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The 2018 Alfa Romeo Giulia is a high-performance sedan meant to appeal to luxury car owners. The automaker claims it is part of the “collection of champions,” but drivers have something else to say. From a faulty suspension system to faulty electrical components and defective brakes, this vehicle has a lot going against it.
Click on other model year to view more problems: 2019
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NHTSA Complaints for the 2018 Alfa Romeo Giulia
| Complaint Category | Number of Complaints |
|---|---|
| Electrical System | |
| Service Brakes | |
| Power Train | |
| Vehicle Speed Control | |
| Unknown Or Other | |
| Engine | |
| Air Bags | |
| Fuel/propulsion System | |
| Structure:body | |
| Suspension |
Problems with the Suspension
A vehicle’s suspension system is made of several parts that must work together for a smooth ride. Between the tires, springs, struts, shock absorbers and bushings, one would expect that the luxury Giulia would have an exceptional ride.
Yet, an Edmunds review states otherwise. It says, “Coming from a person who owned 7 M-B in 15 years maybe I’m expecting too much from an auto manufacturer who services there vehicles at Dodge/Chrysler/Ram dealers, with that said I test drove the Giulia and love the handling and the way it drove and I still like the way it drives when I have the car since I owned it for 10 month and it has spent around a month broken for different things, now the car has a loud noise in the front suspension over some big bumps and while making hard left turns and 2 different dealerships can’t fix it, and to get a loaner it has to be first pre-approved by FCA then I’m stuck driving either Ford Escape or Dodge Caravan, I have a 50k+ Sport Sedan and get a Caravan every time it breaks and every time I get the car back still broken and first time with a dirty interior and my headliner with grease stains, then they scratched the front bumper and to make it worst they don’t fix it, so I HATE THIS ******* car.”
When a luxury car owner drives a BMW, Audi or Mercedes, they aren’t forced to use a minivan or compact clunker as the loaner vehicle. But, what can be expected from an FCA dealership. This is just one reason that Alfa Romeo can’t compete with the big brands. Of course, the faulty suspension doesn’t help either.
Problems with the Electrical System
Electrical system issues can range from annoying to dangerous, and the Alfa Romeo Giulia has them all. One Edmunds user stated, “After 6 months, center screen on the dash went out. Took 6 weeks to repair. Didn’t receive a call from Corp or dealer for 5 weeks! Horrible experience! Returned the car under the ‘lemon law’. Alpha doesn’t have a clue what customer service means!”
Still, there are more critical issues at hand. Recall Number19V148000 shows that some Giulia models have Brake System Module software that might prevent users from disabling Adaptive Cruise Control when the traction control system detects slippage. If the driver is unable to deactivate the ACC, it could lead to an accident. To repair the problem, owners must take it for service where the technicians will update the BSM software.
There was also another recall (19V551000) where once again, the Body Control Module is involved. This time it shows an inaccurate fuel level, making owners think there is more gas than is actually present. Because of this, it’s easy to run out of fuel on the side of the road. Surely, the FCA dealerships are happy to take care of both of these problems for Alfa Romeo owners. In the meantime, they will get to sport their style in a family minivan as a loaner. Because that’s what it means to be a champion!
Problems with the Engine
The 2018 Alfa Romeo Giulia comes with two engine options, both of which are hailed to be powerful and reliable, but that doesn’t seem to be reality.
Here is yet another Edmunds customer with a complaint. “There is an intermittent smell of something burning–burning oil and/or rubber smell. This is either not found by the dealer, and/or a dealer will tell you ‘something’ needs to burn off. There is a warranty–great, but when the electronics and burning smell appear, the dealer AND Alfa itself has no idea (or flat-out-lies). The warranty therefore is useless. They will try to fix it, but either not find a problem because it’s intermittent, not find it, or claim it ‘may’ be working as designed, manual and common sense to the contrary. Overall, a great car, but not ready for ‘show-time.’ The dealer network is deficient, poorly-trained, and Alfa itself is clueless.”
Again, Alfa Romeo proves how unreliable this car is with yet another recall. Recall Number 18V636000 describes how the 2.0-liter engines might misfire, allowing the catalytic converter to overheat. If this occurs, owners can expect damage to the wiring and engine parts. This heat damage can also lead to a stalling engine or car fire. The technicians can update the ECM to repair the situation, while owners once again wait for their luxury automobile.
Problems with the Brakes
With all of these problems, it helps to know that the car might have reliable brakes, but that’s not the case either. In fact, there are numerous discussions online about massive brake failures.
One user on the Giulia Forums said this, “I have to say after owning my 2018 Giulia after 5000 miles needing brakes and rotors on all 4 was disappointing but I put it behind me.8,000 miles later I brought her in for an oil change and tire rotation and the tech told me that the brakes and rotors needed to be replaced again.”
While it’s no fun having the brakes replaced often and driving a cheesy loaner car, larger problems are occurring than brake wear. Recall Number 17V823000 states that the systems might have contaminated brake fluid, which can damage the system and impair performance. Plus, Recall Number18V828000 says that the brake fluid line could come in contact with the coolant hose clamp, causing fluid to leak onto the exhaust and possibly start a fire. By now, many owners are probably praying that the Giulia would disintegrate in a fire, but is this a problem that a “champion” would really be experiencing. Maybe that’s why some Alfa Romeo owners are choosing to switch to a real luxury brand instead of this make-believe imposter instead.
Your Lemon Law Legal Rights
Think you have a lemon? Sit back and let the experts work out your lemon case at no cost to you. The law makes Alfa Romeo pay legal fees. You may be able to get your lemon out of your life. Every year, auto manufacturers buy back, replace or pay cash settlements to thousands of ‘lemon’ owners like you.
Complaint Data
| Category | Air Bags, Service Brakes, Vehicle Speed Control |
| Date | Mar 19, 2023 |
| State | TX |
| Description | Car speed up on it on, and would not stop ,tried to push brake pad car still didn't stop car cash into another car air bag catch on fire shot some kind of metal piece in my leg and put a hole in my leg and metal pieces hit my face and burn it had to go to hospital with injuries due to this |
| Category | Electrical System |
| Date | Oct 19, 2022 |
| State | MD |
| Description | My bcm was shorted out from water damage from outside the car. The dealer says he can't repair it under warranty because alfa romeo will not authorize him to. I have to pay 1200 out of pocket for something that should be covered by warranty. The car will start, but the front headlights won't go out, the turn signals won't work, brake lights don't work right. Check engine light comes off and several functions are disabled. I'm not sure the backup camera, blindspot monitoring are working correctly. |
| Category | Air Bags, Electrical System |
| Date | Aug 14, 2022 |
| State | CA |
| Description | The airbag light keeps flashing over and over like it was in an accident but the car is brand new |
| Category | Electrical System, Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Aug 14, 2022 |
| State | CA |
| Description | The light flashes warning âš ï¸âš ï¸ the whole time while it's driving |
| Category | Electrical System, Engine |
| Date | Apr 19, 2022 |
| State | AZ |
| Description | When driving on the I-10 the atv light came on the christmas tree lights cycled and the car rapidly came to a stop and shut off. |
| Category | Electrical System, Engine, Vehicle Speed Control |
| Date | Jan 05, 2022 |
| State | TN |
| Description | Vehicle presenting significant life-threatening system-wide failures while driving. These catastrophic system failures result in the vehicle becoming immediately undrivable without warning placing passengers at significant risk, particularly when traveling at high speeds (e. G., interstates). The following summarizes system-wide failures in the 2018 giulia and failed attempts to correct this defect by alfa romeo and dealer: •11/30/20: one (1) day of service after complete multi-system failure while driving locally. Returned same day by service department but failed to repair (see following service report). •11/30/20 – 12/4/20: five (5) days of service. Vehicle presented to dealer service department immediately after pick-up from aforementioned service to correct 2nd systemic failure which subsequently occurred promptly after departing the dealership. Resulting system failure produced highly dangerous operating conditions in which vehicle became immediately and unexpectedly incapacitated while attempting to merge into interstate traffic at accelerating speed. •1/25/21 – 2/5/21: twelve (12) days of service following 3rd system failure. As per dealer service reps, an alfa romeo service agent stated there was a defect in in the molds used for creating engine / engine blocks in the giulia and the resulting defects can cause an oil leak while in operation which, based on its location, can result in entire operating system collapsing unexpectedly when said leak occurs. As documented in the service record, metal shavings were found in the oil and oil pump of vehicle and per the guidance of the alfa romeo service agent, dealer replaced the entire engine •12/10/21: on 12/10/21, the 4th catastrophic system failure occurred during interstate travel in the rain while attempting to accelerate and pass a slow moving vehicle. Vehicle became unexpectedly incapacitated causing seriously life-threatening conditions. Vehicle available for inspection currently. |
| Category | Electrical System, Service Brakes |
| Date | Sep 04, 2021 |
| State | NC |
| Description | Components that failed were both the rear brake warning sensor, rear brake rotors and on further inspection by benson alfa romeo dealership, the front brake rotors had failed even though the front sensors triggered the visit to the dealer for routine service. The full failure of the rear brake rotors that is occurring (as I live in the mountains) would have been catastrophic. The dealership diagnosed the problem and replaced all four rotors, pads and sensors. The event was reported to chrysler and filed as a warranty issue but ask that I pay as chrysler declines to cover these items. The system alerted and I called the dealer benson alfa and took the first available appointment as it appeared as a routine warning, not a catastrophic failure. Even under full warranty for another two years, chrysler declined to cover this event citing their worn part warranty provision of 12 months and 12,000 miles. |
| Category | Service Brakes |
| Date | Aug 11, 2021 |
| State | CA |
| Description | I was in the 10 east, in upland, 300 yard after euclid exit, I just got into the freeway, there was a lot of traffic, we were going slow and my breaks totally stop working!!!! And I hit the car in front of me !!! |
| Category | Suspension |
| Date | Aug 09, 2021 |
| State | PA |
| Description | The drivers side front control arm failed. Had the control arm failed during operation it could have resulted in the loss of life. The issued has been confirmed by a dealer. The vehicle has been inspected by the dealer. See additional details below: the drivers side front control arm failed sunday 08. 07. 2021 resulting in the car collapsing to the ground. An issue with left from driver side control arm (sounds of metal on metal rubbing from the control arm) was brought to the service center's attention on 07. 09. 2021 and the service center diagnosed my complaint as being related to a defective control arm ball joint on the right front passenger side and the car was returned to me while the replacement part arrived. Handling of the car deteriorated significantly on 08. 06. 2021 on my way to and from work. I called a tow truck to drop the car off as the service center on 08. 07. 2021. During movement in reverse gear to position the car onto the tow truck, the front control arm failed resulting in the car collapsing to the ground. Had this failure occurred during vehicle operation it could have resulted in the loss of life. The vehicle is currently at the service center for repairs. |
| Category | Fuel/propulsion System |
| Date | Jun 24, 2021 |
| State | ID |
| Description | Under certain condition's the vehicle will stop running without warning. More specifically, when the outside temperature is hot, combined with a fuel level which is at or below 1/4 but not empty, the car will quit running. It has resulted in my being stranded along the roadside 4 times, and one time in particular I was stuck in the middle of a single lane road which presented a significant risk. The will not restart despite adequate gas being present in the gas tank. The car will eventually restart after it has been allowed to cool down. I believe that a combination of low fuel, hot ambient temperature, and the heat generated from the exhaust system which is directly below the gas tank prevents adequate fuel pick-up until the fuel and car has cooled. There have been multiple reports of this safety hazard posted on the facebook page: alfa romeo giulia quadrifolio https://www. Facebook. Com/groups/1892344594362807 |
| Category | Electrical System, Power Train, Steering |
| Date | Feb 07, 2021 |
| State | MS |
| Description | 2018 giulia qv but it has been in the shop in pensacola for over 7 consecutive weeks and they still have not figured out what's wrong. Under acceleration and left hand turns the service electronic throttle lights up as well as various other lights. What's scary is the power steering temporarily stops, yanking the wheel hard right and I have to muscle it to keep it from running off the road. Nothing short or dangerous. I have had a case open with alfa cares and have tried to escalate with no result. |
| Category | Exterior Lighting |
| Date | Jan 23, 2021 |
| State | NJ |
| Description | The light control for the 2018 alfa romeo gulia has always been set at 'auto'. Over the past few months, while the car was in park in our driveway with no key fob near it and no one touching the vehicle the headlights would blink on and off. This was observed about 4 times over the past 2 months. Recently, while driving the interior and exterior lights suddenly would dim, but quickly restore. On one occasion about 1 week ago, the interior lights remained dim but I was able to restore to the prior setting by adjusting the control on the dashboard. Last night, while driving on local streets having just exited from a highway, the interior and exterior lights turned completely off for about 2 seconds, went back on then turned completely off two more times and went back on. Upon arriving at home, the car was turned off. The auto setting for the lights was noted and the owners manual was reviewed to confirm the position of the auto setting was correct. I turned the control switch a few times while parked in my driveway and the lights turned on and off per the setting on the control. I returned the setting to auto. A call to the dealer service department to inquire if there had been any other complaints indicated there had been no other reports to them of the lights improperly functioning while parked or while driving. |
| Category | Service Brakes |
| Date | Sep 04, 2020 |
| State | MD |
| Description | I was advised by the alfa romeo dealership that the rear brake pads and rotors will need replacement, while the front brakes are fine. This occurred at 31,500 miles. According to the dealership, this is common and rear brakes on this car typically need replacement at 20,000 miles. Alfa's customer service confirmed this. The dealer also stated that this is related to the electric parking brake. In my opinion, this is a safety issue as a typical driver does not expect brake replacement after such a short period of time. If this is related to the electric parking brake, as advised by the dealer, the rear brake pads may be dragging and heating the rotors while the car is in motion, therefore reducing the stopping power when needed. I believe this is either a poor design, poor materials and workmanship or a defect in the parking brake and should be addressed. Checking this online, I find this is a common issue and I feel it should be investigated before it leads to an accident. |
| Category | Power Train |
| Date | Jul 17, 2020 |
| State | FL |
| Description | Tl* the contact owns a 2018 alfa romeo giulia. The contact stated that while driving 65 mph, the instrument panel became inoperable and the vehicle decelerated independently without warning. The contact waited for an hour before restarting the vehicle and driving to his destination. The vehicle was taken to maserati of st. Petersburg located at 3033 gandy blvd, pinellas park, fl 33782, (727) 374-4500, to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the low-pressure fuel pump and an unknown wiring harness needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure recurred and the vehicle was taken to alfa romeo fort lauderdale located at 5730 n. Federal hwy, fort lauderdale, fl 33308, (754) 238-0322 however, the mechanic was unable to duplicate the failure. The contact stated on a second occasion while driving 45 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. While attempting to pull over, the vehicle independently restarted. The vehicle was again taken to maserati of st. Petersburg where an unknown wiring harness was replaced. The contact was also informed that there was also an unknown issue with the battery. The vehicle was repaired. The vehicle was then taken back to maserati of st. Petersburg for some minor electrical issues. The mechanic performed a software update and reconnected an unknown wiring harness. The contact stated on june 28, 2020 while approaching a traffic light, when he heard an abnormal noise and was unable to shift out of park. The contact waited for an hour, disconnected the battery, and was able to restart the vehicle and drove to his destination. The manufacturer had been informed of failure. The failure mileage was 5,596. |
| Category | Electrical System, Engine, Fuel/propulsion System |
| Date | Jun 27, 2020 |
| State | FL |
| Description | Service electronic throttle control and check engine warning lights came on. Car died in the middle of the road and took severally attempt to restart car. *tr |
| Category | Structure:body |
| Date | Jan 16, 2020 |
| State | FL |
| Description | While driving the driver's floor mat moves forward and gets caught in the accelerator and accelerates the vehicle, took it in for service and advice service writer about problem when I got the vehicle back was told that it was incorrectly installed and that they had correctly installed it but the very next it happened again and I nearly went into a canal and drowned, dealer keeps saying that there's nothing wrong but it keeps happening. *dt*jb *dt*dt *tr*jb |
| Category | Vehicle Speed Control |
| Date | Dec 22, 2019 |
| State | TX |
| Description | I was driving my 2018 alfa romeo gulia quadrifoglio in houston, tx. I was heading on I-45 south towards the ramp to merge on grand parkway 99 west. Once I was on grand parkway 99, I placed the car on cruise control. It was raining very hard and the cruise control was set to 75mph. Suddenly, the car hydroplaned and skidded slightly to the left and then it spun right 180 degrees facing the oncoming traffic. Now the car is going in reverse from the fastest lane, to the slow lane, then the emergency lane, and finally; the car slid off into the sloping wet grass down the side of the freeway and came to a stop when the slope subsided into a flat grass shoulder. It was almost 200-300+ feet away from the inclining concrete freeway where I slipped off onto the wet grassy sloping shoulder. The car came to a stop at the flat part of the grassy shoulder after an estimated 200-300+ feet. I have attached the image showing the start of the skid to the finish where the car stopped facing backwards. I was able to drive the car off the grass onto the service road and went to an exxon gas station (22207 kuykendahl rd, spring, tx 77379) to check the damage. Luckily I was not hurt and I did not notice any damage to the car. In my experience, I firmly believe that the cruise control in the car disabled all traction control and anti-slip control in the car because non of those systems intervened. When the car started to hydroplane, I did not feel the traction control stop the faster wheel from spinning, and before I could do anything the car skidded 180 degrees without any anti-skid control intervention. A possible conclusion is that the wheel speed sensors are dedicate to the cruise control and not sending any data to the safety systems such as anti-slip, anti-skid, or yaw and pitch sensors that keep a modern car on the intended path. |
| Category | Power Train |
| Date | Jul 15, 2019 |
| State | NY |
| Description | 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. |
| Category | Electrical System |
| Date | Mar 07, 2019 |
| State | CA |
| Description | 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. |
| Category | Structure:body |
| Date | Feb 13, 2019 |
| State | AZ |
| Description | 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. |
| Category | Visibility:sun/moon Roof Assembly |
| Date | Dec 11, 2018 |
| State | MD |
| Description | 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. |
| Category | Visibility/wiper |
| Date | Nov 30, 2018 |
| State | CA |
| Description | 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. |
| Category | Power Train, Seat Belts |
| Date | Nov 06, 2018 |
| State | PA |
| Description | 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 |
| Category | Service Brakes |
| Date | Oct 31, 2018 |
| State | TX |
| Description | 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. |
| Category | Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Oct 01, 2018 |
| State | MA |
| Description | 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 |
| Category | Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Jul 20, 2018 |
| State | CA |
| Description | 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. |
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About the Author:
Brian Jones spent more than 20 years working as an ASE Certified Master Tech and Parts Specialist at multiple dealerships. Brian has become an authority in the industry, traveling across the country to consult for car dealerships and contributing his expertise as a writer for several major automotive publications. In his spare time, Brian enjoys working on pickup trucks, muscle cars, Jeeps and anything related to motorsports.
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