27 of the
340 complaints filed about the Alfa Romeo Stelvio
are about the other systems —
8% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2018.
Engine light came on. I was told by the first dealership that the coolant was mixing with the engine oil. There was also a vehicle at the shop there for the same issue. after doing some research online, it appears that this is a bigger issue. I bought the car at 20,000 miles and this began happening around 52000 miles. Given the low mileage, this is something that should not be happening to a newer car.
NHTSA complaint #11750058 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Subject: Formal Demand for Remedy – Safety Recall / 2019 Alfa Romeo Stelvio (VIN: [XXX] ) To Whom It May Concern, I am writing to formally demand immediate resolution regarding a serious safety recall affecting my 2019 Alfa Romeo Stelvio (VIN: [XXX] ). The recall, issued in September 2025, involves a defect in the fuel delivery module that may result in a loss of motive power. This defect presents a significant safety hazard, increasing the risk of a crash, injury, or worse. Despite the severity of this issue, I have not been provided with a remedy, repair timeline, or adequate alternative solution. It is unacceptable that I am expected to continue operating—or assume the risk of operating—a vehicle with a known safety defect and no available fix. This situation has caused ongoing concern, inconvenience, and diminished confidence in the safety and reliability of the vehicle. Given the lack of a timely and effective remedy, I am formally requesting that Alfa Romeo take one of the following actions immediately: Provide a permanent repair within a reasonable and clearly defined timeframe; OR Repurchase (buy back) the vehicle at fair market value; OR Provide a comparable replacement vehicle at no cost to me If this matter is not resolved promptly, I am prepared to pursue further action, including but not limited to filing additional complaints with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), seeking relief under applicable state lemon laws, and exploring other legal remedies available to me. Please treat this matter with the urgency it requires. I request a written response within 10 business days of receipt of this letter outlining the steps Alfa Romeo will take to resolve this issue. Thank you for your immediate attention to this serious safety concern. [XXX] and [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] or [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11727879 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Subject: Safety Complaint – Open Recall with No Remedy Available I am filing a safety complaint regarding my vehicle, which currently has an open recall with no available remedy. Manufacturer Recall Number: 93C NHTSA Recall Number: 25V-586 VIN: [XXX] After learning about this recall, I have experienced the exact issues described. When the vehicle is exposed to very hot or very cold temperatures, the Electronic Throttle Control (ETC) warning light illuminates, along with the check engine light and the auto stop-start warning light. When this occurs, the vehicle begins to sputter and loses power. It will not properly a-ccelerate and significantly reduces speed while driving. This creates a serious safety hazard, especially in traffic or at highway speeds. A sudden loss of power or inability to accelerate could easily result in a collision, potentially causing serious injury or death. There is currently no remedy available for this recall, yet the vehicle remains in operation on public roads. I do not feel the vehicle is safe to drive under these conditions. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate this issue further and require the manufacturer to provide an immediate and effective remedy. Owners should not be placed in a position where they must operate an unsafe vehicle while waiting for a repair solution. Thank you for your attention to this matter. [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11715082 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I am submitting this complaint regarding a manufacturer safety recall affecting my vehicle that has not been remedied and is creating a safety concern. My vehicle is subject to NHTSA Safety Recall 25V-586 (Alfa Romeo Recall 93C) involving a defective fuel pump / fuel delivery module that may cause loss of drive power while driving. I contacted an authorized Alfa Romeo dealership, and they confirmed that my vehicle is affected by this recall. However, the dealership informed me that Alfa Romeo has not yet released a final repair remedy and therefore they cannot perform the recall repair at this time. I contacted Alfa Romeo Customer Care and was advised that the dealership could run diagnostics and potentially perform a temporary or interim repair related to the fuel pump issue. When I relayed this information to the dealership, I was told that I would be required to pay out of pocket for parts and labor and wait for reimbursement once Alfa Romeo releases a final recall solution. I do not believe it is appropriate or compliant with safety recall requirements for a customer to be required to prepay for parts and labor related to a confirmed manufacturer safety defect. This recall involves a loss of engine power, which poses a safety risk while driving. At this time, no no-cost repair, interim fix, or alternative transportation has been offered, and I am being placed in a position where a known safety defect remains unresolved unless I pay out of pocket. I am requesting NHTSA review this matter, as the recall has been acknowledged but not properly supported with a no-cost remedy or alternative solution for the affected consumer.
NHTSA complaint #11712356 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I received a manufacturer recall notice (Recall 93C / NHTSA 25V-586) for my 2021 Alfa Romeo Giulia concerning a defective rear fuel line quick connector that may leak fuel and cause an engine compartment fire. I contacted Alfa Romeo of Brandon (FL) several times to schedule an inspection and request a temporary vehicle as recommended by FCA. My service advisor, Lenny Patram, confirmed that the remedy is not yet available and advised me to wait for further notice. Despite expressing safety concerns, I was told that no loaner or temporary vehicle could be provided. This situation puts my safety and the safety of others at risk. The recall notice specifically warns that a fuel leak could lead to a fire, yet I have been advised to continue parking the vehicle outside and avoid driving it if possible. I rely on this vehicle for daily transportation and have not been offered any safe alternative or clear timeframe for repair. In addition to the recall, my check engine light has been on for several weeks, and the “A!” warning light appears intermittently. These indicators began appearing after I received the recall notice and may be related to the same underlying defect. The dealer has not inspected the vehicle because parts are unavailable. The issue has not been reviewed by the manufacturer, insurance, or any third party. The vehicle is currently at my residence and available for inspection upon request. Warning lights prior to failure: Yes — check engine light and “A!” warning. Reproduced/confirmed by dealer: No — recall acknowledged but not inspected. Component available for inspection: Yes.
NHTSA complaint #11698764 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The gear shifter broke. The button on the back that you compress in order to trigger a button inside of the shifter, broke off and then the button inside got stuck. I was not able to shift gears and even though there was no other issue with the vehicle, I was stuck in a parking lot blocking other people's ability to move around me. It creates a safety hazard by not being able to shift gears to move the vehicle out of harm's way or even to be able to be towed in a safe manner. The tow truck driver had to climb under my vehicle and find a way to put the vehicle into neutral because the gear shifter would not engage. No to the other questions. I sat for six hours waiting for a tow truck to come because the first one that was dispatched was not able to help due to the specific circumstances. From reading other online forums, this does seem to be a recurring issue with Alfa Romeo's.
NHTSA complaint #11697248 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Upon starting the vehicle a number of warning lights illuminated including the battery light. Upon viewing the battery compartment the plastic enclosure surrounding the battery had a few inches of water inside. I do have videos showing the water inside the compartment and also video of water being vacuumed out of the compartment. We did some research and found that this exact same issue sparked a recall in the same model vehicle in 2018. Very dangerous and i hope this is not happening to others, based on our research it is.
NHTSA complaint #11677766 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
My 2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio was diagnosed by a certified Alfa Romeo dealer with a major engine defect involving coolant mixing with oil. The diagnosis revealed internal failure likely stemming from the oil cooler or head gasket, and the parts estimate alone was over $17,000 — not including labor. The dealer confirmed the issue but stated no recalls apply and denied warranty coverage. The car showed early signs like minor overheating and coolant loss, but no clear warning lamps or check engine lights until the issue escalated. This defect significantly increases the risk of engine failure, overheating, or loss of power while driving — posing a serious safety concern. I have since discovered multiple other owners reporting the exact same problem in Alfa Romeo forums and consumer complaint sites. The dealer has confirmed the issue but refused support. I believe this may reflect a broader design flaw affecting many vehicles and should be investigated for potential recall.
NHTSA complaint #11673784 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Coolant leaked into the air conduits, from the heater core, causing a midst and smoke of hazardous vapors be deployed into the cabin. Current odometer reading is 60,289.
NHTSA complaint #11648733 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
At a red light in a busy city, my car auto-stopped the engine. When trying to auto-start as the light turned green, the car started smoking and wouldn't move. When towed away and taken to the dealership, they said that the ground strap of the vehicle had corroded, shorted out, and melted a number of wires within the wiring harness. It is available for inspection upon request. This easily could have been a full electrical fire within the car, putting us in further mortal danger had we not shut the car off immediately. We also were in a highly congested area, and could have been hit while jumping out of the car for fear of smoke/fire. We could have been rear ended by traffic behind us as well. The dealership said that this is a common problem that I did not cause nor could have anticipated or prevented. I did my own research and have found many accounts of this exact same issue happening with this make and model of the car (2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio). There are accounts online that Alfa Romeo has since switched out the part in later makes of the car for one that is more protected and not prone to corrosion - it is clear that they know and have quietly acknowledged the issue. This is a common and reproducible problem. The car has only been inspected by the mechanics at a local repair shop and then at an Alfa Romeo dealership. The insurance representatives said that because this is a mechanical failure, it is not covered by insurance and therefore they have no need to inspect it. There were no symptoms prior to the failure of the ground strap and melting of the wires within the wiring harness. The car was functioning as normal up until this incident. It was well taken care of with regular maintenance and only had 48,000 miles on the odometer. It had never had any prior issues, mechanical or otherwise.
NHTSA complaint #11629273 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Hello i was driving this morning with my alfa rimeo stelvio on freeway going 65 approximately and just heard explosion like granate or gun shot wich triger my anxiety and ptsd i have trauma from war back home when i was kid i stoped and was looking what happen and heard noise from outside and figured that was sun roof just ecploded randomly i dont knkw is there any legal action or anything becouse this is not right at all and looking onkine a lot ppl complain about that issue
NHTSA complaint #11624482 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I went to start my car to head to work and the car did not start so i tried to start it again all of a sudden smoke started billowing out from the engine bay. it scared me bad i thought the car was going to catch on fire. I proceeded to have the car towed to the dealer where i was told that a ground strap on the transmission has failed causing the wiring in the engine bay ti burn up. I'm still waiting on a estimate of how much it will cost to repair the vehicle. i believe this is also a safety issue the car could have easily caught fire or died at a stop light causing a crash or road hazard.
NHTSA complaint #11606513 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The rear camera system is inoperative. The vehicle was brought to the dealer on 3/25/24, 5/24/24, and 6/3/24 and the dealer has been unable to repair and conform the rear camera system under warranty. To date (as of 6/1/24) the vehicle has been with the Alfa Romeo dealer for 22 days on three separate occasions and they have escalated the issue internally to Alfa engineers as the local dealer has been unable to resolve the issue. The rear camera system is a safety device required on all vehicles in the U.S. Service records available on request.
NHTSA complaint #11593778 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
In December of 2023, the Ground cable/front body harness was melted due to the main battery ground cable from the transmission to the body being corroded and broken. This could have potentially caused car to catch fire. There was no warning light, the car simply refused to start and I could smell something burn. The car is barely 5 years old and driven for 50k miles. The car was last serviced in September/October of 2023 (where this strap issue was not identified, since this is something that is not serviced or expected to break) and has been in no accidents. I strongly believe that this is a faulty piece that alfa Romeo stelvios of that year have. I have heard of atleast 2 other stelvios with the same issue (after a simple google search on forums), however have really never experienced this issue in any other cars I have owned or known off- specially within the first 4-5 years. When I contacted Alfa, I was told that I am out of warranty, so they cannot help me. However, I wanted to raise this safety concern with them and requested if I could talk to anyone else and that request was denied. I am not reporting this because of I want reimbursement of the cost, but primarily so Alfa can investigate and perform a recall as a corrective action.
NHTSA complaint #11567573 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Please be advised that Alfa Romeo vehicles are experiencing a very large number of gear shift selecting buttons that "POP OFF" during driving and while parked and can't be driven or moved!!! This is a know reported and COMMON ISSUE according to the ALFA ROMEO SERVICE MANAGER but not a reported recall issue!!! This is unsafe and very dangerous and should be considered a recall safety issue by the manufacture, owners and public immediately!!! This small piece of equipment that just unexpectedly "POPS OFF" can cause serious injury! 2020 ALFA ROMEO STELVIO - Miles: 69866
NHTSA complaint #11565764 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Sunroof Exploding, I was driving down a smooth California freeway at about 70mph..It was about 72 degrees out, I had my A/C at about 65 degrees, Sunroof closed, along with all windows & all of a sudden, my Sunroof exploded..I had glass coming down on me & flying around cabin..I had a few small cuts, luckily I had big full sunglasses on, as 3 days before I had eye surgery..My car does not have a scratch on it as it is in mint condition, 39,700 miles on it..Nothing had fallen on sunroof, had not gone under overpass & something dropped! I know how a flying rock will travel, it follows the airflow..Look at the top of any car & you will find no chips or scratches from a rock..Yes, the front of your car or maybe a glancing chip on a windshield, but not on top of car! I have looked up on internet & have seen a good number of same problems with with Alfa Romeo & other brands.. I took my Alfa to my dealer who always services my car & they said, to bad, out of Warranty..It is your problem! Alfa Romeo says my car is 4 months outside warranty & will not cover the cost of the EXPLODED Sunroof Glass.. When is a Sunroof glass Exploding a warranty item? This is a design flaw / problem & EXTREAMLY dangerous when it explodes with no warning.. Talking to Larry Dominique, Senior Vice President of Alfa Romeo, they all say, never heard of this problem, when of course they DO!!! Alfa Romeo Not wanting to take care of my problem & saying they have never heard of it happening before & that it is out of Warranty is a VERY Dangerous Joke!! I am writing to you / NHTSA to get a response & this NEEDS to be investigated immediately!! you / NHTSA has been notified as of today April 13, 2023 at 2pm PT...My car can be inspected at anytime & pictures available. I want & deserve a response about my issue ASAP!
NHTSA complaint #11516936 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Body control module While driving in rain, received multiple incorrect messages on dash screen, horn began to beep. Unable to turn horn off until parking and disconnecting the negative battery cable. Had body control module replaced. Two weeks later, driving in rain: multiple warning lights appeared. Monitor said passenger and driver doors were open-they were not. Gas gauge became 'unavailable,' displaying only empty tank. Lights flickered on and off in cabin. Dealer said this was never a recall issue. Alfa says it was but the recall 'expired, so not eligible to fix' This is recall number U36. Obviously still a problem.
NHTSA complaint #11498711 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.