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2018 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.

Recalls, complaint breakdown & inspection checklist, all in a shareable PDF

16 owner complaints · 1 recalls · data verified July 21, 2026 · source: NHTSA

Buywillitcar.com

Why buy?

Complaints are still coming in strong late in this car's life, a chronic-problem pattern, not early teething.

Very few owner complaints for its age and sales volume.

Score breakdown, by factor

Full methodology →

#39 of 471Among the 2018 models with a matured record, the 2018 Fiat 124 Spider ranks #39, scoring higher than 89% of them. See the 2018 ranking →

Complaint volume100
Severity100
Recall load95
Trend31

Complaints filed per year

Fading = early teething worked out. Climbing = problems aging in.

20202026 YTD

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 2018 Fiat 124 Spider, plotted where owners report it happening.

030k mi60k mi90k mi120k mi

Also reported (mileage varies): Airbags (8)

Mileage medians come from owners who mentioned an odometer reading in their NHTSA complaint, a rough guide, not a schedule.

Airbags

50%

8 complaints · 8 in the last 2 years

manufacturer is not able to perform recall service. No dealers have the proper tool necessary to complete repair. I've tried all dealers in Atlanta GA area.

Read the airbags complaints →

Seat belts

19%

3 complaints

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…

Read the seat belts complaints →

Fuel system

13%

2 complaints · 2 in the last 2 years

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 ligh…

Read the fuel system complaints →

Electrical system

13%

2 complaints · 1 in the last 2 years

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 ligh…

Read the electrical system complaints →

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.

miles

Too few owners named a mileage on this model to place issues against an odometer yet.

Read all 16 owner complaints in their own words →

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:

  1. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2018 Fiat 124 Spider. Can you run this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and confirm each one shows "Remedy Completed"?
  2. 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?
  3. Has this car been in any accident, and can you share a title history and any service records you have?
  4. How many owners has it had, do you have the maintenance records, and why are you selling it?
  5. 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 2018 Fiat 124 SPIDER beats every score on the internet, including ours.

What to ask for

Not set on the 2018? See how every 124 Spider model year scores →

Cross-shopping? Compare the 2018 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.

See what owners are saying about other cars →

The fine print: this verdict is computed from public NHTSA complaint and recall records for the 2018 Fiat 124 Spider as a model, not for any individual car. A well-maintained example of an “Avoid” can outlast a neglected “Buy”. Informational only, so always get a professional pre-purchase inspection.