The Alfa Romeo Spider has 4 NHTSA recall campaigns on record covering 1981–1992. On average a defect was admitted 0.83 years after the car was built, the slowest took 2 years. The most recalled system is Interior Lighting (1 campaigns). Owners also filed 1 complaints on this model — see what breaks.
What was recalled on the Alfa Romeo Spider
Grouped by system. Open any row for the campaigns themselves — what failed, what it risks and how the dealer fixes it, straight from the NHTSA filing.
Interior Lighting 1 Read
What's wrong. An electrical short circuit can develop in the glove compartment maplight
Risk. The short circuit could result in a glove compartmentfire
Fix. Replace the glove compartment maplight and attachment bracket
What's wrong. An electrical short circuit can develop in the glove compartment maplight
Risk. The short circuit could result in a glove compartmentfire
Fix. Replace the glove compartment maplight and attachment bracket
Steering 1 Read
What's wrong. A casting flaw in the steering box pitman and or idle arms may cause metal fatigue failure
Risk. Failure of the steering box pitman or idle arm couldresult in sudden loss of control without warning with a potential for anaccident
Fix. Replace components with casting flaw
Electrical System 1 Read
What's wrong. The ignition switch is defective and causes starting difficulties. The engine may fail to start when the ignition key is turned
Fix. The dealer will replace the ignition switch assembly with the latest type, free of charge
What's wrong. The ignition switch is defective and causes starting difficulties. The engine may fail to start when the ignition key is turned
Fix. The dealer will replace the ignition switch assembly with the latest type, free of charge
Fuel System, Gasoline 1 Read
What's wrong. The fuel pump may have been improperly installed, possibly resulting in misalignment of the pump
Fix. Dealer will replace the fuel pump and related hardware with a new pump kit, without charge to owner
How long a defect stays unadmitted
Campaign numbers encode the year of the announcement, so each recall on this model can be dated against the car it applies to.
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Average gap before admission | 0.83 years |
| Slowest campaign | 2 years |
| Admitted 5+ years later | —% |
| Campaigns on record | 4 |
Which Spider years were recalled most
Campaigns per model year. A year with more campaigns is not automatically worse — it may simply have sold in far greater numbers.
| Model year | Campaigns | Most recalled system |
|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Interior Lighting | |
| 1991 | Steering | |
| 1982 | Electrical System | |
| 1981 | Fuel System, Gasoline |
Check your own car
A campaign applies to a range of production, not to every car of the model. The only way to know whether yours is affected — and whether the repair was already done — is by VIN.
| Step | What you get |
|---|---|
| Enter the VIN above | Open campaigns for that exact vehicle, straight from NHTSA |
| Check the repair status | Whether the free fix has already been carried out on this car |
| Book at any franchised dealer | Recall work is free regardless of age, mileage or owner |
Go deeper
A campaign covers a production range. Yours is one car.
- Check whether this exact VIN is affected — and whether the fix was done
- Alerts if a new campaign lands on a car in your garage
- Full research report as a PDF you can hand to a mechanic
- Decode a whole list of VINs at once
- No ads, on every page
- No ads, no tracking — and much more
Frequently asked questions
How many recalls does the Alfa Romeo Spider have?
4 NHTSA campaigns on record, covering 1981–1992. Not every campaign applies to every car — coverage is by production range, so check your VIN.
Is recall work free?
Yes. Safety recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer regardless of the car's age, mileage or how many owners it has had. That is a federal requirement, not a courtesy.
How do I know if my Spider still has an open recall?
Enter its VIN above. We show campaigns that apply to that exact vehicle and whether the repair has already been recorded as done.
Why did a defect take years to be recalled?
On this model the average gap between the car being built and the defect being admitted is 0.83 years, and the slowest campaign came 2 years later. Defects usually surface as they accumulate in the field: complaints pile up, an investigation opens, and only then is a campaign issued.