIVINGING THE NORTH AND SOUTH BOUND LANES. I'M UNSURE IF THESE ARE MADE OF METAL OR PLASTIC BUT THEY ARE NO MORE THAN 10 IN^2.

NHTSA ODI 11144290

DURING A HEAT WAVE I WAS PUTTING MY 4 WEEK OLD SON IN HIS CARSEAT IN THE BACK OF THE CAR, AND PRESSED THE REMOTE START BUTTON TO START THE AIR CONDITIONING. I HAD ALSO PLACED MY KEY FOB INSIDE THE DOOR OF THE CAR TEMPORARILY, AND FORGOT ABOUT THIS AS I CLOSED THE DOOR. THIS SERIES OF EVENTS TRIGGERED ALL THE DOORS OF THE CAR TO LOCK - WITH MY KEY AND BABY INSIDE, REQUIRING US TO BREAK THE WINDOW (NO SMALL FEAT - MY HUSBAND SUFFERED A HAND LACERATION AS HE BROKE THROUGH THE WINDOW) TO SAVE OUR SON. FORTUNATELY I DID NOT ALSO LOCK MY CELL PHONE IN THE CAR, WHICH WOULD HAVE CAUSED ME TO HAVE TO LEAVE MY SON UNATTENDED INSIDE THE VEHICLE TO GO GET HELP. THIS INCIDENT IS REPRODUCIBLE ON MY AND OTHER ALFA ROMEO GIULIA'S, AND I HAVE VIDEO FOOTAGE OF THIS MECHANISM, WHICH I AM TOLD BY THE FCA REGIONAL TECHNICAL ADVISOR IS COMPLETELY SAFE AND NORMAL. THERE IS NO DISCLAIMER ANYWHERE ON THE VEHICLE OR THE KEY TO ALERT DRIVERS OF THIS POTENTIALLY CATASTROPHIC RISK. THIS COULD RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH OF PETS, CHILDREN OR DISABLED PERSONS TRAPPED INSIDE THESE VEHICLES WAITING FOR HELP TO ARRIVE. *DT CONSUMER STATED WHEN SHE PRESSED THE REMOTE START BUTTON THE DOOR LOCKS. UPDATED 12/06/18 *JB *DT*JB

NHTSA ODI 11132775

THE CAR HAD APPLE CAR PLAY AS A FEATURE IN THE BASE PRICE. THE CAR PLAY DOESN'T WORK, AND AFTER OVER A MONTH THE COMPANY HAS YET TO FIX WHAT I HAVE LEARNED IS A KNOWN ISSUE BY THE COMPANY. THIS IS A HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE FIX AFFECTING VEHICLES MANUFACTURED BEFORE 7/2017, WHICH MINE WAS. THE DEALERSHIP, ANAHEIM, CA, NOT ONLY DIDN'T INFORM ME OF THIS PROBLEM PRIOR TO MY PURCHASE, BUT HAS BEEN TERRIBLY UNHELPFUL IN CORRECTING IT. I HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH AF CORPORATE FOR OVER A WEEK, WITH NO FORSEEABLE APPOINTMENT TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. I HAVE FILED COMPLAINTS WITH THE FTC AND CA ATTORNEY GENERAL.

NHTSA ODI 11112759